Printmaker and painter He Yongkun was born in 1953, in the capital of China's Yunnan Province, Kunming. He attended Yunnan Arts University, where he graduated from the printmaking department in 1982. He finished additional studies at China National Academy of Fine Arts in 1992.

He Yongkun is now teaching students as a professor and as president of the Art Design Academy of Yunnan Arts University. He is active both as a printmaker and a painter, and is a member of the Chinese Aritists Association, the China Printmakers Association, the Chinese Ex-libris Association, the Yunnan Prints committee, and was vice-chairmen of Yunnan Artists Association.

Yongkun has established a reputation as one of China’s leading artists, and was awarded an "Outstanding Professional" award by the Yunnan government in 1998. He is one of the few Chinese artists with an exhibition record that extends beyond China's borders, and his artworks have been exhibited throughout Japan, Europe, and the United States, as well as China itself.

Exhibitions:

1983 - The prints "Bamboo Village" and "Making Brocade" were selected for the annual Chinese Prints Exhibition and shown in Denmark.
1990 - "Spring" was shown in an exhibition titled "Yunnan 12 Artists" in Japan.
1991 - Exhibition in Taiwan.
1991-1993 - Exhibition in Japan. The prints "Spring of Ailao", "Mountain Fruits", "In the Depths of Forest", "Beauty of the Lake", "Morning Song", "Riverside", "Kumquat Harvest", "Go Bamboo" were collected by the Japanese Aioi Hyogo Forest Gallery.
1995 - Exhibition in Thailand
1996 - Exhibition in South Korea.

Awards:

1981 - The print "Bamboo Village" won the prize for outstanding works of the 1st Yunnan New Year Print Exhibition. Another print shown in this exhibition was "Making Brocade".
1984 - "Spring of Ailao" was selected for the 6th National Art Exhibition of China.
1986 - "Mountain Fruits" was selected for the 9th National Print Exhibition, and was purchased by the Chinese National Gallery.
1986 - "In the Depths of Forest" was selected for the 2nd Yunnan New Year Print Exhibition.
1988 - "Spring" was selected for the National Small Woodblock Prints & Ex-libris Exhibition.
1990 - "Dai Girls in the Shade" was selected for the 10th National Print Exhibition of China.
1990 - "Beauty of the Lake" was selected for the 6th exhibition "The Autumn of Gusu" Print Exhibition.
1991 - "Riverside" was selected for the 4th Yunnan New Year Print Exhibition.
1992 - "Morning Song" was selected for the 3rd Chinese Artworks Exhibition at Yunnan.
1992 - "Green Grassplot" was selected for the 11th National Print Exhibiton and won a bronze medal.
1994 - "Secret Garden" was selected for the 8th National Art Exhibition of China.
1996 - "Streamlet in the Forest" was selected for the 5th Yunnan Provincial Print Exhibition.