Born in Nanjing, China, in 1953, Liu Dan moved to the United States in the early 1980s, where he lived and worked for several decades before returning to China. His artistic formation is rooted in the study of classical Chinese painting, which he synthesized with Western observational techniques during his time abroad.

His signature work focuses on the intricate textures of limestone scholar's rocks, rendered in monochrome ink with extreme detail. By isolating these natural forms against empty backgrounds, he emphasizes their structural complexity and geological history, bridging the gap between traditional literati painting and contemporary conceptual art.