During the Cultural Revolution, during the late 60's, many journalists were imprisoned. Shang Ding was fourteen when his parents were arrested and held for three years. Shang Ding's life changed dramatically. Where he was once free to play with the other children, he now felt different from the others and, not knowing when his parents might return, knew he must secure a future for himself. He became even more dedicated to his study of art, with added introspection in his loneliness.

At seventeen, Shang Ding joined the army. At night, while everyone else was sleeping, he would work at his painting under the sheets, using a flashlight. Eight years of painting and working with other soldiers (never receiving a promotion) gave the young artist a deep understanding of ordinary people and their perseverance in the face of hardship and fear. He worked at the front-lines of several battles in southern China. This was after the U.S. had pulled out of Viet Nam, and China was at war with the North Vietnamese. His paintings of soldiers at war elicited the best of his talent, strengthened his character, and inspired him to continue. They also began to win awards.

In 1974, Shang Ding entered a show in Beijing where his work was noticed by Mao Zedong's wife. She was greatly impressed that such talent could come from a 20 year old youth, talked incessantly about Shang Ding, and drew great attention to his work. Professors from the Central Art Academy were equally impressed, and he, unlike Mao's wife, began his path to fame in China. He continued his training in two major art schools in China, receiving a Masters Degree from the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts. Eventually he became an Associate Professor at the Peoples Liberation Army Academy of Art, and delivered regular lectures at the Chinese Central Academy of Fine Arts.