From a black bear and a wild pig to a viper and a hornet's nest, from landslides and thunderstorms to getting lost and car accidents, Zhou You has encountered various dangers and difficulties during his trips. He describes himself as someone who looks dusty in shabby clothes with a tattered bag containing two cameras. However, when he sees a plant, his eyes light up.

Zhou lives an isolated life each year from April to October. He is never home, either taking photos of plants in the mountains or on his way to find plants. As for the rest of year, he never leaves home, more precisely, his chair, to write down the information about plants that he has gained from his trips for books.