He says, "My family was not well-to-do when I was young, so I had to graze cattle to contribute to the family income, yet making a living out in the open, where I could see the mountains and the ocean, made me feel happy." He gained a lot of experience during that time which later proved to be an inspiration for his creations.
「雖然小時候家境差，我必須出來放牛幫助家計，但在大自然中生活，看山、看海，覺得很愉快」，朱銘認為，他從中吸收了許多日後創作的活水源頭。