Yu did not enter to any art college and he did not want to submit himself to a formal artistic training. Yu learned painting under Chen Yi-keng, Teng Kuo-ching, and Li Chi-mao. Other inluences on Yu's painting, include his woek in clay sculpting and puppetry, both interests since childhood. Yu held his solo and joint exhibition in Taipei in 1980 and since then he has held over twenty solo and joint exhibition in Taiwan and overseas. His works are in the collections of major museums and art galleries in Asia and the West, including the British Museum in London.