In response to the imperative requirement of the Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) imaging system to produce exceptionally realistic target schlieren images, this paper proposes a method for generating realistic background schlieren images based on physical optical tracing. This method, grounded in real-world scene images, couples atmospheric turbulence field information with target information to establish a physics-based background schlieren imaging system ray tracing full-link simulation model. It simulates the propagation of light rays in complex refractive index fields of three-dimensional scenes and calculates the intersection points of light rays with objects based on physical principles. By using diffraction imaging principles, it accomplishes forward mapping of background images, thereby generating background schlieren images with higher realism and credibility. Experimental results demonstrate that this method offers high simulation flexibility and generates background schlieren images that are realistic and reliable, effectively showcasing schlieren characteristics. This method provides essential support for the pre-design and evaluation of background schlieren imaging system systems.