Born in September 1944, of Han nationality, native of Tainan City in southern Taiwan, member of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (TSL)

Studied at the engineering mechanics department of the Beijing-based Tsinghua University in 1962-1968.

Stayed on campus waiting for job assignment in 1968.

Started to work in January 1968.

Worked in a farm in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 1968-1971.

Worked as a technician at a meter factory in Xinjiang in 1971-1973.

Worked as an intern researcher in the Plasma Physics Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1973-1978.

Studied as a graduate student in the engineering mechanics department of the Tsinghua University in 1978-1981.

Worked as teaching assistant, lecturer, associate professor, professor, and tutor of Ph.D. students in Tsinghua's engineering mechanics department, served as deputy dean of the department and vice chairwoman of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (TSL) in 1981-1994. (Studied as a Ph.D. student in the major of thermal energy engineering in an academic project jointly sponsored by the University of Liverpool in Britain and the Tsinghua University between 1984 and 1988.)

Served as deputy head of Beijing Municipal Government's higher education department, vice-director of the educational committee of the Beijing Municipal Government, assistant to the mayor of Beijing, vice chairwoman of the TSL Beijing Municipal Committee, and professor, Ph.D. students' tutor of the Tsinghua University in 1994-1996.

Served as vice-mayor of Beijing, vice chairwoman and chairwoman of the TSL Beijing Municipal Committee, and professor, Ph.D. tutor of Tsinghua in 1996-1997.

Served as vice chairwoman, executive vice-chairwoman of the TSL Central Committee, chairwoman of the TSL Beijing Municipal Committee, vice-mayor of Beijing, and professor, Ph.D. tutor of Tsinghua in 1997-2003. (Bestowed with an honorary Juris degree by the University of Liverpool in 2002.)

Served as deputy secretary-general of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), executive vice chairwoman of the TSL Central Committee (minister level since November 2003), chairwoman of the TSL Beijing Municipal Committee, vice director of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, and professor, Ph.D. tutor of Tsinghua in 2003-2004.

Served as deputy secretary-general of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress, executive vice chairwoman of the TSL Central Committee, vice director of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, and professor, Ph.D. tutor of Tsinghua in 2004-2005.

Served as deputy secretary-general of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress, chairwoman of the TSL Central Committee, vice director of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, and professor, Ph.D. tutor of Tsinghua in 2005-2008.

Now vice-chairwoman of the 11th National Committee of the CPPCC, deputy secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, chairwoman of the TSL Central Committee, and professor, Ph.D. tutor of Tsinghua.

Deputy of the 10th NPC Standing Committee; member of the 9th National Committee of the CPPCC.