In the heyday of the Cultural Revolution in 1973, his studies was interrupted by the Down to the Countryside Movement, he became a sent-down youth and worked in Baishan Commune of Lishu County, in northeast China's Jilin province.
[4] After graduating in August 1983, he was assigned to the Ministry of Water Resources, he served in several posts there, including secretary, department chief and director.
In June 1994 he was promoted to become director and party branch secretary of Yellow River Conservancy Commission, he remained in that positions until May 2001, when he was appointed secretary general of the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
On 19 March 2018, he was elected minister of water resources at the first session of the 13th National People's Congress.
He concurrently serving as director of the Office of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project Commission of the State Council and deputy commander of the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters since July 2010.