During the Down to the Countryside Movement, he was a Sent-down youth and performed manual labour in Changtan Township, Liaozhong County.
Beginning in 1982, he served in several posts in Shenyang Chemical Equipment Plant, including secretary, technician, deputy director, and section chief.
On August 1, 2015, the Communist Party's anti-corruption agency announced that Gu Chunli was placed under investigation.
[1] Six days later, Gu was removed from his posts by the Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party.
The investigation concluded that Gu abused his power to advance the interests of others, used public funds for personal expenses, frequented private clubs, accepted bribes, accepted banquet invitations paid for by public funds, "used vehicles from state-owned enterprises", and interfered and obstructed the investigation.