[1][2] Gu was born and raised in Wu County, Jiangsu.

After high school, he studied, then taught, at Chongqing University.

He earned his Ph.D. in Sciences and Engineering from Saint Petersburg State Polytechnic University in 1960s.

In December 1986 the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council of the People's Republic of China appointed him President of Chongqing University, a position he held until August 1992.

He also served as Communist Party Secretary of Chongqing University, from August 1989 to April 1997.