[1][2] Gu was born in Fu County (now Wafangdian), Liaoning, in November 1931.

He enlisted in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in December 1947, and joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in November 1949.

He was made deputy political commissar of Shaoyang Military Area in 1982 and one year later was promoted to become political commissar of the Hunan Military District.

He was transferred back to the Guangzhou Military Region in February 1988 and appointed deputy political commissar.

In April 1990, he was commissioned as political commissar of the Chengdu Military Region, he remained in that position until April 1990, when he was transferred to the Beijing Military Region and given the position of political commissar.