[1][2] Hu was a member of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Hu was born into a family of teachers in Chengguan Town of You County, Hunan, on December 24, 1886, during the Qing Empire.

[1] Hu served as president of Hunan University from September 1940 to August 1943, and again February 1945 to June 1949.

[1] After the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC), he became a professor at University of Science and Technology Beijing.

[citation needed] During the Cultural Revolution, he suffered political persecution and experienced mistreatment by the Red Guards.