Perceived as a member of the "Oil Clique" headed by his patron Yu Qiuli, Kang's career peaked in 1979 and 1980, when he was considered China's energy czar.

[2] After the Second Sino-Japanese War erupted in 1937, Kang joined the Eighth Route Army and participated in anti-Japanese activities in Shuo County, Shanxi Province.

[3] When the Cultural Revolution started in 1966, Kang Shi'en was attacked for giving priority to production and expertise as opposed to ideological purity.

[4]: 154 He was appointed deputy director of the Jianghan Oil Field in 1969 and Vice Minister of the newly formed Ministry of Fuel and Chemical Industries in 1970.

[5] Kang Shi'en rose quickly during the transition period between Mao Zedong's death and Deng Xiaoping's rise.

[2] He lost his post as Director of the State Economic Commission in March 1981 and resumed the lower-ranking position of Petroleum Minister.

Although he retained responsibility for the oil industry, Kang lost the rest of the energy portfolio to the newly promoted Vice Premier Li Peng.

[2] Kang Shi'en was responsible for the quick rise of Zhu Rongji, a fellow Tsinghua alumnus who later became mayor of Shanghai under Deng Xiaoping and Premier of China under Jiang Zemin.