[3] Lee has served as columnist of several publications, such as the Yazhou Zhoukan, Hong Kong Economic Journal, Ming Pao, and Muse.
Lee was born in a wealthy and highly educated family in Taikang County, Henan in 1942.
His given name "Ou-fan" is the Chinese version of Orpheus, the Greek god of music.
He then went on to study at Harvard University, where his mentors included Benjamin I. Schwartz and John King Fairbank.
He received his Ph.D. degree from Harvard University in 1970, majoring in history and East Asian languages.