Before his retirement, he was deputy director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
In December 1985 he was promoted to become deputy party chief of Changde County, a position he held until February 1987.
He was deputy secretary of Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League in February 1987, and held that office until July 1992.
In July 1992, he was transferred to Liuyang and appointed the party chief, the top political position in the city.
In August 2001, Mei was transferred to Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan province, as the top political position in the city.