Pi was born into a family of farming background in Changsha, Hunan.

The Beiyang government closed down the newspaper when its articles against Yuan Shikai's restoration of monarchy.

[2] He was president of Hunan University in July 1936, and the Ministry of Education appointed Pi Zongshi as the principal of National Hunan University on January 19 of 1937, and held that office until September 1940.

[3] After the founding of the Communist state, he became a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Pi Zongshi married Yang Shujun (Chinese: 杨淑君) in an arranged marriage.