[1] Under the influence of Fang Zhimin, he joined the Communist Youth League of China in June 1931.

He enlisted in the Red Army in February 1932, and joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in June 1933.

During the Agrarian Revolutionary War, he fought guerrilla warfare with Kuomintang troops in both Jiangxi and Fujian provinces.

In October 1958, he was made deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

In 1975, he was named commander of the North Sea Fleet, succeeding Ma Zhongquan [zh].