Ethnic Han, born in November 1942, native of Xianyou of Fujian Province; joined Communist Party of China (CPC) in January 1961; started working in September 1964; graduate of Shanghai Institute of Silicate of China Academy of Sciences; holds a master's degree; associate research fellow.

Member of CPC Central Committee; vice-chairwoman and member of Leading Party Members' Group of Standing Committee of 11th NPC; vice-president of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

1959-1964 Studied at Physics Department of Fudan University, majoring in solid-state physics

1964-1968: Postgraduate studies at Shanghai Institute of Silicate of China Academy of Sciences (joined "four clean-up" work team from 1965 to 1967)

1968-1970: Worked at Danyang Lake Farm affiliated to No. 6409 Army Unit of People's Liberation Army (PLA)

1970-1980: Intern, associate research fellow at Shanghai Institute of Silicate of CAS

1980-1982: Visiting scholar at material research institute of University of Pennsylvania, United States

1982-1984: Assistant research fellow of Shanghai Institute of Silicate of CAS, and deputy secretary of CPC Committee of the institute

1984-1988: Deputy secretary and secretary of CPC committee of Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Work Committee; head of Publicity Department of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee

1988-1989: Member of Standing Committee, and head of Publicity Department, of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee

1989-1991: Deputy secretary and head of Publicity Department of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee

1991-1997: Deputy secretary of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee

1997-1998: Secretary of Leading Party Members' Group of State Education Commission and deputy director of the commission

1998-2003: Minister of Education, secretary of the ministry's Leading Party Members' Group

2003-2008: State Councilor, member of Leading Party Members' Group of State Council; first vice-president of BOCOG, deputy secretary of Leading Party Members' Group of BOCOG

2008-: Vice-chairwoman, member of Leading Party Members' Group, of Standing Committee of 11th NPC, vice-president of BOCOG

Alternate member of 13th and 14th CPC central committees; member of the 15th, 16th and 17th CPC central committees; vice-chairwoman of Standing Committee of 11th NPC.