In 1905, Attended Jiangnan Commercial School in Nanjing.

In 1911, Admitted to Tangshan Engineering College.

In 1916, Graduated from Southwest Jiaotong University (then known as the Ministry of Communications' Tangshan Engineering College).

In 1917, Earned a Master's degree from Cornell University in the United States.

In 1919, Earned a Ph.D. from the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in the United States.

1920–1930, Served successively as professor and deputy director at Tangshan Jiaotong University (now Southwest Jiaotong University), professor and head of the engineering department at the National Southeast University, president of the Nanjing Hehai Technological University, president of Tangshan Jiaotong University (now Southwest Jiaotong University), dean of Peiyang Engineering College, and president of National Peiyang University.

1930–1931, Served as director of the Jiangsu Water Resources Bureau.

1934–1937, Served as director of the Qiantang River Bridge Engineering Office in Zhejiang Province (held this position until 1949).

1937–1942, Served as acting dean and then dean of the Tangshan Engineering College of the National Jiaotong University (now Southwest Jiaotong University).

1942–1943, Served as director of the Bridge Design Engineering Office at the Ministry of Communications.

1943–1949, Served as general manager of the China Bridge Company.

1949–1952, Served as president of China Jiaotong University (renamed Northern Jiaotong University in 1950), which was formed by the merger of Tangshan Engineering College (now Southwest Jiaotong University) and the Beiping Railway Management Institute (now Beijing Jiaotong University). 

1951–1981, Served as director of the Railway Technology Research Institute and president of the Railway Scientific Research Institute.