Ph.D. (Vertebrate Paleontology), 1990. Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
M.Sc. (Paleontology), 1987. Postgraduate School, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, China
B.Sc. (Paleontology), 1984. Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
1997 – Present: Research Professor, IVPP, CAS, Beijing
1992 – 1996:    Associate Research Professor, IVPP, CAS, Beijing
1990 – 1992:    Assistant Research Professor, IVPP, CAS, Beijing
1987:            Research Assistant, Geological Museum of China, Beijing
1996 - 1997:     Humboldt Research Fellow in Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin
1993 - 1995:     Postdoctoral Research Fellow in URA 12 du CNRS, Laboratoire de  Paléontologie, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris 

He is setting the research agenda in the area of paleoichthyology and early vertebrate evolution.He has made unique and outstanding contributions to the studies on the morphology, histology, phylogeny, biogeography and evolutionary history of many early vertebrate groups.