Born May 27 1931 in Qing Xian, Hebei Province, China. University of Peking (China).
Professional experience in China
- Academic specialist in Chinese history
- 1953-1963 : Assistant at the Faculty of History, Peking University (Beida)
- 1963-1979 : Senior Lecturer, Peking University
- 1979-1983 : Associate Professor, Peking University
- Since 1983 : Professor, Faculty of History, Director of the Center for Medieval History of China and Director of Doctoral Theses in History, Peking University (Beida)
Professional activities abroad
- 1981-1982 : Research at the Sinologisch Instituut in Leiden, Netherlands
- 1985 : Participation in the International Congress of Historians in Stuttgart, Germany
- 1987 : Visiting researcher at the Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo, Japan
- 1987-1988 : Associate Director of Studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), IVe section, Paris
- 1989 : Participation in the Unesco conference on the Civilizations of Central Asia, Paris
- 1989-1990 : Researcher on temporary contract at CNRS
- Since 1990 : Active, unpaid member of the " Manuscripts of Dunhang " research team (URA 1063), EPHE IVe section, associated with the CNRS
- 1990 : Guest lecturer at the École normale supérieure (ENS), Paris
- 1990-1992 : Adjunct professor at the University of Geneva
- 1991-1992 : Research fellow at the École française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO), Paris
- 1992-1993 : Guest lecturer at the École normale supérieure (ENS), Paris
- 1993-1994 : Visiting Professor at the Collège de France, holding the annual International Chair
Unesco activities
- Member of the international editorial board of L'Histoire des civilisations de l'Asie centrale
- Co-editor-in-chief of the 3rd volume of The History of Civilizations of Central Asia
- Vice-President of the International Association of Central Asian Civilization Studies
Main titles of lectures given
- " Pre-modern China. Historical overview
- " Studies on the History of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) "
- " China and the riparian states : history of relations with Turfan and Khotan in the Tang period "
- " The socio-economic documents of Dunhuang and Turfan : materials for a new historical approach "
- " Studies of certain Tang liu-dian regulations in the context of the Dunhuang and Turfan documents