Chen Shunli

Chen Shunli was born on March 15, 1917, in Fenghua County, Zhejiang Province (now part of Ningbo). He graduated from the Department of Economics at Tsinghua University in 1939. After the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, he pursued further studies in the United Kingdom and France, undertaking academic research at the University of Oxford and the University of Paris.^[4]

In 1949, Chen returned to China and joined Nankai University, where he served as a professor and later as vice dean of academic affairs. Beginning in 1959, he worked at Shanxi University, holding successive positions as professor, dean of academic affairs, librarian, and ultimately president of the university.^[5] Under his leadership, Shanxi University expanded its academic capacity and strengthened its role as a key institution of higher education in North China.^[6]

Chen joined the China Association for Promoting Democracy in December 1951 and thereafter devoted himself to the development of the organization at both local and national levels.^[7] He served as vice chairman of the 7th and 8th Central Committees of Minjin, executive vice chairman of the 9th Central Committee, and honorary vice chairman of the 10th and 11th Central Committees.^[8] In parallel, he held several important state positions, including member of the Standing Committee of the 7th and 8th National People's Congress, member of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the 7th NPC, member of the 4th, 5th, and 9th National Committees of the CPPCC, and standing committee member of the 6th CPPCC.^[9]

Chen Shunli died of illness in Beijing on December 10, 2003, at the age of 86. His cremation was held on December 18 at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery.^[10]