Born in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan in 1980, he graduated with a masters in filmmaking from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing in 2006. He then began writing and directing films and documentaries for television. His debut feature Huan Huan was made with non-professional actors from his home village and screened at Chinese and international film festivals including New Directors/New Films in New York. His first professionally-produced feature Ciao Ciao was supported by the World Cinema Fund and also took part in the L'Atelier de la Cinéfondation in Cannes.