Zhong was born into a family of farming background in Xiangyin County, Hunan. After the Resumption of University Entrance Examination in 1977, he was accepted to Hunan University in September 1978 and graduated in July 1982.^[1] Then he studied English and Swedish at Guangzhou Foreign Language College and Beijing Language and Culture University respectively. After graduation, he went to Sweden to study at Luleå University of Technology and Linköping University, he became an assistant professor after graduation.^[1]

Zhong returned to China in 1995. He was a doctoral supervisor at Hunan University. In July 2005, he was appointed as president of Hunan University before serving as Dean of the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering of Hunan University.^[1]

In December 2005, he was elected a fellow of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.^[1] In December 2010, he was appointed as director of Chongqing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, rising to chairman in April 2011.^[1] On October 27, 2014, he was appointed secretary-general of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.^[3]

In September 2016, he was appointed as president of Tongji University.^[4]

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