She was born in Lyon, France in March 1931 and returned to China with her parents in 1937. She is a famous art design educator, an art designer, a professor, and an expert with outstanding contributions in China.

In her childhood, she followed her father Chang Shuhong to trace through the murals in Dunhuang. In 1948, she went to study in the United States. After returning to China in 1950, she taught at Tsinghua University and the Central Academy of Fine Arts. She used to be a member of the Standing Committee of the 9th National People's Congress, a member of the Special Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Health, Vice Chairman of the China Artists Association, the fifth executive member of the All-China Women's Federation, and President of the former Central Academy of Arts and Design.