Zhang xu was born in October, 1961 in Shandong, China (nationality: Han). He is a Chinese Communist Party (CPC) member since July, 1985, and a Master Degree graduate and researcher of the Party School of CPC Central Committee (CCPS). He started his career in August, 1983. From Mar. 1979 to Jul. 1983, he was the student in Chinese Language and Literature Department, Beijing Normal University. In Jul. 1983, he started to work in the Department of Society and Culture, Ministry of Culture of China, consecutively as the deputy editor-in-chief of the journal Public Culture, and editor-in-chief of Culture Monthly. In Sept. 1997, he served as the Deputy Director-General, Department of Society and Culture, Ministry of Culture of China. From Sept. 1998 to Jul. 1999, he studied in CCPS. During Aug. 2001 to Aug. 2002, he served as the Deputy Director-General, Department of Culture, Hebei Provincial Government. Since Aug. 2002, he has been as the Director-General, Department of Society and Culture, Ministry of Culture of China. Since Jul. 2007, he has been as the Director-General, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture of China. Since Jun. 2009, he has been as the Director of Central Academy of Cultural Administration (and since May, 2015, also acted as the deputy secretary of the Academy’s CPC Committee). In Feb. 2017, he was appointed as the Director-General of the Department of General Administration, Ministry of Culture of China. In Jun. 2017,

He was appointed as the Vice Minister of Culture of China, Member of the Ministry’s CPC Committee, and Director-General of the Ministry’s Department of General Administration. In Jul. 2017, he served as the Vice Minister of Culture of China and Member of the Ministry’s CPC Committee. Since March, 2017, he has been the Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism of China and Member of the Ministry’s CPC Committee.