●1graduated from St. John's University in Shanghai in June, 1947 and entered the office of Riahard Pauck, a German professor in the Department of Architecture;
● 1952- 1960 successively served as the office director of Shanghai East China Design Institute, engaged in interior design and furniture design;
● 1960- 1970 set up an interior design room in Beijing institute of industrial architecture design, serving as the director of the room and concurrently serving as interior design and furniture design;
● 1974- 1979 engaged in furniture research in Beijing Wood Industry Research Institute;
● 1979- 1985 is the Deputy Secretary-General of China Architectural Society;
● 1980 was appointed by the Ministry of Construction to set up the first design unit in China-Huasen Design Company as the general manager.
● 1985 and Peng, a Canadian Chinese, set up the first Sino-foreign cooperative architectural design firm in Beijing.
● 1989, Zhang Shili and Rao advocated and promoted the establishment of the Interior Design Branch of China Architecture Society, and were elected as the president of the Interior Design Branch of China Architecture Society for three consecutive years.
● Since 2000, he has been elected honorary president of Interior Design Branch of China Architectural Society. Honorary Chairman of China Branch of International Interior Decoration Design Association (IFDA)