Mao is a famous director and photographer in China. 1957 was born in Hebei and grew up in Hunan. 1978 was admitted to the photography department of Beijing Film Academy and worked in Xiaoxiang Film Studio after graduation. He has served as photography, artistic director and director of many film and television works. He is currently the vice chairman of the Young Filmmakers Committee of China Film Association.

Mao's representative works mainly include Born, Sigh, Big Man, Day of Leaving Lei Feng, Red Cherry, Red Lover, world without thieves, Banquet and Red Cliff. Towards the Republic, Military Secrets, Ming Dynasty 1566 and China's Past are the chief directors. He won the Golden Rooster Award of 1999 for best photography, the Top Ten Directors of Military Secrets in the 5th China Public Television Award in 2005, the Best Photography Award in the 5th/KLOC-0 Asia-Pacific Film Festival, and was nominated for the Best Photography Award in the 43rd Golden Horse Award in 2006.