Zhang, Zhaohuan (张照寰) was born in Zhenjiang, China, in 1925. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Shanghai Medical College in 1950. Because of his outstanding school performance and academic potential, he was offered a lectureship by his alma mater upon graduation—a practice that is still in vogue in almost all universities in China when recruiting exceptional faculty members is difficult. In the eight years that followed, he worked there first as a lecturer and then an associate professor and associate director.