Xu Guangchun, a native of Shaoxing City in Zhejiang Province, was born in November 1944.

When he was still in high school, he was invited to be a special correspondent for Hangzhou Daily. In 1969, he graduated from the Journalism Department of Renmin University of China and joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1973. He had been working in rural areas, factories and the army for a short time.

In 1972, he was transferred to Anhui Production and Construction Corps as a news officer and reporter for Corps Soldiers Newspaper. He worked for Anhui News Picture Agency in 1975, and was transferred 4 years later to Xinhua News Agency's Anhui branch, where he was reporter, then team leader. In 1982, he joined the Chinese Photographers Association and served as head of Anhui Photojournalist Society.

He was elected as an alternate member of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee in 1984. The next year, he served as head of Xinhua News Agency's Shanghai branch. He also worked as a consultant for Shanghai Photojournalist Society. In 1988, he became head of Xinhua News Agency's Beijing branch, member of Beijing Publicity Group, executive member of the Beijing Overseas Exchange Association and senior consultant of Beijing Economic Information Newspaper.

In 1991, he served as vice editor-in-chief and senior journalist on Guangming Daily. He became its editor-in-chief in 1993, as well as executive member of the Photojournalist Society of China and All China Journalists Association, consultant of Chinese Newspaper Association and honorary chairman of the College Newspaper Association.

In July 1993, he served as member of the State Council's Environmental Protection Committee. In 1995, he became vice minister of the Publicity Department of the CCCPC (Central Committee of the Communist Party of China). In June 2000, he served as director-general of the State Administration of Radio Film and Television.

In September 1997, he was elected member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC.

He is a member of the 16th CPC Central Committee and was named secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee in December 2004.

He has written a large number of articles and over 100 theses, and has published over 1,000 news pictures. His works include: Practical Manual for Amateur Photography, Philosophy and Journalism, Photography Techniques. Of them, Practical Manual for Amateur Photography has been awarded the national Golden Key Award.