Considered the founder of modern Chinese textile science and technology, Mr. Chen Weiji was an educator and social activist. He was born in 1902 in Qingyang, Anhui Province. Graduating from ShanghaiFudanUniversity in 1925, he continued his studies at LeedsUniversity in England from 1925 to 1928, and then went to Germany as an intern. He was a professor, the dean of Department of Dye Chemistry, and later provost of NantongCollege.

He also served as vice minister of the Ministry of Textile Industry, 15th to 17th chairmen and 18th honorary chairman of the China Textile Society, member of the Central Standing Committee of the Chinese Democratic National Construction Association, member of the second to fourth CPPCC National Committee, member of the Fifth and Sixth CPPCC Standing Committee, and deputy to the fourth National People's Congress.

Chen Weiji edited the Encyclopedia of China-Textile and the History of Chinese Textile Science and Technology (Ancient Part). In 1989, in order to commemorate him, China Textile Engineering Association set up the “Weiji Excellent Academic Papers Award”, the highest academic award from the textile industry. He passed away in Beijing in 1984.