Pei Shengji is a research professor at Kunming Institute of Botany of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also the founder of Chinese Ethnobotany, a fellow of Linnean Society, member of IUCN-WCPA-CSVPA, former President of International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE, 1998-2002), Division Chief of Mountain Natural Resource, International Center for Integrated Mountain Development(1990-1998), Director of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (1983-1986). After his retirement in 2003, he has been serving as President of BioCultural Diversity Conservation (CBCDC) Yunnan, and a board member of the World Wood Day Foundation (WWDF). He is still active in bio-cultural diversity conservation research and forest related  studies and conservation activities in and outside of China.