Zheng was born on 8 February 1902 in present-day Shunde, Guangdong. His father died when Zheng was six years old. At the age of nine, Zheng began attending a private school and at ten years old moved to a school in Beijiao. Zheng spent 1916 at school in Hong Kong, returning to Guangzhou the next year, and soon found work as a journalist. He was accepted into a normal school affiliated with National Guangdong University in 1918, and became active in student government, while also serving on the staff of several student publications. Influenced by professor Huang Xisheng, Zheng left the study of math and chemistry, to focus on education instead. Zheng's academic performance caught the attention of school president, who suggested that Zheng join the Kuomintang. Zheng became a member of the party in 1923. In January 1924, Sun Yat-sen held lectures on his political philosophy, the Three Principles of the People, at Zheng's school. Upon graduation, Zheng chose to further his studies in education in Japan. Upon his return, Zheng worked as a mathematics teacher and department director at National Guangdong University.
Time in Europe
In late 1925, Zheng arrived in France to study at the University of Lyon. By 1926, Zheng became leader of the French chapter of the Kuomintang. From his base in Lyon, he oversaw party operations in several western European countries. In 1927, Zheng transferred to the University of Paris. The next year, he returned to China, attending the Third Kuomintang National Congress in Nanjing. Zheng then became the European bureau chief for the Central Daily News. Zheng formally declared his support of Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government in 1930 and began work at the League of Nations. Zheng completed his degree in statistics from the University of Paris in 1931 and married Lun Yunshan two years later. Shortly thereafter, National Guangdong University Law School dean stepped down and Zou Lu offered the position to Zheng, who cited the events of the Fujian Rebellion as a reason he should continue working in government. As a result, Zheng returned to Geneva with his wife in 1934.
Return to China
Zheng left his position at the League of Nations in 1935 and became dean of SYSU Law School until 1937. After the Second Sino–Japanese War broke out, Zheng sought to aid the war effort, moving from Guangzhou to Shanghai with the assistance of T. V. Soong. The war's opening engagement forced Zheng to Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, Zheng relocated to Wuhan, where he helped organize the in 1938, which he served as secretary-general. Zheng was elected to the Guangdong Provincial Government, serving between 1939 and 1943. During this time, Zheng served in several positions within the Kuomintang. He attended the Sixth Kuomintang National Congress, where he was named secretary-general of the party's central committee. In 1947, Zheng was elected to the Legislative Yuanfor the first time. The next year, he succeeded Wu Tieh-cheng as secretary-general of the Kuomintang Central Committee. He won reelection to the legislature after the Constitution of the Republic of China went into effect. In April 1949, Zheng met with several senior members of the Kuomintang to discuss moving party leadership to Guangzhou.
