Lighting China with LEDs (Hao Luoxi)

A Few Things About Teacher Hao Luoxi

Author / Tang Guoqing

Mrs. Hao Luoxi is an accomplished educator and researcher in the fields of lighting education and scientific research at Chinese universities. She currently serves as a tenured associate professor at Tongji University and as the president of the Shanghai Lighting Society.

During her doctoral studies at Tongji University, her mentor was Professor Yang Gongxia, a renowned pioneer in the disciplines of visual performance and light environments. Later, while conducting postdoctoral research at the School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, she studied under architectural optics expert Mr. Zhan Qingxuan. As the saying goes, “A master produces outstanding students,” and this maxim has been particularly true throughout Teacher Hao’s career.

I am not very familiar with her teaching work, but due to my own involvement in the lighting industry, I had the opportunity to meet her many years ago. Through our long-standing interactions, I have observed that she possesses a strong sense of mission and an impeccable dedication to her profession, always striving to create added value for society in every field she engages with.

In 2002, as the chief designer, Teacher Hao led her team in undertaking the “Master Plan for Nightscape Lighting in Hangzhou’s Main Urban Area.” After careful deliberation, they adopted the overarching theme of “Whether lightly or heavily adorned, it always suits the city,” capturing the romantic nocturnal ambiance of Hangzhou. This project received widespread acclaim. In September of the same year, she also chaired an international lighting forum hosted by the Hangzhou Municipal Government, attracting numerous domestic and international guests. At the forum, I presented a report on LEDs; at that time, LEDs were still a relatively new technology in the lighting sector, and it was likely the first public presentation of LED-related topics in China—undoubtedly benefiting from the momentum generated by this project and forum.

Following the completion of the Hangzhou design project, Teacher Hao went on to lead the “Nightscape Lighting Plan for Nanning City.” She thoughtfully leveraged the unique attributes of LEDs—such as their multicolor capabilities, ease of control, and adaptability—to propose using LED technology to highlight the embroidery balls, a quintessential symbol of the Zhuang ethnic group, integrating them into the city’s landscape design. This creative concept was entrusted to Dachen Optoelectronics (where I served as general manager), a challenging yet exciting task. We worked tirelessly for three days and three nights, ultimately delivering a highly praised result.

Due to this connection, the company where I worked—whether intentionally or not—consistently supported Teacher Hao’s endeavors. Each year, she assigned hands-on lighting projects to her students, followed by rigorous grading and evaluation. For several years, I provided the students with LED components free of charge. Later, her successor, Dr. Shao Jiaping, continued this tradition. And indeed, it proved effective! With Teacher Hao’s exacting standards combined with practical training, her students have gone on to excel, now holding key positions in today’s new generation of designers and planning managers—including Yang Yun, head of the Lighting Department at the Shanghai Modern Architectural Planning and Design Institute; Hu Guojian, director of RDI International Lighting Design; Yang Xiu, head of the Lighting Department at Tongji University’s Architectural Design Institute; Miao Hailin, head of the Lighting Department at the East China Architectural Design Institute; Cai Ye-zhen, founder of Youmi Lighting Design; Li Baowei, deputy director of Division Two for Planning Implementation at the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources; Cao Yixiao from the Beijing Architectural Design Institute; Wang Tongyue from Tongji University’s Affiliated Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital; Wang Yanni, part of Academician Jiang’s team at Nanchang University’s Nanchang Laboratory—and even Dr. Shao Rongdi, who has long served as a senior supervisor within Teacher Hao’s team and is now a professor-level senior engineer. Such a remarkable legacy of distinguished alumni is, in part, thanks to Dachen Company’s modest contributions.

Most notably, Teacher Hao crafted the comprehensive lighting master plan for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. As the chief designer, she led a team of over 70 members, working tirelessly day and night to complete the nightscape lighting plan for the 5.28-square-kilometer expo site, along with the lighting designs for key pavilions. The result was one of the most dazzling and awe-inspiring masterpieces in the history of the World Expos.

What left the deepest impression on the industry was Teacher Hao’s dual roles as Vice President of the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) and specially appointed vice-chairman of the China Illumination Society. Despite her high standing, she never adopted an aloof or arrogant attitude, instead willingly offering advice and guidance to related enterprises. It is said that when a group of festive lighting manufacturers in Linhai—known internationally as Christmas light producers—encountered challenges in innovation during their design process, they immediately set aside their Saturday and Sunday rest days, joined by Teacher Guo Fei and several of her top disciples, and traveled to engage face-to-face with small and medium-sized enterprise leaders. They put forward numerous constructive suggestions, earning deep recognition and respect from the entrepreneurs—yet Teacher Hao never sought any compensation for her efforts.

Equally admirable is the “Human Factors Healing” research project she pioneered, which incorporates healing functions designed using LED technology. Building on preliminary research findings, and in support of China’s polar exploration endeavors, she and her team transported a human factors health experiment module to China’s Zhongshan Station in Antarctica, aiming to provide reliable and secure living and working conditions for Antarctic researchers under extreme climatic conditions. To this end, Teacher Hao personally participated in China’s 29th and 42nd Antarctic expeditions in 2012 and 2025, traveling to Antarctica to oversee, inspect, and take part in the implementation of these projects. This was no mere sightseeing trip back to Shanghai; it entailed long-distance sea travel, crossing the Westerly Jet Stream, and enduring life in environments of perpetual daylight or darkness—each stay lasting three to four months, far from family and friends. Even for men, such conditions present significant challenges; how much more so for a female educator?

As a female educator, Teacher Hao could easily remain within the comfortable confines of university teaching and research, yet she consistently dares to innovate, break boundaries, and blaze new trails. Where is the stereotype of a frail, unassertive female teacher? Deep down, she is clearly a highly dedicated educator and a talented researcher!

Throughout her teaching and research activities, Teacher Hao has also collaborated closely with her students to transform educational and scientific achievements into books that benefit future generations—most notably, her book “Light and Health,” which has been warmly embraced by the industry.

I often wonder: Why does Teacher Hao push herself so hard? The answer lies in what she frequently says: “To fulfill our original aspiration and mission—to bring healthy light to everyone.”

Writing this, I suddenly realized: Teacher Hao truly embodies the essence of being a “good” teacher!

Source: Tang Shiyi Official Account