Zhu was born in Changning County, Sichuan, in April 1963. He was an accountant in Jomda County Finance Bureau in November 1982 and rose to become its director in June 1987. He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in March 1986. In December 1993, he was assigned to the Chamdo Office of Changdu Prefectural Government, where he was promoted to deputy director in January 1995. He also served as deputy general manager of Chamdo Prefectural Economic and Trade Development Corporation. He was appointed deputy party branch secretary of Chamdo Prefectural Finance Bureau in November 2001, concurrently holding the director position since April 2002. In June 2007, he became deputy deputy secretary-general of the CCP Chamdo Prefectural Committee, rising to secretary-general in April 2008. He was appointed head of the Organization Department of the CCP Chamdo Prefectural Committee in November 2007 and was admitted to member of the Standing Committee of the CCP Chamdo Prefectural Committee, the prefecture's top authority.
