Born and raised in a farming family, Chou entered the Institute of Agriculture at age 12 and passed a test at age 20 which allowed him to work at an experimental farm and eventually be appointed director of agriculture on Hainan island.
他在務農的家庭中長大，從小就與泥土和作物接觸。十三歲進入農業專修學校就讀，十五歲畢業後回家，一面幫忙農務一面自修。二十歲時考取了特種考試，前往農業試驗所實習一年，之後被分發到海南島擔任農業指導（時值抗戰之前）。