Lin Shu-hong was born and bred in Taiwan, and graduated from the National Taipei University of Technology, or the establishment that was to become that. In 1949, along with Tseng Shin-yi and M. K. Liao founded the Chang Chun Group. The name translates from the Chinese as long spring, and was decided upon as it describes the bond between the three founders, who were in the same class at university. They started the business with just $100.

The Chang Chun Group has grown into one of the biggest petrochemical companies in Asia, and has plants throughout Southeast Asia as well as Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. Lin Shu-hong was the chairman until 2013 when he stepped down. Because of his dedication to research and development, he became known as the Edison of petrochemicals.

Of the three founders of the company, only Lin Shu-hong is still alive.