Lee's father Chun-kang Lee (), one of the first graduates of the University of Nanking, was a chemical industrialist and merchant who was involved in China's early development of modern synthesized fertilizer.
Lee received his secondary education in Shanghai, Suzhou (High School Affiliated to Soochow University, 东吴大学附属中学) and Jiangxi (Jiangxi Joint High School, 江西联合中学).