A native of Lintong, Shaanxi, with ancestral roots in Baishui, Shaanxi. He achieved the title of Jieyuan in the 16th year of the Wanli era (1588) and became a Jinshi the following year. He served as the magistrate of Huoqiu in Anhui and Jiangdu in Jiangsu, as well as in various other official positions including the Director of the Bureau of Evaluations in the Ministry of Personnel, Assistant Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Vice Commissioner of the Judicial Commission in Shandong, Director of the Bureau of Appointments in the Ministry of Personnel, and Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

In his early years, Wu was deeply interested in medicine and studied under his uncle Wu Daichuan. In 1600, he was dismissed from office for "offending the authorities," which intensified his interest in medicine. In the spring of 1606, when an epidemic broke out in his hometown, he used the methods described in the Baochi Quanshu to prepare prescriptions, saving nearly a hundred lives within ten days, earning high praise from the local community.

Wu authored several works, including: Jiyin Gangmu in 5 volumes (1620), Douke Leibian, Jiyang Gangmu in 108 volumes (1626), as well as Ciyou Gangmu, Yizhi, Haifang Shu, and Jilei Pian, among others. Known as the "Eminent Scholar of Guanzhong," Wu was passionate about poetry and prose, and his scholarly and economic contributions were highly praised. Two of his extant poems, You Wenquan and Deng Lishan Guan Huban Shi, celebrate the beautiful landscapes of Lintong.