Population synthesis is the numerical simulation of the evolution of a multitude of stars, with the objective of obtaining certain statistical characteristics of the simulated population of stars. The roots of this method of studying entire ensembles of stars lie in the 1990s, when advances in observational astronomy started allowing for the results of such simulations to be fully tested against real stellar populations. Today, population synthesis is regarded as a standard method of studying many aspects of stellar populations and the exotic objects they give rise to.

The binary population synthesis group of Yunnan Observatories is among those pioneering research in this field, and has historically made several notable contributions. Today, applying the principles of population synthesis to binary systems, we have managed to lead the world in the study of barium stars, hot sub-dwarfs, type Ia supernova progenitors, and X-ray binaries, and also to raise awareness on how binary systems can affect the evolution of physical stellar populations such as globular clusters and galaxies.