A versatile mobile optical remote sensing system utilizing light detection and ranging (lidar) technology has been constructed and adapted for multidisciplinary environmental monitoring tasks on the Chinese scene. A key application is differential absorption lidar (DIAL) monitoring of distributions of gaseous air pollutants. The system includes a 20 Hz Nd:YAG laser-pumped dye laser, and two vertically looking Newtonian telescopes with diameters of 40 and 30 cm, respectively, over which folding mirrors can be hoisted over the laboratory roof to interrogate the remote target area. Using harmonic pulses from the Nd:YAG laser, remote laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and laser-induced break-down spectroscopy (LIBS) can be performed. In this way, also water pollutants, vegetation, and soils can be studied. The wide applicability of the new system is illustrated in long-range measurements of atmospheric mercury and sulfur dioxide, and in LIF and LIBS monitoring. Remote passive monitoring of flying insects illustrates the additional functionality of the system.