Goto "System Settings" => "Language Support" => "Install/Remove Languages". Look up the "Chinese (simplified)" line, select the language option by clicking it. Click "Apply Changes" to add the language support to Ubuntu desktop.
In "Keyboard input method system:" option, select "ibus".
You may need to logout/restart and log back in to activate the newly added language support.
You must see a keyboard symbol on your GNOME panel bar to use the ibus (PinYin, WuBi etc.) input method. Left click the keyboard symbol on your panel bar, choose "Preferences" to open a popup window. Choose "Input Method" => "Select an input method" => "拼Chinese-Pinyin". Then close the popup window.
Now you should be able to use "<Ctrl>-<Space>" to switch back and forth between English input and Chinese Pinyin input.