Yang trained to be a painter of the gongbi style at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. This discipline in classical painting is marked by a realist approach and a careful attention to detail. Then he ventured into the realm of oil painting and created a distinguished body of work depicting his experiences on the grasslands of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Yang spent several years in Inner Mongolia in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He joined the traveling performance troupes as they ventured into the remote grasslands. He observed the daily life of herdsmen, painted them and formed close bonds with their communities. His paintings, featuring a highly saturated palette, accentuate a poetic, serene atmosphere.

Meanwhile, he further explored ink art. He introduced the formalist and abstract styles of modern Western art, and infused them with the xieyi (presenting the spirit) approach of Chinese painting. He produced an output of ink works that demonstrate a modern touch, yet imbued with the spirituality of Chinese calligraphy.