The area of present-day Yang County has been inhabited for approximately 7,000 years, since the
Neolithic period. The area belonged to the
Liang dynasty. Prior to being annexed into the
Jin dynasty, the area was organized as Chenggu County (). During the Jin dynasty, the area was organized as Xingdao County () and Huangjin County (). Upon the establishment of the
Tang dynasty in 758CE, it became the seat of
Yang Prefecture (). In 1370, under the
Ming dynasty, the area was re-organized as Yang County (). In 1913, under
Republican China, the area was placed under (). In 1928, Hanzhong Circuit was abolished and the area was governed directly by
Shaanxi Province officials. Beginning in August 1931, groups loyal to the
Chinese Communist Party began organizing in the area. On December 4, 1949, these groups coordinated with the
People's Liberation Army to take control of the area. On December 14, the Yang County People's Government was established to formally govern the area. Between the county's re-establishment in December 1949 and September 1961, it was re-organized eight times. Since then, Yang County has not been re-organized, and has remained under the jurisdiction of
Hanzhong. A number of major historical figures in Chinese history, including
Du Fu,
Bai Juyi,
Su Shi, and
Wen Tong, have visited present-day Yang County. == Administrative divisions ==