Yang was a
Manchu. He studied piano and singing from a young age, and was admitted to the
People's Liberation Army Academy of Art. After earning a bachelor's degree in
bel canto, he continued his studies at
China Conservatory of Music, where he obtained a master's degree in Chinese folk singing. After graduation, Yang became a tenor in the entertainment troupe of the
People's Liberation Army Air Force. In 2005, he won the top prize at a
UNESCO opera festival in Italy. In 2007, he won the 12th Wenhua Prize (文华表演奖), China's top prize for performing arts. He reportedly suffered from depression. He died soon after the birth of his second child. == References ==