Professor Yang received his PhD in Western philosophy at Peking University. Before Joining SUSTech, he was a faculty member of the College of Marxism Studies at Peking University, where he also served as the Vice Chairperson of University Council, counselor of the academic committee and the director of Social Sciences department. He was also the chief editor of Journal of Peking University (Philosophy and Social Sciences) and Social Sciences of High Education.

Professor Yang taught courses in philosophy including German classical philosophy, Marxism and Socialism in China. He also supervised many national funded research projects such as “Ideology and Social Harmony” and “Marxism in Contemporary China”. Some of his publications are Descartes, Kant and Hegel in China, and “Analysis of Phenomena” (in Philosophy Studies).