[2][3][4] Liu Yang was born in Zhengzhou, Henan province in 1978,[5] into a worker's family of Linzhou, Anyang origin.

[6][7][8] Her father Liu Shilin (刘士林) was an assistant engineer in the technical department of Zhengzhou First Food Machinery Factory, and her mother Niu Xiyun (牛喜云) was a worker in Zhengzhou Light Automobile Manufacturing Factory.

[9] Liu Yang joined the PLA Air Force in 1997 and qualified as a pilot before becoming the deputy head of a flight unit, holding the PLAAF rank of major.

[10] Liu Yang was selected for the crew of Shenzhou 9, the first crewed mission to the experimental Chinese space station Tiangong 1, along with Jing Haipeng — the first repeat Chinese space traveller — and Liu Wang.

[18] Liu Yang has been described as an eloquent speaker, an avid reader and also a lover of cooking.