[3] Yan attended Beijing Chongde High School, during that time, he developed an interest in science and English.

[4] He returned to China in 1950 and that year became a researcher at the Institute of Metallurgy and Ceramics of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) (中国科学院上海冶金陶瓷研究所).

In 1977, he was invited to attend the National Working Conference on Science and Education (全国科教工作座谈会), which was presided by the comeback politician Deng Xiaoping.

In his later years, he served as special advisor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, honorary president of the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, chairman of the Chinese Chemical Society, honorary chairman of the China Ceramic Society, adjunct professor of Tianjin University, honorary president of Shanghai University, and president of the Shanghai Overseas Returned Scholars Association.

In 1943 Yan married his classmate Sun Birou, who is a scientist and professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.