[1] Previously he served as party secretary of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet Autonomous Region.

[2] Yan was born in Minhe Hui and Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai, in March 1962.

He began his political career in November 1984, when he became an official in the Education Bureau of Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

In 2005, he was named acting governor of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and was installed in March 2005.

[5] On 8 October 2021, he was appointed chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region, succeeding Che Dalha.