Yang won the nine-ball event of the 1998 Asian Games against then World Pool champion Kunihiko Takahashi.

[1] In an unsuccessful attempt to defend that title for the second time, Yang settled for third place as he was bested in the semi-finals by Jeff de Luna who then finished second to Antonio Gabica.

He expressed no interest in his studies and chose to work in a local billiard hall near his home, where he met Chao Fong-pang.

He first started playing pool at the age of 14 and by the time he was 16, he was Japan Open champion beating Francisco Bustamante.

[3] Billiards coach and commentator Chang Ming-hsiung stated that Yang died of cancer.