Yang Zi is noted for her roles in Home with Kids (2005), Battle of Changsha (2014), Yangko Dance (2015), Ode to Joy (2016), Noble Aspirations (2016), Ashes of Love (2018), Go Go Squid!

Her father Yang Yunfei was a firefighter who worked in emergency rescue and disaster relief and her mother Ma Haiyan was a housewife.

[9] In May 2004, Yang made her big-screen debut in the youth romance film Girl's Diary, playing Ran Dongyang, an elementary school student.

Yang played the role of Hu Xiangxiang, a nurse in the field hospital with different temperaments from the bright and lively girlhood to the aftermath of being a wife and a mother.

[26] In April 2015, Yang joined Dragon TV's star travel-reality show Sisters Over Flowers as a regular cast member.

[31] In April 2016, Yang starred in the metropolitan romance drama Ode to Joy, which depicts the stories of five young women who comes from different social and educational backgrounds, but share a common goal.

The show received critical acclaim and commercial success, and Yang gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Qiu Yingying, a simple-minded girl from a small town.

[35] In July, she portrayed Lu Xueqi, one of the two female protagonists in Noble Aspirations, the television series adaption of the Xianxia novel Zhu Xian.

[37][38] Yang gained wider popularity as a result and was nominated at the 22nd Huading Awards as Best Actress in the ancient drama category for her performance.

[46] In August, Yang starred in the fantasy romance drama Ashes of Love, playing an innocent and lively fairy maiden.

[51][52] In July, she starred in the e-sport romantic comedy drama Go Go Squid!, playing a talented computer major who is also a popular online singer.

[53] The drama topped television ratings and had been streamed more than 9.6 billion times in its timeslot and was praised for its transmitting positive and uplifting messages such as the pursuit of dreams as well as patriotism.

[57] She also sang the ending theme song of the drama titled "Milk Bread", which reached number 2 on Billboard China Social Chart.

Hear Her is based on the format of BBC Studio's short-film series Snatches: Moments from Women's Lives, produced and directed by famous Chinese actress Zhao Wei.

[87] She played the role of Mai Chenghuan, a young woman who gradually broke free from her mother's domineering care and began to focus on her career.

[98] On 27 January 2017, Yang appeared on the stage of CCTV Spring Festival Gala for the first time and performed the opening song "Beautiful Youths of China" with her sisters from Ode to Joy and TFBoys.

[99] On 15 February 2018, she participated in the comedy skit "At Your Service" at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala with Lin Yongjian, Li Mingqi and Dai Chunrong.

[100] On 4 February 2019, Yang participated in the comedy skit "Platform" at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala with Shang Daqing, Li Wenqi, Huang Xiaojun and Tong Dawei.

On 24 January 2020, she performed "Meeting in 20 Years Again" alongside Angela Zhang, Xu Ziwei and Roy Wang at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

[105] On 17 October, Yang attended the 70th Anniversary Celebration of Beijing Film Academy and presented the opening speech of the ceremony.

[110] On 21 January 2023, Yang attended CCTV Spring Festival Gala and participated in the opening performance "The Flower Gardener" alongside several other artist and sport persona.

[112] In September 2016, she was picked as one of the Four Dan Actresses of the post-90s generation by a survey conducted Southern Metropolis Daily among 173 million netizens and 110 professional media and industry insiders.

[122] She appeared on the Forbes Asia's 100 Digital Star list, comprising 100 artists from across the Asia-Pacific region who have been able to stay active, raise awareness and inspire optimism despite the cancellation of physical events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[135] The new campaign, led by Yang, calls on families not to purchase ivory and other wildlife products as souvenirs, ahead of May Day, a peak vacation and travel period in China.

[136] She also lends her voice to WildAid's elephant program by starring in the "Be Their Role Model" campaign which asks parents to use their actions to set good examples for the next generation by not consuming ivory and other wildlife products.

[147] She then joined the "My Hometown and Me" campaign jointly initiated by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and Weibo to help fight poverty.

[160] In January 2021, Yang joined hands with Han Hong Love Charity Foundation along with more than 40 celebrity volunteers to support the advocate and practice of public welfare everywhere.

Her costume, a pink gauze skirt she wore in Ashes of Love was sold for 12,800 RMB and the money was used in the Amity Foundation's "National Culture Companion Child Growth" project.

Yang donated more than 16 tons of food supplies and other daily necessities to help people affected by the outbreak together with Huang Xuan, Wan Qian and Wen Qi.

[h][174] On the official website of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, their 2021 Rural Development Annual Report revealed that Yang Zi Studio has become one of their donation partner.