 Yang studied at the Nanjing Advanced Military Institute after returning from Korea, graduating in 1958 and being named Commander of the Jinan Military Region, a post he would hold until the mid-1970s.Yang's first post-liberation assignment was as Shanxi Military District (MD, provincial) Commander.He later rose to command the Jinan Military Region (MR, September 1958-January 1974), Shandong MD (April 1971-January 1974), Wuhan Military Region (January 1974-January 1979) and Kunming Military Region (January 1979-February 1980).