Yelan began studying ink and mineral color painting in middle school while also receiving a western art education.
From 1995 to 1999 a Taiwanese private museum purchased a series of Buddhist mineral color paintings from Yelan while she was attending high school.
Upon completing high school Yelan was accepted into Renmin University in Beijing for a Bachelor of Literature with a specialization in ink painting. After graduating in 2004, Yelan moved from Beijing to Shanghai.
In 2005 Yelan established her first studio in Shanghai at Tianzifang, followed by a studio at Weihai Road in 2007. In 2009 Yelan moved her studio to its current location at M50 Creative Park at 50 Moganshan Road.
In 2018, Shanghai Wenhui Publishing House published “”Flowing Naturally,”” a collection of various articles and artworks produced by Yelan over a period of 24 years. Yelan’s works have also been published in the Xinmin Evening News, the Bund, Shanghai Artists Studio, Tianzifang Artist Community, Chinese Renmin University Ink Painting Exhibition Collection, and other publications.

Solo Exhibitions:
2018 – ‘Into the Dream,’ Ahn Luh, Zhujiajiao, Shanghai
2016 – ‘Ink Nudes,’ Issues Gallery, Netherlands
2011 – ‘People and Dreams,’ Artishop Gallery, Hong Kong
2009 – ‘Floating in Intimacy,’ Shun Art Gallery, Shanghai
2008 – ‘359°,’ Shanghai Shun Art Gallery and Lu Xun Art Academy Museum, Shenyang
2008 – ‘Sunny Day,’ Shun Art Gallery, Shanghai
2007 – ‘Feeling Exhibition,’ IFA Village Gallery, Shanghai
2006 – ‘Flowing Naturally,’ Shun Art Gallery, Shanghai

Group Exhibitions:
2019 – ‘Painting Expressions,’ Shanghai Exhibition Center
2019 – ‘RUC: Control + Shift + S VI,’ Yan-Huang Museum, Beijing
2018 – ‘Fan Beauty,’ East Hedge Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2015-2017 – ‘L’ Art de Voir’ Lyon Inne’ Art Gallery, France
2015 – ‘Art3f –1st International Contemporary Art Fair,’ Bordeaux, France
2015 – ‘Art3f Paris–1st International Contemporary Art Fair,’ Paris, France
2013 – ‘Ink painting,’ Chicago Brauer Museum, USA
2012 – ‘Inverse Conversations,’ Phoenix ASU’s Step Gallery, USA
2010 – ‘100% Design Shanghai,’ Shanghai Exhibition Center
2009 – ‘Young Artist Japan,’ Tokyo, Japan
2008 – ‘Shanghai Affordable Art Festival,’ Shanghai
2008 – ‘Goodbye! My love–Teresa Teng 13th Anniversary Memorial Exhibition,’ Shun Art Gallery, Shanghai 
2007 – ‘Day Dreaming,’ Shun Art Gallery, Shanghai
2007 – ‘Art Beijing 2007,’ Beijing
2007 – ‘Art Shanghai 2007,’ Shanghai
2006-2008 – ‘Shanghai Youth and Midlife Artists,’ Shanghai Mingyuan Art Center
2006-2009 – ‘Shanghai Art Fair,’ Shanghai
2006 – ‘Lotus Rain,’ Shun Art Gallery, Shanghai
2005 – ‘Shanghai Artists Works,’ New Creative Gallery, Shanghai
2004 – ‘Dance & Ink Lotus,’ Exhibition Tour, Paris, Nantes, and Laval, France
2003 – ‘Save As Group Exhibition’, New Millennium Art Gallery, Beijing
2002 – ‘In the Mirror and Beyond,’ Fifth National Chinese Painting Exhibition, Beijing Yan-Huang Art Museum