believed that the early education had great influence on his outlook, which was a spark for his popular education movement and rural construction. As Yan worked hard on study, his father named him “Yangchu”, which meant the beginning of sunrise.
   In 1913, Yan went to study in St. Paul's College. In 1916, he began to study in Yale University, the major was politics and economics.
  After graduation in 1918, Yan was a member of the Jonathan and David Society, the Chinese Christian fraternity that later become the Cheng Zhi Hui or Association for "Realization of One's Ambitions." In 1918, Yan went to France to work with Chinese laborers who were working during World War I. After Yan became busy writing letters Home Page for the illiterate men each night, he asked for volunteers who would be willing to be taught 1000 basic Chinese characters.
  Yan got master degree in Princeton University.
  In Aug of 1920, Yan came back to China and decided to devote in Chinese popular education movement.
  On Aug 26, 1923, National Association of the Mass Education Movement (MEM) was set up in Beijing and Yan was authorized as the head.
  In 1924, with Zhang Xue-liang’s invitation, Yan went to hold a training program for more than 300 army officials in Fengtian.
  In the spring of 1926, Yan launched a pilot project in Dingxian (Ting Hsien), in Hebei province. In 1929, Yan’s family moved to Dingxian with a group of intellects.
  In Apr of 1938, Yan was authorized by Hunan Province Government as the principal of Hunan Politics School.
  In Jan of 1940, Yan began to set Rural Construction College, which was the highest college to train rural leaders in China.
  On Mar 8, 1948, Yan was invited to participate in American Education Association Party, in which more than 150 celebrities in. In the next day, he visited president, Mr. Truman in the White House.
  In 1987, Yan received the award “Termination of Hungriness and fatuity” from president, Reagan.