Yang Nanrong (1942), also known as Nanshan (南山), was born in Yixing, Jiangsu Province. He joined the army in 1961 and was engaged in cultural propaganda and creation work. Around 1974 he was member of the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Bureau Amateur Art Creation Group (上海市交通运输局业余美术创作组), registered as seaman at the Shanghai Inland Navigation Company  (上海市内河航运公司).

In 1993, he founded the Shanghai Xu Beihong Art Research Association, and later served as its president. He became well known as calligrapher and landscape painter.