Yao studied at Beijing Dancing Academy From 1993 to 1997, graduated from Beijing film academy in 2003. She played the lead in the play "An Lian Tao Hua Yuan" as Miss Yun during the period of school and was hired by Xi'an Film Studios. She started her performing career on TV through some sitcoms, one of which, titled Wu lin wai zhuan (2006), made her well-known around China. Then she credited herself in many films such as Two Stupid Eggs (2008), All's Well, Ends Well 2009 (2009) and Sophie's Revenge (2009) etc. Her exaggerated style in acting comedy got reviews called "female version of Stephen Chow".