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In May, 1889, OuYang YuQian was born in a family that was well-educated. His grandfather, who was a famous intellectual in the later Qing dynasty, had been once an officer in Guang Xi Province. Ou Yang Yu Qian was brought up in an atmosphere full of classical literature, and he was influenced by these reform trends at that moment. In 1904, he had the opportunity to further study in Japan, and he studied in ChengCheng School, then the business School of Meiji University, as well the arts school at ZaoDaoTian University. In 1907, he joined a drama community called "ChunLiu," which was the earliest Chinese drama community in Japan. He also took part in some performances such as "the struggle of the black people."

In 1911, OuYangYuQian came back from Japan; he organized some new drama communities such as "Wenshe," and became one of the pioneers of Chinese drama. In the following 10 years, he learned by himself the skills of the drama play, and eventually in 1915, he was able to give his own performance, and became a well-known drama actor in the 1920s. He also made some attempts to improve the traditional drama plays. He had tried to write more than twenty plays, such as "WoXinChangDan,"and "PanJinLian." In 1926, he compiled the film "YuJieBingqing" and took the main role himself. Later, he wrote and directed the story films "Three Years Later" and "TianYaGeNv." In 1932, OuYangYuQian joined the Union of Left-wing Drama Writers, and went to Britain, France, Germany, and Russia to learn their drama experience, and he returned in 1933 and then went to Japan again. In the autumn of 1934, he went to Shanghai and directed films.

After the new nation was founded, he was appointed as the dean of The Central Drama College. He also held the post of representatives of the National Congress, vice president of the Chinese Drama Union, and chairman of the Chinese Dance Union. He produced and adapted more than forty plays throughought his life time, and directed more than fifty drama plays. He composed, adapted, and revised nearly fifty drama plays. He also wrote his memoirs "Since I have Played" and "An interruption in my film career."