Tang Qingnian was born in Beijing.  In 1984, he graduated from the Central Academy of Art and Design. He went on to serve as art critic and as vice director of the editorial department for the professional Chinese Art magazine Meishu (Art Monthly).  In the mid-1980s, he was one of the first discovers, promoters and supporters of the dawning of China’s “New Wave” art movement.  He was a  member of the organizing committee and one of the primary exhibition coordinators for the China Avant-garde exhibition held in Beijing in February, 1989. At the time, this exhibition was the largest non-government art exhibition held in China since 1949; the exhibition was shut down twice, and became an important international news event.

Since relocating to the USA in 1991, he has been engaged with various visual creations for different media. From 2004 to 2007, he made group art show and calendar publications on Chinese zodiac with other artists for Lunar New Year Celebration, work includes painting, sand drawing, sculpture and screen printing.  In 2006 he left his position as associate creative director of the advertising agency to become an independent artist.

唐慶年生於北京。一九八四年畢業於中央工藝美術學院。曾為中國的專業美術雜誌《美術》編輯部副主任，美術評論家。八十年代中期中國新潮美術剛剛露出端倪，他就是最早的發現者、關註者和推動者。一九八九年二月舉行的中國現代藝術展，他是組織委員會成員和展覽負責人之一。該展覽是一九四九年後中國最大型的非官辦的藝術展，因展出期間兩次關閉而成為重要新聞事件，廣為國際媒體報道。還曾幫助美國亞太博物館舉辦“不與塞尚玩牌——中國新潮藝術展”。

一九九一年移居美國後，從事多種不同媒介的視覺創意。曾與其他藝術家合作舉辦過生肖藝術展，出版過生肖掛歷，作品體裁包括油畫、水墨畫、沙畫、絲網印和雕塑等。二〇〇六年離開創意副總監職位，成為獨立藝術家。