Wang Yao graduated from Peking University as a master, and he graduated from the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies as a PhD. He worked in the Dongcheng District Government in Beijing and now he’s an assistant Professor of Xinjiang Research office, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. His major is Chinese borderland studies. His special interest are historical geography of Xinjiang in Qing Dynasty (mainly the urban history, the route between Xinjiang and Central Asia. etc), the Chinese ancient.