Sheng Yan received her bachelor's and master's degrees in Spanish Language and Literature from Shanghai International Studies University. She later pursued a PhD in Spanish Literature at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, graduating Summa Cum Laude under the supervision of José Antonio Llera, Associate Professor of Spanish Literature at UAM and a poet. Her main research interests include 20th-century Spanish poetry and ekphrasis, with additional work in Latin American literature and autobiographical writing. Her published translations include Soledad y compañía, El Neruda Esencial: Poemas Seleccionados, and Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada.