Tang is considered native to Ju County, Shandong, but spent most of his life in Zhejiang. He joined the workforce in July 1977, working for communes in Qingtian County, Yongkang County, and Lishui County, shortly after the death of Mao. Between 1980 and 1984, shortly after economic reforms began, Tang was a clerical worker at the Lishui party school; he was admitted to the Zhejiang party school in 1984, and was assigned work in the propaganda department of Zhejiang.