Born in what is today Juifang Township of Taipei County, as a young boy Yen left home togo to school and wanted to become a mandarin.When China ceded Taiwan to Japan, he returned home to pan for gold in the Keelung River.
顏雲年出生於今台北縣瑞芳鎮的魚坑，從小遊學在外，一直有心仕進之途。台灣割讓日本後，他回到家鄉參與基隆河的淘金之列。