Ye played for China's national chess team in ten Chess Olympiads between 1982 and 2004. His most prominent international victories include winning the Asian Individual Championship in 1994 and the Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting (Category 14) in 1996. He also won the Chinese National Chess Championship four times.
From 2000 to 2018, Ye worked as the Chief Coach of the China National Men’s Team. Under his guidance, the team won the 2014 Chess Olympiad in Tromsø, Norway. In 2018, he transitioned to the post of Chief Coach for China Chess League and Vice-president of the Chinese Chess Association.
Ye is also an author who has written books and compilations about chess. His work, "Ye Jiangchuan's Chess Course" is a popular series in China. Ye's contributions to the game of chess in China throughout his career have made him a key figure in the development of chess in the country.