The Grand Chronicle of Emperor Sui Yangdi

Author: Guo Zhikun
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Publishing Date: Not available
Features: In the first year of Kaigang (518 AD), Emperor Wen of Sui established Yang Guang as Prince of Jin and granted him the titles of (a high military rank) and Governor of Bingzhou. Soon after, Emperor Wen appointed Prince Yang Guang as the Military Commissioner of Hebei Circuit and concurrently appointed Prince Yang Xiu as the Military Commissioner of Southwest Circuit. Learning from the downfall of the Yuwen family of Northern Zhou, who lacked support and fell, Emperor Wen assigned his two sons to govern different regions to strengthen the defense and assist the court.
Inspired by the fall of Northern Zhou, Emperor Yangdi (Yang Guang), also known as Yang Ying and affectionately called A Mo, was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui. Yang Guang possessed a handsome appearance, with a pair of prominent bones at the top of his eyebrows, exuding an air of wealth and nobility. From a young age, he was clever and intelligent, particularly favored by Emperor Wen and the Empress. During the Northern Zhou period, he was enfeoffed as Duke of Yanmen County due to his father's achievements. In the first year of Kaigang, at the age of only thirteen, Yang Guang was established as Prince of Jin and appointed as (a high military rank) and Governor of Bingzhou. Soon after, he was granted the position of Grand General of the Imperial Guards, followed by promotion to the rank of (a higher military rank) and Military Commissioner of Hebei Circuit. Why did Emperor Wen appoint the young Yang Guang as Governor of Bingzhou at the age of thirteen? The answer lies in the process of Emperor Wen's seizure of the throne.
So, how did Emperor Wen seize the throne? In the fourth year of Zhenguan (630 AD), Emperor Taizong of Tang once remarked that Emperor Wen of Sui had "deceived the orphan and widow to seize the throne" (《·》). The Qing scholar Zhao Yi also believed that "never in history has a ruler taken the throne so easily as Emperor Wen of Sui, who, as the father-in-law of the young heir, took advantage of the early death of Emperor Xuanzong of Northern Zhou, allied with figures like Zheng Yi, forged an edict to seize power, and thus took the throne without effort" (《》15). Viewing the Sui's overthrow of Northern Zhou as something achieved effortlessly by "deceiving the orphan and widow" and "seizing the throne without effort" is an oversimplification, though it reflects certain truths. Because the young Emperor Jing of Northern Zhou was only nine years old and lacked the authority to resist, Emperor Wen found it convenient to seize the throne. The emotions Emperor Wen expressed in his recollections of this process were often a mix of joy and astonishment. The ease with which the Sui overthrew Northern Zhou left a deep impression on Emperor Wen's mind, occasionally triggering his memories.
Emperor Wen's father, Yang Zhong, was a loyalist of Northern Zhou and enfeoffed as Duke of Sui. Emperor Wen's childhood name was. He inherited his father's title as Duke of Sui. His wife, the Lady Dugu, was the daughter of the great Xianbei nobleman Dugu Xin. In the third year of Jiande (574 AD) of Northern Zhou, Crown Prince Yuwen Yun took Yang Jian's daughter as his consort, making Yang Jian a powerful minister through marriage and elevating his status. After a fortune-teller came to visit Yang Jian, some imperial relatives and ministers in the court grew suspicious of him. The so-called "bone divination" may seem superstitious, but it was actually quite reasonable. A person's appearance and expressions reflect their inner world. The fortune-teller's suspicion of Yang Jian stemmed from the occasional revelation of his imperial ambitions.
Prince Yuwen Xian was a shrewd and capable individual. One day, he told Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, "Puoluuru Jian has an extraordinary appearance, and every time I see him, I can't help but lose my composure. I fear he is not meant to be subservient to others and should be dealt with early" (《·》). He believed that keeping Yang Jian would pose a future threat and that it was better to eliminate him sooner. The Minister of the Interior Wang Gui also told Emperor Wu, "The Crown Prince is not fit to rule the state, and Puoluuru Jian's appearance suggests rebellion" ().