Loss of Nation's Sorrow: Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang

Author: Cheng Erdong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: Emperor Yang of Sui was one of the most debauched and tyrannical rulers in Chinese history. From a young age, Yang was cunning and treacherous, using various deceptions to his father, Emperor Wen of Sui (Yang Jian), and his mother, Empress Dugu, to win their favor. He then used his beloved woman, Xiangniang, as a lure to implement the "beauty trap" on the Crown Prince, causing the Crown Prince to lose favor and ultimately leading to Yang seizing the throne. After securing the position of Crown Prince, Yang impatiently and cruelly murdered his father and ascended the imperial throne. As emperor, Yang indulged in hedonism, prioritizing beauty over the state and leisure over governance. To satisfy his whims, he dug the Grand Canal, causing tens of thousands of commoners to die from forced labor. Yang also launched three invasions against Goguryeo to demonstrate his nation's might, mobilizing over two million troops nationwide, but the campaigns ended in disastrous failure. Later, under the pressure of rebel forces and mutiny, his guards forced him to commit suicide. This book provides detailed portrayals of Emperor Yang Jian, Empress Dugu, Crown Prince Yang Yong, Crown Princess Yuanfei, Empress Xiao, Xiangniang, as well as the servile Wang Chengyin and Chancellor Yang Su. Although Emperor Jian was a diligent, frugal, and ambitious ruler, his lack of restraint in his later years, combined with his frequent of the crown prince, allowed Yang's schemes to succeed, leading to great tragedy. Yang's debauchery and neglect of the state caused the once prosperous empire to crumble, leaving behind a legacy of eternal regret for the world.