Yang Zhong (楊忠, 507 – 17 August 568), courtesy name Anyu (揜于),
Xianbei
The Xianbei (; ) were an ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. The Xianbei were likely not of a single ethnicity, but rather a multiling ...
name Puliuru Nunu (普六茹奴奴),
History of the Northern Dynasties
The ''History of the Northern Dynasties'' () is one of the official Chinese historical works in the '' Twenty-Four Histories'' canon. The text contains 100 volumes and covers the period from 386 to 618 CE: the histories of Northern Wei, Wester ...
, Vol.11 formally known as Duke of Sui (隨國公), was a soldier, later general of the
Northern Wei dynasty
Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei ( zh, c=北魏, p=Běi Wèi), Tuoba Wei ( zh, c=拓跋魏, p=Tuòbá Wèi), Yuan Wei ( zh, c=元魏, p=Yuán Wèi) and Later Wei ( zh, t=後魏, p=Hòu Wèi), was an imperial dynasty of Chi ...
. He is the father of
Yang Jian, the founder of the
Sui dynasty
The Sui dynasty ( ) was a short-lived Dynasties of China, Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 581 to 618. The re-unification of China proper under the Sui brought the Northern and Southern dynasties era to a close, ending a prolonged peri ...
.
Life
Yang Zhong was Yang Zhen's son, titled General of
Ningyuan County (寧遠將軍). He is described as a tall handsome man with a long beard.
In 534,
Dugu Xin
Dugu Xin ( Chinese: 獨孤信; 503 – 24 April 557), Xianbei name Qimitou (期彌頭), known as Dugu Ruyuan (獨孤如願) before 540, was a general and official during the chaotic Northern and Southern dynasties period of imperial China
...
attacked Jingzhou (then part of
Eastern Wei
Wei (), known in historiography as the Eastern Wei (), was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty. One of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Nor ...
), and brought Yang Zhong along. After conquering Jingzhou (and killing Eastern Wei's Inspector of Jingzhou (荆州刺史) Xin Zhuan (辛纂)), Yang and Dugu Xin managed to hold it for about half a year, before fleeing to Liang after Eastern Wei counterattacked. While
Emperor Wu of Liang
Emperor Wu of Liang () (464 – 12 June 549), personal name Xiao Yan (蕭衍), courtesy name Shuda (叔達), childhood name Lian'er (練兒), was the founding Emperor of China, emperor of the Chinese Liang dynasty, during the Northern and Souther ...
bestowed titles upon them, both men returned to
Western Wei
Wei (), known in historiography as the Western Wei (), was an imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei. One of the Northern dynasties during the era of the Northern and Southern dynasties, it ruled the weste ...
in 537.
After the establishment of the
Northern Zhou dynasty
Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern dynasties of China's Northern and Southern dynasties period, it succeeded the Western Wei dynasty and ...
, Yang Zhong was appointed as a marshal and commanded more than ten generals including Yang Zuan (楊纂), Li Mu (李穆), Wang Jie (王傑), Tian Hong (田弘), and Murong Yan (慕容延). Later, together with the 100,000 troops of the
Turkic Khanate, they attacked
Jinyang, a city located in
Northern Qi
Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Dynasties in Chinese history, Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties during the ...
. In the Northern Zhou dynasty, Yang Zhong was named Duke of Chenliu (陳留郡公), later changed to Duke of Sui (隨國公).
After his son became emperor, he was honored with the title of Emperor Wuyuan (武元皇帝) and his legal wife and the biological mother of
Yang Jian, Lady Lü was named Empress Yuanming (元明皇后呂氏).
Research
According to the ''
Book of Zhou
The ''Book of Zhou'' () records the official history of the Xianbei-led Western Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties of China, and ranks among the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. Compiled by the Tang dynasty
The Tang dy ...
'' and ''
Book of Sui
The ''Book of Sui'' () is the official history of the Sui dynasty, which ruled China in the years AD 581–618. It ranks among the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was written by Yan Shigu, Kong Yingda, and Zhangsun Wuji, ...
'' (both compiled during the Tang dynasty), Yang Zhong was born in the
Yang clan of Hongnong (弘農楊氏), but this statement is difficult to confirm.
Chen Yinke
Chen Yinke, or Chen Yinque (3 July 18907 October 1969), was a Chinese historian, linguist, orientalist, politician, and writer. He was a fellow of Academia Sinica, considered one of the most original and creative historians in 20th century Chin ...
(陈寅恪), a Chinese
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...
, did not agree that Yang Jian's family was born in
Wuchuan County, Inner Mongolia
Wuchuan (Mongolian language, Mongolian: ; zh, s=武川县), is a Counties of China, county of Inner Mongolia, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, North China, North China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Hohhot, the ...
. According to him, Yang Zhong was from a
Han Chinese
The Han Chinese, alternatively the Han people, are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. With a global population of over 1.4 billion, the Han Chinese are the list of contemporary ethnic groups, world's la ...
family. Judging from the intermarriage practice of families at that time, Yang Zhong may have been born in the Yang clan of Shandong (山东杨氏).
However, scholar Wang Tongling (王桐齡) deduced that Yang Jian's family might have
Xianbei
The Xianbei (; ) were an ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. The Xianbei were likely not of a single ethnicity, but rather a multiling ...
blood, or perhaps even purely Xianbei, leading to the belief that he was born in the
Yang clan of Hongnong.
Family
Consort and their respective issue(s):
* Empress Yuanming, of the Lü clan (元明皇后呂氏), personal name Kutao (苦桃)
** Princess Cheng'an (成安公主), 1st daughter
*** married Dou Rongding of Henan, Duke of Chenyi (窦荣定 陈懿公河南窦氏;), and had issue (three sons including
Dou Kang
Dou Kang (died 621), courtesy name Daosheng, was an official and general during the Sui and Tang dynasties who briefly served as a chancellor early in the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang.
Family
''Parents''
*Father: Dou Rongding (窦荣定)
...
)
**
Yang Jian,
Emperor Wen of Sui
Emperor Wen of Sui (; 21 July 541 – 13 August 604), personal name Yang Jian (), Xianbei name Puliuru Jian (), was the founding Emperor of China, emperor of the Chinese Sui dynasty. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through ...
(隋文帝 楊堅, 21 July 541 – 13 August 604), 1st son
** Yang Zheng, Prince Jing of Cai (蔡景王 楊整, 540 – 576), 2nd son
** Yang Zan, Prince Mu of Teng (滕穆王 楊瓚, 550 – 16 September 591), 3rd son
** Princess Changle (昌乐公主), 2nd daughter
History of the Northern Dynasties
The ''History of the Northern Dynasties'' () is one of the official Chinese historical works in the '' Twenty-Four Histories'' canon. The text contains 100 volumes and covers the period from 386 to 618 CE: the histories of Northern Wei, Wester ...
, Vol.78
*** married Doulu Tong, Duke Chen of Nan (豆卢通 南陈郡公), and had issues (a son)
**Princess Yang (楊氏), 3rd daughter
*** married Li Licheng of Longxi, Duke Jun of Jiang (李礼成 绛郡公)
* Lady Li, of the Li clan of
Longxi (隴西李氏)
** Yang Song, Prince Xuan of Dao (道宣王 楊嵩), 4th son
** Yang Shuang, Prince Zhao of Wei (衛昭王 楊爽), 5th son
Ancestry
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhong, Yang
507 births
568 deaths