Sui and Tang · Ruler

Yang Guang 楊廣

Died AD 618

Passages: 66
Chapters: 6
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Yang Guang as a general, royal family member, and ruler. This record brings together 66 passages from 6 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Yang Guang	楊廣	Yang Guang
Posthumous	Emperor Ming	明皇帝	Míng Huángdì
Title	Emperor Yang	煬帝	Yangdi
Title	Emperor Yang	煬帝
Title	Emperor Yang	煬帝	Yángdì
Given	Guang	廣	Guang
Given	Guang	廣	Guǎng
Personal name	Guang	廣	Guang
Title	Prince of Henan	河南王
Title	Prince of Jin	晉王
Title	Prince of Jin	晉王	Jin Wang
Temple	Shizu	世祖	Shìzǔ
Title	Son of Heaven	天子	Tianzi
Surname	Yang	楊	Yáng
Personal	Yang Guang	廣	Guang
Personal name	Yang Guang	楊廣
Personal	Yang Guang	楊廣	Yáng Guǎng

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · songshi:013:s0215, suishu:043:s0026, suishu:052:s0022, suishu:077:s0179
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · suishu:072:s0133
Value: male
Explicit · suishu:059:s0015

Roles

General
Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Note: murdered by Yuwen Huaji · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 宇文化及之弑帝 · Western Year: AD 618
Explicit · suishu:077:s0164

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 即位 · Western Year: AD 604
Explicit · suishu:052:s0088, suishu:052:s0202
Source Date: Text: 及陳滅；歸罪於晉王 · Western Year: AD 589
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:072:s0126, suishu:072:s0133
Source Date: Text: 大業三年 · Western Year: AD 607
Explicit · suishu:052:s0203
Source Date: Text: 大業元年 · Western Year: AD 605
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:059:s0015
Source Date: Text: 大業四年 · Western Year: AD 608
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:077:s0144
Source Date: Text: 平陳 · Western Year: AD 589
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:052:s0022
Source Date: Text: 晉王廣鎮揚州 · Western Interval: Start: AD 590 · End: AD 600
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:077:s0179
Source Date: Text: 煬帝 · Western Interval: Start: AD 605 · End: AD 618
Explicit · suishu:077:s0219
Source Date: Text: 煬帝嗣位 · Western Interval: Start: AD 605 · End: AD 618
Explicit · suishu:043:s0028
Source Date: Text: 隋 · Western Year: AD 600
Explicit event contextual date · songshi:013:s0215

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Ancestor of Yang Tan (楊倓)
Kinship Term: grandson / 諸孫 · Generation Distance: 2 · Line: paternal · Subject Role: grandfather · Object Role: grandson
Parent of Yang Zhao (楊昭)
Kinship Term: eldest son / 長子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son · Object Birth Order: 1
Spouse of Empress Xiao (蕭皇后)
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Subject Role: husband · Object Role: wife
Child of Emperor Wen of Sui (隋文帝)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Yuande Heir Apparent (元德太子)
Kinship Term: heir apparent / 太子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Parent of Yang Gao (楊杲)
Kinship Term: son / 三男 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Parent of Yang Jian (楊暕)
Kinship Term: son / 三男 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son

Kinship Role: sons · Count: 3
Explicit · suishu:059:s0264

Career and standing

Honor: Emperor Ming; temple name Shizu / 明皇帝；世祖 · Action: posthumously bestowed · Authority Person Id: Yang Tong (楊侗) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 皇泰元年 · Western Year: AD 618
Explicit · suishu:059:s0112
Title: Prince of Henan / 河南王 · Action: held
Explicit · suishu:077:s0108
Title: Prince of Jin / 晉王 · Action: held
Explicit · suishu:077:s0109
Action: ordered more than 1,000 armored soldiers to search Yang Jian's residence and investigate him · Other Person Id: Yang Jian (楊暕)
Explicit · suishu:059:s0221
As: Emperor Yang / 煬帝
Explicit · suishu:043:s0028
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 煬帝嗣位 · Western Year: AD 604
Explicit · suishu:052:s0088, suishu:052:s0202
Note: became emperor (Emperor Yang)
Strongly inferred · suishu:077:s0219

Places and affiliations

Polity: Sui · Relation: associated-with
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:059:s0015
Place: Jiangdu / 江都 · Relation: resided-at
Explicit · suishu:043:s0054

Works and attributed material

Kind: letter · Role: author · Other Person Id: Xu Ze (徐則)
Explicit · suishu:077:s0179, suishu:077:s0180, suishu:077:s0181, suishu:077:s0182, suishu:077:s0183, suishu:077:s0184, suishu:077:s0185, suishu:077:s0186, suishu:077:s0187, suishu:077:s0188
Kind: proclamation · Role: author · Other Person Id: Xu Ze (徐則)
Explicit · suishu:077:s0194, suishu:077:s0195, suishu:077:s0196, suishu:077:s0197, suishu:077:s0198, suishu:077:s0199, suishu:077:s0200, suishu:077:s0201, suishu:077:s0202
Kind: question about the uprising · Role: speaker · Other Person Ids: Empress Xiao (蕭皇后), Yang Jian (楊暕) · Provenance: Mode: direct-speech · Speaker Person Id: Yang Guang (楊廣)
Explicit · suishu:059:s0237
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: He Ruobi (賀若弼)
Explicit · suishu:052:s0195
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Yang Zichong (楊子崇)
Explicit · suishu:043:s0103
Kind: statement about sparing Yang Jian · Role: speaker · Other Person Ids: Yang Jian (楊暕), Yang Gao (楊杲) · Provenance: Mode: direct-speech · Speaker Person Id: Yang Guang (楊廣)
Explicit · suishu:059:s0229

Events and relationships

Kind: ritual · Role: patron · Action: buried-bones-at-Hengan-and-ordered-Buddhist-offerings
Explicit · suishu:052:s0118
Kind: legal · Role: receiving authority · Action: received Wang Ban's self-surrender and reported the circumstances to Gaozu · Other Person Id: Wang Ban (王頒)
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:072:s0133, suishu:072:s0134
Kind: political · Role: usurper · Action: seized-succession
Explicit · songshi:013:s0215

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: coveted throne and twisted succession · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · songshi:013:s0215

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

History of Song, Chapter 13Volume 13 Annals 13: Yingzong · 1 passage

彼隋晉王廣、唐魏王泰窺覦神器，矯揉奪嫡，遂啟禍原，誠何心哉！ Yet Sui's Yang Guang and Tang's Li Tai coveted the throne, twisted succession, and loosed disaster—what were they thinking?

Book of Sui, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 8: He Jian Wanghong, Yang Chugang, Yang Zichong, Guang De, Wang Xiong · 4 passages

每晉王廣入朝，弘輒領揚州總管，及晉王歸籓，弘複還蒲州。 Whenever Prince Guang of Jin visited the capital, Hong would temporarily serve as Director-General of Yang Province; when the prince returned to his fief, Hong would go back to Pu.

煬帝嗣位，征還，拜太子太保。 When Emperor Yang came to the throne, Hong was recalled and made Grand Mentor to the crown prince.

煬帝嗣位，累遷候衛將軍，坐事免。 After Emperor Yang came to the throne, he rose to General of the Guarding Retinue but was dismissed when implicated in an offense.

煬帝嗣位，轉納言，仍領營東都副監，帝甚信重之。 When Emperor Yang came to the throne, Da became Palace Reporter and served concurrently as deputy supervisor of the Eastern Capital project. The emperor trusted and relied on him deeply.

Book of Sui, Chapter 52Volume 52 Biographies 17: Han Qinhu, He Ruobi · 10 passages

晉王廣上狀，高祖聞而大悅，宴賜群臣。 Prince Jin Guang reported the news upstream. The emperor was delighted and held a feast to reward his ministers.

晉王遣行軍總管杜彥與擒虎合軍，步騎二萬，陳叔寶遣領軍蔡徵守朱雀航，聞擒虎將至，眾懼而潰。 The Prince of Jin sent Campaign Commander Du Yan to join Qinhu with twenty thousand foot and horse. Chen Shubao ordered Palace Guard Director Cai Zheng to hold the Zhuque crossing, but at word that Qinhu was approaching the army panicked and broke.

乃下詔于晉王曰：「此二公者，深謀大略，東南逋寇，朕本委之，靜地恤民，悉如朕意。 The emperor then issued an edict to the Prince of Jin: "These two commanders planned with foresight and executed on a grand scale. I entrusted the unruly southeast to them, and in calming the country and caring for the people they have done exactly as I intended.

煬帝即位，又改封新蔡郡公。 When Emperor Yang came to the throne, his title was changed again to Duke of Xincai commandery.

及陳平，晉王廣大獵于蔣山，有猛獸在圍中，眾皆懼。 After Chen fell, Prince Jin Guang staged a grand hunt on Mount Jiang. A savage beast broke into the ring, and everyone was terrified.

煬帝北巡，至恆安，見白骨被野，以問侍臣。 On a northern tour Emperor Yang came to Heng'an, saw bleached bones strewn across the fields, and asked his attendants about them.

晉王以弼先期決戰，違軍命，於是以弼屬吏。 Prince Jin Guang, angry that Bi had forced a decisive battle ahead of schedule in defiance of orders, handed him over to the military judges.

煬帝之在東宮，嘗謂弼曰：「楊素、韓擒虎、史萬歲三人，俱稱良將，優劣如何？」 While he was still crown prince, Emperor Yang once asked Bi, "Yang Su, Han Qinhu, and Shi Wansui are all called great generals—how do they rank against one another?"

太子曰：「然則大將誰也？」 The crown prince asked, "Then who is the supreme commander?"

及煬帝嗣位，尤被疏忌。 Once Emperor Yang took the throne, Bi was kept at an even greater distance and watched with suspicion.

Book of Sui, Chapter 59Volume 59 Biographies 24: Three Sons of Emperor Yang · 38 passages

元德太子昭，煬帝長子也，生而高祖命養宮中。 Yang Zhao, posthumously honored as the Yuande Heir Apparent, was Emperor Yang's eldest son. From birth Emperor Wen ordered that he be raised in the palace.

煬帝三男：蕭皇后生元德太子昭、齊王暕，蕭嬪生趙王杲。 Emperor Yang had three sons: Empress Xiao bore the Yuande Heir Apparent Zhao and Prince Zheng of Qi; Consort Xiao bore Prince Gao of Zhao.

煬帝即位，便幸洛陽宮，昭留守京師， When Emperor Yang acceded, he went at once to the Luoyang palace while Zhao stayed behind to guard the capital.

大業元年，帝遣使者立為皇太子。 In the first year of Daye, the emperor then sent envoys to invest him as crown prince.

後數月，將還京師，願得少留，帝不許，拜請無數。 Some months later, when he was about to return to the capital, he asked to stay a little longer; the emperor refused, and he bowed and pleaded again and again without success.

帝令巫者視之，雲：「房陵王為祟。」 The emperor had a shaman look into the matter; the man said, "Prince Yong of Fangling is haunting him."

皇帝悼離方之雲晦，嗟震宮之虧象，顧守器以長懷，臨登餕而興想。 The emperor mourns the darkened clouds over the land of the departed, laments the broken image of the eastern palace, broods long over the heir who held the vessel of state, and, as the funeral offerings are raised, is stirred to grief.

帝深追悼。 The emperor mourned him with deep grief.

敏慧美姿儀，煬帝于諸孫中特所鍾愛，常置左右。 was clever and handsome in bearing. Among all his grandsons Emperor Yang favored him above the rest and kept him constantly at his side.

帝由是益以奇之。 Because of this the emperor came to regard him with still greater wonder.

至玄武門，詭奏曰：「臣卒中惡，命縣俄頃，請得面辭，死無所恨。」 At the Xuanwu Gate he sent in a false report: "I have been stricken with sudden illness and my life hangs by a moment. I beg to take leave of Your Majesty in person—then I shall die without regret."

冀以見帝，為司宮者所遏，竟不得聞。 He hoped in this way to reach the emperor, but the palace attendants stopped him, and in the end his message never reached the throne.

帝每巡幸，侗常留守東都。 Whenever the emperor traveled on tour, Tong was regularly left behind to guard the Eastern Capital.

十三年，帝幸江都，複令侗與金紫光祿大夫段達、太府卿元文都、攝民部尚書韋津、右武衛將軍皇甫無逸等總留台事。 In the thirteenth year the emperor went to Jiangdu and again entrusted Tong, together with Duan Da, Yuan Wendu, Wei Jin acting as Minister of the Household, Huangfu Wuyi as General of the Right Martial Guards, and others, with overall charge of the Eastern Capital.

諡帝曰明，廟號世祖。 They gave the murdered emperor the posthumous title Ming and the temple name Shizu.

世祖明皇帝則天法地，混一華戎。 Emperor Ming, the Shizu, took heaven and earth as his model and united Chinese and foreign peoples under one rule.

世祖往因曆試，統臨南服，自居皇極，順茲望幸。 The Shizu had formerly, through successive appointments, governed the southern regions; once he took the throne, he continued with tours of inspection as the people desired.

昔陪籓國，統領禁衛，及從升皇祚，陪列九卿。 Formerly he served in the princely household and commanded the palace guards; when the emperor took the throne, he took rank among the Nine Ministers.

在上不遺簪履，恩加草芥，應至死辜，每蒙恕免。 The sovereign did not cast him off even for the smallest offense; his grace extended even to the lowliest—though deserving death, he was pardoned again and again.

侗聞之怒曰：「天下者，高祖之天下，東都者，世祖之東都。 When Tong heard this he said in anger, "The realm belongs to Emperor Wen; the Eastern Capital belongs to Emperor Yang.

煬帝即位，進封齊王，增邑四千戶， When Emperor Yang took the throne, he was advanced to Prince of Qi and his fief was increased by four thousand households.

大業二年，帝初入東都，盛陳鹵簿，暕為軍導。 In the second year of Daye, when the emperor first entered the Eastern Capital, the imperial guard of honor was displayed in full splendor, and Zheng served as military vanguard.

帝又敕吏部尚書牛弘妙選官屬，公卿由是多進子弟。 The emperor also ordered Minister of Personnel Niu Hong to select excellent staff for him; the chief ministers therefore mostly advanced their sons and younger relatives.

又樂平公主嘗奏帝，言柳氏女美者，帝未有所答。 Moreover the Princess of Leping once told the emperor that a daughter of the Liu clan was beautiful; the emperor made no reply.

其後帝問主柳氏女所在，主曰：「在齊王所。」 Later the emperor asked the princess where the Liu girl was; the princess said, "She is at Prince Zheng of Qi's residence."

帝不悅。 The emperor was displeased.

其後從帝幸榆林，暕督後軍步騎五萬，恆與帝相去數十裡而舍。 Afterward he followed the emperor to Yulin; Zheng commanded the rear army of fifty thousand foot and horse, always encamping several tens of li from the emperor.

會帝于汾陽宮大獵，詔暕以千騎入圍。 When the emperor held a great hunt at Fenyang Palace, he ordered Zheng to enter the hunting enclosure with a thousand horsemen.

暕大獲麋鹿以獻，而帝未有得也，乃怒從官，皆言為暕左右所遏，獸不得前。 Zheng took many elk and deer and presented them, but the emperor had caught nothing; he raged at his attendants, who all said Zheng's men had blocked the way and kept the game from reaching the emperor.

帝於是發怒，求暕罪失。 The emperor thereupon grew angry and sought out Zheng's offenses.

禦史韋德裕希旨劾暕，帝令甲士千餘大索暕第，因窮治其事。 Censor Wei Deyu, following the emperor's intent, impeached Zheng; the emperor ordered more than a thousand armored soldiers to search his residence thoroughly and pursued the matter to its full extent.

至是，事皆發，帝大怒，斬令則等數人，妃姊賜死，暕府僚皆斥之邊遠。 At this point all the matters came to light; the emperor was greatly angered, executed Lingze and several others, ordered the consort's sister to take her own life, and banished all of Zheng's staff to the distant frontier.

時趙王杲猶在孩孺，帝謂侍臣曰：「朕唯有暕一子，不然者，當肆諸市朝，以明國憲也。」 At that time Prince Gao of Zhao was still an infant; the emperor said to his attendants, "I have only Zheng as a grown son; otherwise I would execute him in the marketplace and make clear the laws of the state."

帝恆令武賁郎將一人監其府事，暕有微失，武賁輒奏之。 The emperor constantly assigned one Captain of the Martial Guard to oversee his residence; if Zheng had the slightest fault, the guard would report it at once.

帝亦常慮暕生變，所給左右，皆以老弱，備員而已。 The emperor also constantly feared Zheng might stir up trouble; those assigned to attend him were all old and weak, filling posts in name only.

又帝在江都宮，元會，暕具法服將朝，無故有血從裳中而下。 Moreover when the emperor was at the Jiangdu palace for the New Year audience, Zheng dressed in ceremonial robes to attend court, and for no reason blood flowed down from within his garments.

俄而化及作亂，兵將犯蹕，帝聞，顧謂蕭後曰：「得非阿孩邪？」 Before long Huaji rose in rebellion and troops were about to assault the imperial escort; when the emperor heard, he turned to Empress Xiao and said, "Could it not be Ahai?"

莫有報者，暕猶謂帝令捕之，因曰：「詔使且緩。 No one answered; Zheng still thought the emperor had ordered his arrest, and said, "Imperial envoy, wait a moment.

Book of Sui, Chapter 72Volume 72 Biographies 37: Filial Piety · 2 passages

既而自縛，歸罪於晉王。 He then bound himself and surrendered to take blame before the Prince of Jin.

王表其狀，高祖曰：「朕以義平陳，王頒所為，亦孝義之道也，朕何忍罪之！」 The prince reported what had happened. Emperor Gaozu said: "I conquered Chen in the name of righteousness. What Wang Ban did belongs to the way of filial devotion and righteousness as well—how could I bear to punish him!"

Book of Sui, Chapter 77Volume 77 Biographies 42: Recluses · 11 passages

征為河南、豫章二王侍讀，每更日來往二王之第。 He was summoned to serve as Reader to the Princes of Henan and Yuzhang, spending alternate days at each prince's residence.

及河南為晉王，轉記室參軍，自此去豫章。 When the Prince of Henan was made Prince of Jin, Ze became Staff Secretary and thereafter ceased attending Yuzhang.

時晉邸文翰，多成其手。 At that time most of the official writings of the Prince of Jin's household came from Ze's pen.

王入東宮，除太子齋帥，俄遷舍人。 When the Prince entered the Eastern Palace, Ze was made Supervisor of the Heir Apparent's Fast and was soon promoted to Attendant.

伏惟陛下應天順民，定鼎嵩洛，嶽神自見，臣敢稱慶。」 I respectfully consider that Your Majesty responds to Heaven and accords with the people, establishing the capital at Song and Luo; the mountain god has revealed himself— I dare offer congratulations."

因再拜，百官畢賀，天子大悅，賜縑二百匹。 He bowed twice; all the officials congratulated him; the emperor was greatly pleased and granted him two hundred bolts of silk.

晉王廣鎮揚州，知其名，手書召之曰：「夫道得眾妙，法體自然，包涵二儀，混成萬物，人能弘道，道不虛行。 When Prince Guang of Jin was stationed at Yangzhou, he learned Xu Ze's name and wrote him a personal summons: "The Way gathers all subtleties; the Law accords with nature; it embraces yin and yang and blends them into the ten thousand things. When a man can enlarge the Way, the Way does not pass in vain.

晉王將請受道法，則辭以時日不便。 When the Prince of Jin was about to receive instruction in the Way, Ze declined, saying the time was not auspicious.

晉王下書曰：「天臺真隱東海徐先生，虛確居宗，沖玄成德，齊物處外，檢行安身。 The Prince of Jin issued a proclamation: "The true recluse of Tiantai, Master Xu of Donghai, took emptiness and certainty as his foundation, subtle mystery as his completed virtue, treated all things as equal while dwelling apart from the world, and disciplined his conduct to preserve his person.

晉王聞而益異之，賵物千段，遣畫工圖其狀貌，令柳抃為之贊曰：「可道非道，常道無名。 The Prince of Jin heard this and was all the more astonished; he sent a thousand lengths of goods as funeral gifts, had painters depict his likeness, and ordered Liu Bian to compose an encomium that began, "The Way that can be spoken is not the eternal Way; the eternal Way has no name.

時有建安宋玉泉、會稽孔道茂、丹陽王遠知等，亦行辟穀，以松水自給，皆為煬帝所重。 At the time there were Song Yuquan of Jian'an, Kong Daomao of Kuaiji, Wang Yuanzhi of Danyang, and others who also practiced grain avoidance and sustained themselves on pine water—all were valued by Emperor Yang.