Sui and Tang · Sui Prince and Huangtai Ruler

Yang Tong 楊侗

Attested AD 617 - AD 619

Passages: 31
Chapters: 5
Histories: 2

Overview

Yang Tong was a Sui Prince and Huangtai Ruler.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Renjin	仁謹	Rénjǐn
Posthumous name	Emperor Gong (false posthumous title)	恭皇帝	Gōng Huángdì

Life and dates

Death

Cause Poisoned and then strangled with silk · Responsible Person Ids Wang Shichong (王世充), Wang Xingben (王行本)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passages 187-188, 190-191

Attested activity

AD 618 義寧二年五月
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 153
AD 618 義寧二年六月
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 84, passages 154-155
AD 618 to AD 619 上表越王侗
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 92, passage 28
AD 618 侗稱制
Directly stated · Book of Sui 43, passage 66
AD 617 十三年二月
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 85
AD 618 煬帝崩
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 56, passage 291

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AD 618 皇泰元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 59, passage 111

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Younger Worthy Companion Lady Liu (小劉良娣)
bore 生
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passages 94, 114
Child of Yang Zhao, Prince of Jin (晉王昭)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passages 94, 111

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Administrator of Gaoyang 高陽太守
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 108
overall charge of the Eastern Capital 總留台事
AD 617 大業十三年 · Entrusted
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 110
Falsely posthumously bestowed
Honor Emperor Gong 恭皇帝 · Authority Wang Shichong (王世充)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 192
Duke of Lu 潞國公
Enfeoffed · Authority Wang Shichong (王世充) · Fief Households 5000
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 184
Prince of Yue 越王
AD 617 十三年二月 · Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 85
Prince of Yue 越王
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 153

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Prince of Yue 越王
AD 606 大業二年 · Invested
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 105
Entered
Confined in Hanliang Hall · Authority Wang Shichong (王世充)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 183
Entered
Excluded from government affairs
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 171
Proclaimed general amnesty
AD 618 皇泰元年
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 111
emperor 天子
AD 618 皇泰元年 · Enthroned · Era Name Huangtai 皇泰
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 111
As regent 稱制
Directly stated · Book of Sui 43, passage 66
emperor 帝
AD 618 義寧二年五月
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 153
AD 618 煬帝崩
Directly stated · Book of Sui 56, passage 291
Yielded throne to Wang Shichong under duress
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 183

Places and affiliations

Polity Eastern Capital regime · Relation Associated with
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 59, passage 111
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passages 153, 155; New Book of Tang 92, passage 28
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 85

Learning and skills

Belief Buddhism 佛 · Relation Worshiped
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 189

Works and attributed material

Imperial edict against Yuwen Huaji · Issuer · With Yuwen Huaji (宇文化及), Li Mi (李密) · Mode direct-document Speaker Yang Tong (楊侗)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passages 121-164
Prayer before death · Speaker · Mode direct-speech Speaker Yang Tong (楊侗)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 189
Refusal to abdicate · Speaker · With Duan Da (段達), Yun Dingxing (雲定興), Wang Shichong (王世充) · Mode direct-speech Speaker Yang Tong (楊侗)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passages 175-178

Events and relationships

Plotted unsuccessfully against Wang Shichong
Political plot · With Lu Shiji (陸士季), Wang Shichong (王世充)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 172
Resisted Yang Xuangan's rebellion
Military · With Yang Xuangan (楊玄感), Fan Zigai (樊子蓋)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 107
Sent generals against Mi
AD 617 十三年二月 · Military · Dispatcher · With Liu Changgong (劉長恭), Fang E (房崱), Pei Renji (裴仁基)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 85
Summoned Li Mi to court
Political · Sovereign
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 171
Political · Guardian of the Eastern Capital · At Eastern Capital 東都
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passages 106, 109
Relation Appointing sovereign of · Person Li Mi (李密)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 155

Show 3 more source-backed claims

Relation Covenant with · Person Wang Shichong (王世充)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 170
Relation Appointed as envoy · Person Gai Cong (蓋琮)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 118
Relation Appointed as envoy · Person Ma Gongzheng (馬公政)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 118

Source notes

Value historical
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 153

References in the histories

Search passages

History

31 passages

Book of Sui, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 8: He Jian Wanghong, Yang Chugang, Yang Zichong, Guang De, Wang Xiong · 2 passages

密為王世充所破，複歸東都，更為楊氏，越王侗不之責也。 After Li Mi was defeated by Wang Shichong, Qing returned to the Eastern Capital, took the Yang surname once more, and Yang Tong, Prince of Yue, did not hold it against him.

及侗稱制，拜宗正卿。 When Tong assumed regency, Qing was appointed Director of the Imperial Clan Court.

Book of Sui, Chapter 56Volume 56 Biographies 21: Lu Kai, Ling Huxi, Xue Zhou, Yu Wenbi, Zhang Heng, Yang Wang · 1 passage

煬帝崩，王世充推越王侗為主，征拜吏部尚書，頗見親委。 When Emperor Yang died, Wang Shichong installed Prince Tong of Yue as ruler and summoned Wang as minister of personnel. He was greatly trusted and relied upon.

Book of Sui, Chapter 59Volume 59 Biographies 24: Three Sons of Emperor Yang · 21 passages

有子三人，韋妃生恭皇帝，大劉良娣生燕王倓，小劉良娣生越王侗。 He had three sons: Consort Wei bore the future Emperor Gong; the elder Worthy Companion Lady Liu bore Prince Tan of Yan; the younger Worthy Companion Lady Liu bore Prince Tong of Yue.

越王侗字仁謹，美姿儀，性寬厚。 Prince Tong of Yue, whose style name was Renjin, was handsome in bearing and generous by nature.

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.

宇文化及之弑逆也，文都等議，以侗元德太子之子，屬最為近，於是乃共尊立，大赦，改元曰皇泰。 When Yuwen Huaji carried out his regicide, Wendu and the others reasoned that Tong, as a son of the Yuande Heir Apparent, was closest in the imperial line. They jointly enthroned him, proclaimed a general amnesty, and changed the era name to Huangtai.

侗懼，遣使者蓋琮、馬公政招懷李密。 Fearing for the situation, Tong sent envoys Gai Cong and Ma Gongzheng to win Li Mi over.

密遂遣使請降，侗大悅，禮其使甚厚。 Li Mi then sent envoys to offer submission. Tong was overjoyed and treated the envoys with great honor.

世充詣侗所陳謝，辭情哀苦。 Shichong went to Tong's residence to apologize; his words were piteous and anguished.

侗以為至誠，命之上殿，被發為盟，誓無貳志。 Tong took this as utmost sincerity, summoned him to the hall, and with hair unbound they made a covenant, swearing he had no second intent.

自是侗無所關預。 From this time Tong had no part in affairs.

侗心不能平，遂與記室陸士季謀圖世充，事不果而止。 Tong's heart could not be at peace; he then joined with his recorder Lu Shiji in plotting against Shichong, but the affair did not succeed and was abandoned.

及世充破李密，眾望益歸之，遂自為鄭王，總百揆，加九錫，備法物，侗不能禁也。 When Shichong defeated Li Mi, popular expectation turned increasingly to him; he thereupon made himself Prince of Zheng, took charge of all government, received the Nine Bestowals, and prepared the ritual regalia—and Tong could not stop him.

段達、雲定興等十人入見於侗曰：「天命不常，鄭王功德甚盛，願陛下揖讓告禪，遵唐、虞之跡。」 Duan Da, Yun Dingxing, and ten others came before Tong and said, "The Mandate of Heaven is not constant; the Prince of Zheng's merit and virtue are very great. We beg Your Majesty to yield the throne and announce abdication, following the example of Tang and Yu."

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.

世充更使人謂侗曰：「今海內未定，須得長君。 Shichong again sent someone to say to Tong, "The realm is not yet settled; a mature ruler is needed.

侗不得已，遜位於世充，遂被幽於含涼殿。 Tong had no choice; he yielded the throne to Shichong and was then confined in the Hanliang Hall.

月餘，宇文儒童、裴仁基等謀誅世充，複尊立侗，事泄，並見害。 After more than a month Yuwen Rutong, Pei Renji, and others plotted to kill Shichong and restore Tong to the throne; the affair was exposed and they were all killed.

世充兄世惲因勸世充害侗，以絕民望。 Shichong's elder brother Shiyun thereupon urged Shichong to kill Tong in order to cut off popular hope in the Sui line.

世充遣其侄行本齎鴆詣侗所曰：「願皇帝飲此酒。」 Shichong sent his nephew Xingben bearing poison to Tong's residence, saying, "I beg the emperor to drink this wine."

侗知不免，請與母相見，不許。 Tong knew he could not escape; he begged to see his mother and was refused.

世充偽諡為恭皇帝。 Shichong falsely gave him the posthumous title Emperor Gong.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 84Volume 84 Biographies 9: Li, Mi · 6 passages

隋越王侗遣將劉長恭、房崱討密，又令裴仁基統兵出成臯西。 Sui Prince of Yue Yang Tong sent Generals Liu Changgong and Fang E to attack Mi, and also ordered Pei Renji to command troops out west of Chenggao.

五月，越王侗稱帝。 In the fifth month, Prince of Yue Yang Tong declared himself emperor.

侗遣使授密太尉、尚書令、東南道大行臺行軍元帥、魏國公，令平化及而後入輔，密受之。 Tong sent envoys to appoint Mi Grand Commandant, Director of the Department of State Affairs, Campaign Marshal of the Great Headquarters of the Southeast Circuit, and Duke of Wei, ordering him to pacify Huaji and then enter to assist the court. Mi accepted.

由是引而西，遣使朝東都，執殺逆人於弘達獻於侗。 Thereupon he led his army west, sent envoys to pay court at the Eastern Capital, arrested and killed the traitor Yu Hongda, and presented him to Tong.

侗召密入朝，至溫，聞世充殺元文都，乃止。 Tong summoned Mi to court. When he reached Wen, he heard that Shichong had killed Yuan Wendu and thereupon stopped.

遂歸金墉，拘侗使不遣。 He returned to Jinyong and detained Tong's envoys without sending them back.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 92Volume 92 Biographies 17: Du, Kan, Wang, Li, Yuan, Luo, Wang · 1 passage

上表越王侗，侗以為東南道大總管，封楚王。 He submitted a memorial to King Yue Yang Tong, who appointed him Grand Commander of the Southeastern Circuit and enfeoffed him as King of Chu.