What happened to the Yang family in history?

"The Generals of the Yang Family" is the most widely circulated and influential historical legend in our country's opera art and rap art since the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The old princes Yang Ye, Taijun She, Qi Lang and Ba Hu (especially Yang Liu Lang and Yang Yanzhao), Yang Zongbao, Mu Guiying, Yang Wenguang, Eight Sisters, Nine Sisters, including the fire girl Yang Paifeng, are almost all household heroes. Especially on the opera stage, this legendary family showed a strong spirit of patriotism and a noble heroic spirit. In the battle of "Golden Beach", the Yang brothers suffered all casualties, and then the Duke bumped the monument, Qi Lang was killed, Wu Lang became a monk, and Si Lang and Eighth Lang disappeared. The only remaining Rokuro is still fighting for the country. After Liulang's death, his descendants, Yang Zongbao and Yang Wenguang, were still the mainstays in defending the country. Not only the men of the Yang family go to the battlefield, but the women also make no concessions. Mu Guiying was in command, and the 100-year-old She Taijun was in command, which made the blood of many Chinese people boil.

However, from the perspective of historical facts, the story of the Yang family generals is just an artistic interpretation of the tragic historical event of Yang Ye's bloody battle in Chenjia Valley and his final heroic death for the country in opera novels. After the death of the real Yang Ye in history, only his son Yanzhao (ie Liulang) and grandson Wenguang were famous generals guarding the border in the Song Dynasty. The reason why the folk interpret "General Yang" as a "group portrait" of heroes who resisted foreign aggression stems from the memory and yearning of this national hero by the northern people who have been deeply invaded by foreign invaders since the Song and Yuan Dynasties.

The biggest difference between folk novels, operas and history is that many characters and events in legends do not exist. According to records such as legends and novels, the pedigree of the Yang family generals is as follows:

The male generals of the Yang family: the first generation, the Golden Sword Commander Yang Jiye, Jiye has eight sons, including the sixth. The son's name was Yang Yanzhao, also known as Yang Liulang. Liulang's son was named Wenguang, Wenguang's son was named Zongbao, and Zongbao's son was named Huaiyu.

Female Generals of the Yang Clan: The main characters include She Taijun, Wang Huainu, Mu Guiying, etc.

The genealogy of the Yang family, especially the female generals of the Yang family, comes from the two books "The Popular Romance of the Yang Family's Loyalty and Bravery for Generations" and "The Generals of the Yang Family". Due to the well-shaped artistic images of these characters, they are deeply loved by the common people. loved.

However, in the official history, Yang Ye, Yang Yanzhao, and Yang Wenguang did exist, but their deeds were far from as magical as described in the novel. Other characters are hard to find or their figures are vague.

Yang Ye is indeed a real person, and there is a secret behind his death

Yang Ye is the first generation of Yang family generals, with the greatest fame and the most heroic sacrifice.

According to legend, in the early Northern Song Dynasty, Liao soldiers invaded, and the imperial court set up a challenge to win. Pan Bao, the son of Grand Master Pan Renmei, wanted to take command, so he set up a stage to show off his violence and killed many people. Later, he was hacked to death by Yang Qilang, and the Yang family won the seal of command. Soon after the old lord took command and went on an expedition, Pan Renmei avenged his personal revenge and failed to respond as planned, killing Yang Qilang. The old lord Yang Jiye was trapped in Lianglang Mountain and finally died after hitting a monument. The other Yang brothers were all stained with blood on the battlefield. Dalang, Erlang, and Sanlang died. Silang and Wulang were either monks or living in foreign countries. Only Liulang returned home. Yang Jiye's wife She Taijun wrote to the emperor, reprimanding Pan Renmei for standing still. With the help of the Eight Sages and others, Pan Renmei was eventually demoted. According to folklore, Yang Jiye had seven sons and eight sisters and nine sisters. After Yang Ye's death, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty comforted his family and gave the Taijun a dragon-headed crutch, which could beat down the emperor and treacherous ministers.

The above legend has some truth, but not entirely.

The real name of Yang Ye in history is Yang Chonggui. His father Yang Xin was a local tycoon in Linzhou (North of Shenmu, Shaanxi Province). Taking advantage of the chaos of the Five Dynasties, he occupied Linzhou and called himself the governor. He later surrendered to the Later Han Dynasty. , the following week. Around the time Yang Xin surrendered to the Later Han Dynasty, he sent young Yang Chonggui to Taiyuan in order to make friends with Liu Chong, the then Hedong Jiedushi envoy. Later Yang Xin defected to the Later Zhou Dynasty, while Yang Chonggui stayed in Taiyuan. After Yang Xin's death, Yang Ye's younger brother Yang Chongxun succeeded him as governor, and Linzhou surrendered to Liu Chong of the Northern Han Dynasty. Later, Yang Chongxun returned to the Later Zhou Dynasty.

Although the Yang family surrendered repeatedly, Yang Chonggui's life in Taiyuan was not affected at all in the chaotic and special era of the Five Dynasties. Liu Chong valued the young and heroic Yang Chonggui very much. He recognized Yang Chonggui as his adopted grandson and changed his name to Liu Jiye. Liu Jiye first served as the security commander and was known for his bravery. Due to his meritorious service, he was promoted to the military commander of the Jianxiong Army. Because Liu Jiye had outstanding military exploits and was invincible, the Chinese called him "invincible".

Liu Jiye’s main opponent during the Northern Han Dynasty was the Liao Kingdom, as evidenced by the "History of Liao".

"History of the Liao" records that after Liu Jiye surrendered to the Northern Song Dynasty, he faced off against the Liao army. The Liao general Yelu Xiezhen scolded Liu Jiye, who had changed his name to Yang Ye, saying: "You have been fighting against our country for more than thirty years, but how can you see each other today."

Some people may have questions: The Northern Han Dynasty has always served the Liao Kingdom, how could Yang Ye go to war with the Liao Kingdom? The reason is that the powerful Liao Kingdom at that time often invaded and raided the borders of the Northern Han Dynasty. Liu Jiye guarded the border for the Northern Han Dynasty, so he must often have confrontations with the invading Liao army. According to Yelu Xiezhen's words, it can be seen that Liu Jiye has not been at a disadvantage against the Liao army for more than 30 years. Although the scale is not large (it is just a "contest"), it is enough to deserve the title of "invincible". This kind of experience also allowed Liu Jiye to accumulate rich experience in border defense.

After the fall of the Northern Han Dynasty, Liu Jiye returned to the Northern Song Dynasty. Song Taizong knew Liu Jiye's reputation and awarded him the title of General of the Left Army and Zhengzhou Defense Envoy. "Xu Zi Zhi Tong Jian" records that Liu Jiye fought hard to defend the city of Taiyuan, and even after Liu Jiyuan, the leader of the Northern Han Dynasty, surrendered, he continued to fight. Later Song Taizong sent Liu Jiyuan to personally recruit and surrender, and Liu Jiye cried loudly and surrendered.

After Liu Jiye returned to the Song Dynasty, he resumed his surname "Yang" and his single name. Because he had rich experience in defending the Liao Kingdom, he was appointed by the imperial court to take charge of the garrison affairs in Daizhou (Dai County, Shanxi Province) and Sanjiao (North Taiyuan). In the second year of his tenure, Yang Ye defeated the Liao soldiers in Yanmen (Shanxi). In the third year of Yongxi reign (986), the Song army launched a massive Northern Expedition to attack the Liao Dynasty. Yang Ye and Pan Mei led the West Route Army to conquer Yun (Datong, Shanxi), Shuo (today's Shuo County), Huan (northeast of Shuo County), and Ying (Ying County). ), East Route Army Cao Binke Zhuozhou. Empress Dowager Xiao of the Liao Kingdom went south to assist. Soon, the Eastern Route Army of the Song Dynasty was defeated in Hebei. Yang Ye was ordered to escort the people of the four states to retreat, and met the Liao Army on the way. The coach Pan Mei and the supervisor Wang Qian forced Yang Ye to fight. Yang Ye knew he was outmatched, so he still fought alone. He was eventually trapped at the mouth of Chenjiagu (south of Shuo County, Shanxi Province), was seriously injured and captured, and died on a hunger strike at the age of 18. About sixty. Yang Ye's deeds were told at that time, and later gradually evolved into the story of "Yang Family General".

According to romances and novels, the culprit who killed Yang Ye was Pan Renmei. According to folklore, during the Northern Expedition of the Song Army in the third year of Yongxi's reign, Pan Renmei was the commander-in-chief of the Western Route Army, and Yang Ye was his deputy. Because Pan Mei was very jealous of Yang Ye's talents, when Yang Ye was pursuing victory, he deliberately hoarded troops and refused to provide food and grass supplies, which eventually led to Yang Ye's defeat and death. There is also such a record in "History of the Song Dynasty Yang Ye": "The generals who guard the border are often jealous of them. Some of them slandered the people and criticized them for their shortcomings. The emperor did not ask about them and gave them memorials to pay for their duties." The general idea is that : At that time, the commander-in-chief of the border guard was very jealous of Yang Ye and secretly wrote a letter to slander Yang Ye. After reading it, the Emperor of Song Dynasty did not ask any questions, but sealed the letter and gave it to Yang Ye. At that time, Yang Ye had not yet conquered the Liao Dynasty, and was still stationed at Yanmen Pass. He served as Daizhou and served as the garrison and deployment of the Sanjiao troops and horses. And who is the "chief general" above Yang Ye? Folks unanimously believe that it refers to Pan Renmei. However, in the death of Yang Ye, Pan Renmei was not the culprit, but the supervisor Wang Qian.

Some people also suggested that the ultimate culprit who killed Yang Ye was not Wang Qian, but someone else. At that time, Liu Wenyu was also the supervisor of the army together with Wang Qian. Liu Wenyu's official position was higher than that of Wang Qian (the regimental commander was higher than the governor), and he was a relative and had certain battlefield experience. His power in the army should not be lower than that of Wang Qian. No matter how powerful Wang Qian oversees the army, he cannot cover the sky with just one hand. Based on this inference, Liu Wenyu may be more responsible for Yang Ye's death. Of course, no matter what, Wang Qian cannot escape the blame for his poor decision-making.

Yang Liulang should be Yang Dalang

In traditional opera, Yang Laolinggong and his wife She Laotaijun had seven sons in one marriage. It is also said in the opera that Yang Jiye had eight sons, known as the "Seven Wolves and Eight Tigers". "History of the Song Dynasty: Biography of Yang Ye" records that Yang Ye had seven sons, while "Xuzizhi Tongjian Changbian" written by Li Tao of the Southern Song Dynasty said that Yang Ye had only five sons. As for the "Eastern Capital History" of the Southern Song Dynasty, only one son of Yang Yanzhao was mentioned. Judging from various historical materials, it is still a mystery how many children Yang Ye had.

The seven sons recorded in "Song History" are: Yang Yanlang, Yang Yanpu, Yang Yanxun, Yang Yanhuan, Yang Yangui, Yang Yanbin, and Yang Yanyu. Among them, Yang Yanyu followed his father in the war and died for his country in the battle at Chenjiagukou. The other six sons all died well. Yanlang was the deputy envoy of Chongyi, Yanpu and Yanxun were also enshrined officers, and Yanhuan, Yangui, and Yanbin were all Dianzhi (official name). It can be seen that they did not live in foreign countries and died at the hands of traitors.

Yang Ye’s fourth son is a controversial figure from later generations. Yang Silang was named Yang Yanhuan in official history, but Yang Yanhui in folk opera.

Yuan songs once said that Yang Silang disappeared after the Battle of Lianglangshan. The Ming Dynasty's "Yang Family Mansion Romance" stated that Yang Silang was not missing during the battle, but was captured by Liao soldiers. Empress Dowager Xiao liked Silang's good martial arts and saw that Silang was a talented person, so she betrothed Princess Qiong'e to him, so Yang Silang became the consort of the Khitan people. In the eyes of future generations, he was a traitor who begged for surrender, betrayed the emperor and forgot his father. However, "History of the Song Dynasty: Biography of Yang Ye" records that after Yang Ye died in the war, Yang Silang was made a direct official by the imperial court and did not commit any treachery. Therefore, it is unknown how Shiro ends up.

In addition, Yang Balang is also a rather mysterious figure, appearing and disappearing suddenly.

Among the male protagonists of the "Yang Family General" legend, apart from the old prince Yang Jiye, the most famous are the father and son Yang Liulang and Yang Zongbao. However, these two figures are also not historical figures.

According to official historical records, Yang Liulang is Yang Ye’s son Yang Yanlang (later renamed Yang Yanzhao). This is true, but he is not Yang Ye’s sixth son, but the eldest son. He is just called Yang Yanlang. For Rokuro. Legend has it that Yang Liulang was still a prominent county horse master, but judging from the life trajectory of Yang Liulang in the official history, he guarded the border for many years and had no foundation in the capital, let alone lived or held any position in the capital. It is unlikely that he was The Chai family's military horse.

According to historical records, Yang Yanzhao was taciturn when he was young, but he always liked to play marching and combat games. After seeing this, Yang Ye said: "This is like me." He would take him with him on future expeditions. After Yang Ye was killed in battle, Yang Yanzhao continued to serve on the frontline of Hebei's border defense. In the second year of Xianping in the Northern Song Dynasty (999), the Liao Kingdom invaded southward. At that time, Yang Yanzhao was in Suicheng. Because Suicheng was small and not well prepared for defense, it was violently besieged by the Liao army, and people in the city were panicked. Yang Yanzhao summoned the strong men in the city, awarded them weapons, and cooperated with the Song army to defend with all their strength. It was the middle of winter, so Yang Yanzhao ordered people to pour water on the city wall, and it froze into solid ice overnight. The city wall was slippery and difficult to climb, and the Liao army's fierce offensive could not continue, so they had to retreat. The Song army captured the military equipment abandoned by the Liao army. Yang Yanzhao saved Suicheng with a surprising plan, which showed his military talents. He was awarded the title of governor of Mozhou for his merits.

During the Battle of Chanzhou, Yang Yanzhao opposed the peace negotiation. His ideas coincided with those of the then Prime Minister Kou Zhun. However, the Northern Song Dynasty court did not respond to this. Yang Yanzhao led his troops into the Liao Kingdom, attacked the ancient city, and achieved considerable results. After the Chanyuan alliance was established, Yang Yanzhao was promoted several times due to his contribution to guarding the border, and was finally awarded the deputy capital deployment of Gaoyang Pass. Later, Yang Yanzhao died in office at the age of fifty-seven. After Song Zhenzong heard the news, he was extremely sad and sent envoys to protect the soul. Many people in Heshuo looked at the coffin and wept for him.

Yang Yanzhao guarded the border for more than 20 years. The Liao Kingdom was in awe of him and called him Yang Liulang. So why did the Liao people call him Yang Liulang? There is a theory that this is because the Liao people are superstitious and believe that the sixth star of the Big Dipper in the sky is dedicated to defeating the Liao Kingdom. Because Yang Yanzhao was very intimidating to the Liao people, the Liao people thought that he was the reincarnation of the sixth star, so they called him Yang Liulang. Later generations may have regarded Yang Yanzhao as the sixth son of Yang Ye based on the title "Yang Liulang".

Yang Zongbao’s son is fictitious

According to the genealogy of the novel, Yang Liulang’s son is Yang Zongbao and his grandson is Yang Wenguang. However, according to the "History of the Song Dynasty", Yang Yanzhao’s third son is named Yang Wenguang , the character Yang Zongbao does not exist.

Yang Wenguang was initially awarded the imperial title for his meritorious service in defeating the traitor Zhang Hai. Later, he met Fan Zhongyan who was appeasing Shaanxi. Fan Zhongyan found that Yang Wenguang was very talented and took him with him. When the famous general Di Qing went south to Guangxi, Yang Wenguang accompanied the army. At this time, Yang Wenguang was still an unknown person. Later, Song Yingzong believed that Yang Wenguang was a famous general and had meritorious service, so he promoted him to Chengzhou (Chengxian County, Gansu) regiment training envoy, Longshen Guard four-column commander, Qianxingzhou defense envoy, and Qinfeng Road deputy general manager. He thus participated in the defensive operations against Xixia.

At that time, the famous general Han Qi sent Yang Wenguang to lead his troops to the northwest of Liqinzhou (Tianshui City, Gansu Province) to build Juozhen City. Since the Song army had previously built castles, the Xixia people would send troops to destroy them. So Yang Wenguang adopted the strategy of seducing the east and attacking the west, threatening to build a pearl-spraying city somewhere and attract the Xixia army to destroy it. Then he led his army and rushed to Juozhen, built fortifications overnight and prepared for battle. At dawn the next day, the Xixia cavalry arrived. Seeing that the Song army had occupied a favorable terrain and was well prepared, they had no choice but to retreat. Before leaving, he wrote in his suicide note that he would invite tens of thousands of cavalry to come again to destroy it.

Yang Wenguang immediately sent troops to pursue and kill them, and captured many people. Someone asked him why he wanted to pursue the enemy. Yang Wenguang said: "This is to gain a head start and destroy the enemy's arrogance. Besides, this is a battleground. If the Xixia people know about it and take it away, it will be difficult to take it back." After this attack, the Xixia people did not dare to cause trouble again.

In September of that year, three castles including Gangu and Juozhen were completed. The emperor issued an edict to commend him and rewarded him generously. He was appointed deputy general manager of the Rongjun Army and Dingzhou Road in Zhijingzhou (Jingzhou, Gansu Province), and moved to Yuhou, the capital of the infantry army. Later, the Liao State and the Song Dynasty had a dispute over the boundary demarcation of Daizhou. Yang Wenguang presented the battle map and the strategy to capture Youyan to the court. Before he could hear back from the court, Yang Wenguang died in office. The Northern Song Dynasty court posthumously awarded him the Tongzhou Observer.

The female generals of the Yang family are confusing

The "male generals of the Yang family" are already half-true and half-false, and confusing, but what about the "female generals of the Yang family"? The answer is still "confusing". In the official history, there is no Taijun She or Mu Guiying among the generals of the Yang family, but clues can be found in some historical records.

Let’s talk about official history first. Some people would say that in ancient China there was a tradition of "men being superior to women", so there is no record of female generals from the Yang family in official history. However, the flaw in this theory is that there are other records of female generals and handsome men in official history. For example, during the period of Wang Mang, a strange woman came out of Langya, Shandong Province - Mother Lu, who later became the female general who led the army (see "Book of the Later Han·Biography of Liu Xuan and Liu Penzi"). After Lu's mother, the famous female generals include Princess Pingyang, the daughter of Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty in the late Sui Dynasty and early Tang Dynasty. When Li Yuan rebelled against the Sui Dynasty, Princess Pingyang and her husband Chai Shao recruited troops for the Li family. After Li Yuan crossed the Yellow River, Princess Pingyang led 10,000 elite troops to join Li Shimin in Weibei and established a shogunate. She acted like a marching commander. Her troops were also known as the "Women's Army".

The above-mentioned heroines are all believed in history. However, the "Yang Clan Female Generals" that everyone knows among the people does not even have a shadow in the official history. If there was indeed a female general from the Yang family, it would be impossible not to record it in official history. Taking a step back, even if the "History of the Song Dynasty" does not record it, the "Biography of Martyrs", which specializes in the deeds of "righteous women and chaste women", should also record it. It can be seen that the existence of female generals from the Yang family is questionable.

If the female generals of the Yang family only appear in novels, then we can be sure that they are artistic fictions. However, their shadows can be vaguely seen in some historical materials.

Let’s talk about Mrs. She first. According to opera legends, Mrs. She, whose original name was She Saihua, was the wife of Yang Ye and the ancestor of the Yang family. After Yang Liulang and Yang Zongbao passed away one after another, all the Yang family generals, except Yang Wenguang, were heroines. At that time, the country was in trouble and the borders were tight. Yang Wenguang led his troops to Xixia and was besieged by heavy troops. There was no general in the court. At the age of 100, Taijun She led the twelve widows to conquer Xixia, defeated Xixia and rescued Wenguang. His actions were admirable.

After research, some scholars believe that Taijun She did exist in history. Guangxu's "Baodezhou Chronicles" of the Qing Dynasty records: "Yang Jiye... served in the Northern Han Dynasty to build the Xiong Army, and married the daughter of Zhe Deku." Zhe Deku was the training envoy of the Fuzhou regiment during the period of Emperor Yin of the Later Han Dynasty. This "Zhe Deku" The woman" is said to be She Saihua, titled Taijun. "She" is a rumor of "Zhe".

"Baodezhou Chronicle" also said that the Zhe family has lived in Fugu, Shaanxi for many generations. Since the great ancestor of the Zhe family, he has held hereditary military positions and participated in the Anti-Liao War many times. The Yang family has also lived here for generations. Having practiced martial arts for generations, the two families are a perfect match. Influenced by his father and brother since childhood, Taijun She loved to study the art of war and was well versed in general strategy. He once assisted his father and brother in training and guarding troops. After marrying the Yang family, She Taijun accompanied her husband Yang Jiye to serve the Northern Han Dynasty. When her husband was fighting at the border, she organized the male and female servants in the Yang Mansion to practice martial arts. The servants' martial arts skills and loyalty were no less than those of the soldiers at the border.

In addition, Taijun She is also mentioned in the "Yang Genealogy" preserved in Yang Zhongwu Temple in Dai County, Shanxi.

Since Taijun She really existed and was so famous, why is there no biography of him in the official history? Some people think that for martial arts families like the Yang family, it is common for women to help their husbands in battle and train soldiers, so it is not surprising that there is no biography for Taijun She. This statement is somewhat far-fetched. Since most of She Taijun's deeds can be found in Qing Dynasty materials, it is still difficult to tell whether the character She Taijun actually existed.

Mu Guiying is another high-profile female general among the female generals of the Yang family. She is called Yang Zongbao's wife in the opera, and her appearance is very exciting.

It is said that after Yang Ye's death, Yang Liulang took command to fight against the Liao Dynasty and made many military exploits.

Later, he was framed by the traitor Wang Qiang, and his friend Ren Tanghui died on his behalf. Yang Liulang went to the north to sell cattle under an assumed name and set up a cattle array. After defeating the Liao soldiers, he resumed his real name Yang Yanzhao and took command of the Liao army for the second time. At that time, the Liao soldiers set up the Tianmen Formation, but Liulang could not break it. An expert pointed out that the only way to break the formation was to find the Dragon Subduing Wood. This dragon-subduing tree grows in the mountain king Muke's village, and the owner of the village is the 18-year-old female general Mu Guiying. Yang Yanzhao sent his generals Meng Liang and Jiao Zan to borrow wood, but they ended up stealing wood and were beaten by Mu Guiying and fled. On the way, the two met Yang Zongbao, the 17-year-old son of the marshal. They provoked Yang Zongbao to accompany them to meet Mu Guiying, but all three were captured alive. Mu Guiying admired Yang Zongbao very much. She said that after she was loyal and good, she was willing to offer the dragon tree and accompany the army to attack the Tianmen Formation, but she asked Yang Zongbao to marry her. Yang Zongbao disagreed at first, but was moved by Mu Guiying's words and agreed to get married. Early the next morning, when Yang Liulang saw that his three sons had not returned, he came to attack the stronghold in person, but was captured alive by Mu Guiying. Fortunately, Meng Liang heard the news and resolved the misunderstanding. Yang Liulang returned in shame, and Yang Zongbao and others were embarrassed.

When Yang Zongbao and the others returned to the Song camp, Yang Liulang was preparing to deal with his son. When he was about to execute him, Mu Guiying broke into the camp and offered to surrender on the condition of offering dragon wood, killing Liao generals, and helping to break the Tianmen formation. Yang Zongbao's head was saved. After many twists and turns, Yang Liulang finally realized Mu Guiying's ability. Not only did he agree to his son's marriage, he also recommended her to be the commander of the Tianmen Formation. After more than a year of hard work, Mu Guiying led everyone to finally break through the Liao people's one hundred single and eight formations. When Mu Guiying shot and killed the Tianmen Formation coach, he used too much force and his son Yang Wenguang was born.

After that, Mu Guiying led troops and took command many times, acted as a general, and frequently reversed the situation of the battle. However, this majestic Marshal Mu Guiying is not recorded in official history. In addition, the character Yang Zongbao does not exist in history at all, so many people believe that Mu Guiying does not exist either. Some people also say that although Mu Guiying is a fictitious person, his prototype can be found in the family members of the Yang family. Yang Yanzhao's son Yang Wenguang had a cousin named Yang Qi, who once married Murong. The Murong family was a wealthy Xianbei family at that time and had been practicing martial arts for generations. Therefore, this Murong family may be the prototype of Mu Guiying, and "Mu" may be the transliteration of "Murong" family. And "Guiying" is a popular name among the people, and opera novels are allowed to be adapted, so there was Mu Guiying based on Murong.

Of course, the above is just speculation and there is no real evidence.

Why did the Yang family become popular?

The story of the Yang family has been passed down for nearly a thousand years and remains fresh over time. So, how did the story of the Yang family become a household name? There is a historical evolution process in this.

The story of "General of the Yang Family" took place in the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, and by the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty it had quickly spread throughout the world. Ouyang Xiu, a famous writer in the Northern Song Dynasty, once wrote an article praising Yang Ye and Yang Yanzhao as "both father and son are famous generals, and their wisdom and bravery are known as invincible", and pointed out that the story of the Yang family generals was widely circulated among all walks of life at that time. This article was written in the 65th year after Yang Ye's death, and is called "The Epitaph of Yang Jun, Deputy Envoy of the Treasury". This Yang Jun is a descendant of the Yang family, named Yang Qi. Su Che, another great writer in the Northern Song Dynasty, also wrote a poem "Crossing the Yang Wudi Temple". His poem confirmed the influence of the story of the Yang family in the Song Dynasty from another aspect.

In the Southern Song Dynasty, folk artists compiled the stories of Yang family generals into scripts, which became increasingly popular among the people. Since the Northern Song Dynasty was eventually destroyed by foreign enemies and faced with the humiliating Southern Song government that sued for peace, they respected and missed those generals who fought bloody battles to protect the country even more. Folk artists of the Southern Song Dynasty boldly imagined and artistically processed the stories of the Yang family generals, and continuously added many magical stories and characters. The most representative one is undoubtedly "Ember Record" written by Xu Dazhuo of the Southern Song Dynasty. The book created the character of Qi Lang Yang Yansi based on Yang Si, a contemporary general of Yang Yanzhao, and created Yang Zongbao. It also conceived the story of the father and son of the Yang family generals. The plot of risking his life to rescue Song Taizong.

In the Yuan Dynasty, the Yang family expanded the form of their stories, and dramas appeared, such as "Meng Liang Stealing the Bones of Haotian Pagoda" and so on. In the Ming Dynasty, the stories of the Yang family were further enriched, and "The Romance of the Yang Family" and "The Biography of the Yang Family" appeared. The stories of the Yang family were widely circulated in the form of novels and storytelling. The time span reflected by these stories has increased, from the time when Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty Zhao Kuangyin ascended the throne to Emperor Shenzong Zhao Xu of the Song Dynasty, which is about a hundred years of history.

In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the imperial court was weak and foreign enemies were looking at it. This situation was similar to that of the Song Dynasty. The generals of the Yang family became the best weapon for the people to borrow the ancient sayings from the present. On the other hand, the Ming government also highly praised the Yang family generals and hoped to use them to promote the idea of ??loyalty to the emperor.

In this atmosphere, the story of the Yang family is further developed and improved. Two books, "Popular Romance of the Generals of the Yang Family" written by Ji Zhenlun in the Ming Dynasty and "Zhi Zhuan of the Northern Song Dynasty" written by Xiong Damu in the Qing Dynasty, finalized the story of the Yang Family Generals. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were as many as 360 plays on the opera stage with the Yang family as themes. To this day, Peking Opera and other local operas often perform plays such as "Silang Visits His Mother" and "Mu Guiying Takes Command". These novels and dramas have greatly deviated from historical facts and have become heroic legends.

After a long period of development, the Yang family, which originally had only three generations, has been expanded into five generations; what was originally just an iron-blooded battlefield for men has been integrated into vivid and flowery heroines such as She Taijun and Mu Guiying.