During Northern Zhou

Yang Su was born in 544. His grandfather Yang Xuan (杨喧) was a mid-level official under the Northern Wei or its branch successor state Western Wei. Yang Su's father Yang Fu (杨敷) served as a general for Western Wei's successor state Northern Zhou, but in 571, while defending Dingyang (定阳, in modern Linfen, Shanxi), Yang Fu was defeated and captured by the Northern Qi general Duan Shao (段韶). Yang Fu refused to surrender and was kept in captivity for the rest of his life, but it is not known when he died.

After Yang Fu's death, Yang Su, who was considered highly talented in his youth, repeatedly sought posthumous recognition for his father from Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou. Eventually, Emperor Wu was so pestered that he ordered that Yang Su be killed—perhaps stating the order publicly to scare Yang Su so that he would relent. Instead of begging for forgiveness, however, Yang Su yelled out, "I serve a ruthless emperor, and it is proper for me to die!"

Emperor Wu, impressed with Yang Su's fortitude, released him and gave Yang Fu posthumous honors, including the title of Duke of Linzhen. He made Yang Su an official in his administration, and once, when he had Yang Su draft an edict for him and was impressed by both the fast speed that Yang Su wrote the edict and the beauty of the language, he commented, "Just work hard. Honor and wealth will come to you."

Yang Su responded, "I am worried that I will be forced to accept honor and wealth, as I have no desire for them."

In 575, when Emperor Wu launched a major attack on Northern Qi, he granted Yang Su's request to lead the remains of Yang Fu's old army. While Emperor Wu was soon forced to abandon the campaign, Yang Su was, for his contributions, created the Viscount of Qinghe. When Emperor Wu relaunched the attack on Northern Qi in winter 576, Yang Su served under Emperor Wu's brother and major general Yuwen Xian the Prince of Qi, and during a battle, when Yuwen Xian was ambushed by forces under Northern Qi's emperor Gao Wei, it was Yang Su who fought hard to save Yuwen Xian. Thereafter, he continued to make contributions under Yuwen Xian during the campaign against Northern Qi.

After Emperor Wu conquered Northern Qi in 577, he promoted Yang Su's title to Duke of Chen'an. In 578, he served under the general Wang Gui (王轨) in defeating the Chen dynasty general Wu Mingche, and for this contribution, Emperor Wu created his brother Yang Shen (杨慎) the Marquess of Yi'an. After Emperor Wu's death later in 578 and succession by his son Emperor Xuan, Emperor Xuan conferred the title of Duke of Linzhen, which Emperor Wu had posthumously created Yang Fu, on Yang Su, transferring Yang Su's title of Duke of Cheng'an to his brother Yang Yuē (杨约). Yang Su subsequently served under the general Wei Xiaokuan in capturing the region between the Yangtze River and the Huai River from Chen.

In 580, Emperor Xuan, who had by that point become retired emperor, died, and Emperor Xuan's father-in-law Yang Jian seized power as regent over Emperor Xuan's son Emperor Jing. Yang Su became close to Yang Jian, and Yang Jian made him the governor of the important Bian Province (汴州 roughly modern Kaifeng, Henan). However, before Yang Su could report to Bian Province, the general Yuchi Jiong, suspicious of Yang Jian's intentions, rose against him.

One of Yuchi's supporters, Yuwen Zhou (宇文胄) the governor of Ying Province (荥州 roughly modern Zhengzhou, Henan) defended Hulao Pass against Yang Jian's forces, and Yang Jian sent Yang Su against Yuwen Zhou. Yang Su was able to defeat Yuwen Zhou, and after Yuchi had been defeated and had committed suicide, Yang Jian made Yang Su the commandant at Xu Province (徐州 roughly modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu) and promoted his title to Duke of Qinghe, transferring his title of Duke of Linzhen to his brother Yang Yuè (杨岳 note different tone and character than the other brother).

During Emperor Wens reign

In 581, Yang Jian had Emperor Jing yield the throne to him, ending Northern Zhou and establishing Sui dynasty as its Emperor Wen. Yang Su continued to serve in Emperor Wen's administration including a spell helping prepare the Kaihuang Code on which Emperor Wen's legal reforms were based. In 584, during an argument with his wife Zheng Qiye (郑祁耶), he angrily stated, "If I become emperor, you will not be empress!" Zheng Qiye, in anger, reported the comment to Emperor Wen, who removed Yang Su from his post as a punishment. In 585, Emperor Wen restored him and made him the commandant at Xin Province (modern eastern Chongqing) to prepare an attack against Chen down the Yangtze River. While at Xin Province, he built large ships in anticipation of the attack.

In winter 588, Emperor Wen launched the attack, commissioning his sons Yang Guang the Prince of Jin and Yang Jun, along with Yang Su, to command the three main prongs of the attack, with Yang Guang in overall command of the operations. Yang Su's responsibility was to take his forces down the Yangtze and attack cities on the river. He passed through the Three Gorges and defeated the Chen general Qi Xin (戚昕). He soon ran into heavy resistance by the Chen general Lü Zhongsu (吕忠肃) and initially was repelled, but eventually was able to defeat Lü. With Chen Shubao's cousin Chen Huiji (陈慧纪) abandoning the region to make one last-ditch attempt to reach the Chen capital Jiankang to help defend it against Yang Guang's attack, Yang Su encountered no further resistance, and soon news that Jiankang had fallen arrived, and the local provinces all surrendered to him or Yang Jun, whom he met at Hankou (汉口 in modern Wuhan, Hubei). Emperor Wen subsequently promoted Yang Su to the greater title of Duke of Yue and transferred his title of Duke of Qinghe to his son Yang Xuanjiang (杨玄奖), while making his heir apparent Yang Xuangan a mid-level official. He was briefly made the commandant at Jing Province (荆州 roughly modern Jingzhou, Hubei), but in summer 588 was recalled to the capital to be the head of the examination bureau (门下省 Menxia Sheng) -- one of the most important officials in the imperial government. In 590, he was made the head of the legislative bureau (内史省 Neishi Sheng).

Later in 590, with Chen's former territory up in rebellions against imposition of Sui laws, Yang Su was put in command of a large army to attack the various rebel leaders. He defeated Shen Xuanhui (沈玄懀) and Gao Zhihui (高智慧), eventually quelling much of the former Chen territory. Emperor Wen awarded him with many gifts. Based on Yang Su's conduct during the campaign, the historian Sima Guang, in his Zizhi Tongjian, commented:

:When Yang Su commanded large armies, he showed flexibility and much tactical capability. His military discipline was harsh, and before each battle, he always sought out soldiers who had faults to execute in order to show his power -- sometimes more than a hundred, and sometimes no less than 20. As their blood flowed before him, he treated as if it were nothing, and continued to smile and talk. When it came time for battling, he would send out somewhere between 100 to 200 soldiers as a forward corps to attack first. If they were unsuccessful in penetrating the enemy lines and returned, regardless of how many survived, they would all be executed. He would then repeat the process, but with 200 to 300 soldiers. All officers and soldiers tremored with fear, and all fought with resolution to fight to the death. Therefore, he was always victorious and considered a great general. At that time, Yang Su was powerful and favored by the emperor. Whatever he suggested was not refused, and so Yang Su's followers, even if their contributions were small, would be rewarded for their contributions. The soldiers under the other generals often had their contributions denied by the civilian officials and not rewarded. Therefore, even though Yang Su was cruel, his soldiers were willing to follow him.

Around the new year 593, Yang Su was made a co-head of the executive bureau (尚书省 Shangshu Sheng) with Gao Jiong, effectively serving as co-prime ministers, replacing Su Wei in that role. It was said that by this point, Yang Su had become very arrogant, and among the officials, he only respected Gao, Niu Hong (牛弘), and Xue Daoheng (薛道衡), looking down at and bullying the rest. It was commented by traditional historians that he was more talented and had more foresight than Gao, but that he was not as fair-minded or well-behaved as Gao.

In spring 593, Emperor Wen commissioned Yang Su to oversee the building of his vacation palace, Renshou Palace (仁寿宫 in modern Baoji, Shaanxi). Yang Su spent much effort building it to be a luxurious palace, needing not much architectural work but landscaping of the nearby hills and valleys. Much human life was lost—numbering in the tens of thousands. The palace was completed in spring 595, and when Emperor Wen inspected it, he, by nature frugal, was initially displeased and stated, "Yang Su expended money and effort to build this palace, and he made the people hate me." Yang Su was fearful of punishment, but when Emperor Wen's wife Empress Dugu arrived, she pointed out to Emperor Wen that Yang Su knew that they had little other pleasures, and therefore built the palace in this manner. She gave Yang Su awards in both money and silk.

In 598, both Empress Dugu and Yang Su's wife Zheng Qiye were ill, and suspicions came on the official Dugu Tuo (独孤陀)--who was Empress Dugu's half-brother and whose wife was Yang Su's half-sister. Dugu Tuo was accused of having his servant girl Xu Ani (徐阿尼) employ cat spirits to curse Empress Dugu and Zheng Qiye, and was nearly executed, but at Empress Dugu's urging was spared and only reduced to commoner rank.

In spring 599, Yang Su was one of the major generals commissioned to attack Tujue's Dulan Khan, Ashina Yongyulü, along with Gao Jiong and Yan Rong (燕荣). He encountered Ashina Yongyulü's subordinate khan, the Datou Khan Ashina Dianjue. Contrary to prior strategies to first protect his army before engaging, he quickly engaged Ashina Dianjue and defeated him, forcing Ashina Dianjue to flee.

Sometime around that time, Emperor Wen and Empress Dugu, who generally had a loving relationship, had a major conflict—over an affair by Emperor Wen (who otherwise did not have any concubines, in contrast with nearly every other emperor in Chinese history) with Yuchi Jiong's granddaughter, who had become a servant in the palace. Empress Dugu killed Lady Yuchi, and in anger, Emperor Wen rode away from the palace. Yang Su and Gao had to track him down and persuade him back to the palace. Yang Su and Gao subsequently held a banquet for them to allow them to reconcile.

In winter 599, Emperor Wen sent Yang Su again to attack Ashina Yongyulü, but before his army could depart, Ashina Yongyulü was assassinated and replaced by Ashina Dianjue (as Bujia Khan), and so Yang Su did not launch his army. In 600, when Ashina Dianjue attacked, Emperor Wen sent Yang Su and Shi Wansui (史万岁), along with his sons Yang Guang and Yang Liang, to resist, and Ashina Dianjue was fought off. (The historians had much to say as to Shi's success during this campaign, but not Yang Su's, suggesting that Yang Su was not involved in major engagements during this campaign.)

By 600, Emperor Wen's crown prince Yang Yong had lost the favor of Emperor Wen and Empress Dugu, over his wastefulness (which displeased Emperor Wen) and having many concubines (which displeased Empress Dugu). Yang Guang, whom Emperor Wen and Empress Dugu, had for some time plotted to replace Yang Yong, sent his associate Yuwen Shu to persuade Yang Su's brother Yang Yuē that, as Yang Su did not have a good relationship with Yang Yong, that if Emperor Wen died, Yang Su and his brothers would soon be in danger under Yang Yong's rule. Rather, Yuwen suggested, Yang Su should form a pact with Yang Guang and try to have Yang Guang made crown prince. Yang Su agreed, and began to discuss with Empress Dugu in earnest the possibility of replacing Yang Yong with Yang Guang. Empress Dugu was pleased, and requested Yang Su to persuade Emperor Wen as well. By fall 600, Yang Guang had Yang Yong's associate Ji Wei (姬威) falsely accuse Yang Yong of plotting treason. Emperor Wen commissioned Yang Su to investigate, and Yang Su intentionally misinterpreted evidence and manufactured additional evidence, causing Emperor Wen to believe that Yang Yong was indeed plotting treason. Emperor Wen deposed Yang Yong and created Yang Guang crown prince instead.

In winter 601, Emperor Wen commissioned Yang Su to command an army, in association with Qimin Khan Ashina Rangan (who had surrendered to Sui and whom Emperor Wen had created khan), to attack Ashina Dianjue. In spring 602, Yang Su achieved a great victory, and for his victory, Yang Xuangan's post was upgraded, and another son of Yang Su, Yang Xuanzong (杨玄纵), was created the Duke of Huainan.

By 602, Yang Guang was concerned that his brother, Yang Xiu the Prince of Shu, who as the commandant at Yi Province (roughly modern Chengdu, Sichuan) was in control of the modern Sichuan and Chongqing region, would eventually make trouble for him. He had Yang Su collect evidence of Yang Xiu's wastefulness and inappropriate behavior. Emperor Wen summoned Yang Xiu back to the capital, and had Yang Su investigate. Both Yang Guang and Yang Su manufactured additional evidence against Yang Xiu, and Yang Xiu was reduced to commoner rank and put under house arrest.

Also in 602, Empress Dugu died. Yang Su was in charge of the funeral arrangements, and in appreciation, Emperor Wen created yet another son of Yang Su the Duke of Yikang. Upon accusations by the official Liang Pi (梁毗) that Yang Su was becoming overly powerful and abusive, Emperor Wen began to distance himself from Yang Su, although he continued to confer honors on Yang Su. The actual authority over the executive bureau was instead exercised by Su Wei and Emperor Wen's son-in-law Liu Shu (柳述).

In summer 604, while at Renshou Palace, Emperor Wen became ill. Yang Su, Liu, and Yuan Yan (元俨) attended to him. Emperor Wen soon died, and Yang Guang, after ordering Yang Su's brother Yang Yuē to have Yang Yong killed, announced Emperor Wen's death and took the throne as Emperor Yang.

Traditional historians, while admitting a lack of direct evidence, largely believed an account that Emperor Wen's death was a murder ordered by Yang Guang, with Yang Su in cooperation. This account alleged that Yang Guang attempted to rape Emperor Wen's concubine Consort Chen (Chen Shubao's sister), and when Consort Chen reported the attempted rape to Emperor Wen, Emperor Wen tried to depose Yang Guang and sent Liu and Yuan to summon Yang Yong. Yang Su arrested Liu and Yuan, and then Yang Guang sent his associate Zhang Heng (张衡) to kill Emperor Wen.

During Emperor Yangs reign

Upon hearing Emperor Yang's ascension, Yang Liang, then the commandant at Bing Province (并州 roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) and in control of the territory north of the Yellow River, rebelled—inexplicably declaring, as his reason for rebelling, that Yang Su had committed treason. Emperor Yang sent Yang Su to attack Yang Liang, and Yang Su, after capturing Yang Liang's general Xiao Mohe, forced Yang Liang's surrender. For Yang Su's contributions, Emperor Yang gave his sons Yang Wandan (杨万石), Yang Renxing (杨仁行), and Yang Xuanting (杨玄挺) all mid-level imperial posts and much treasure, previously owned by Yang Liang.

In spring 605, Emperor Yang began to expand Luoyang to serve as the eastern capital. Yang Su was commissioned to head the project.

It was said that although Yang Su had much contributions for him, Emperor Yang actually was very suspicious of Yang Su. When imperial astrologers informed Emperor Yang that the Sui region (central Hubei) would have a major funeral, Emperor Wen created Yang Su the Duke of Chu, technically a greater title—believing that the Chu and Sui regions were close enough that he could use Yang Su to deflect the ill fortune. When Yang Su grew ill in 606, Yang Guang sent the imperial physicians, along with the most precious medicines, to treat Yang Su, but closely monitored Yang Su's conditions, hoping that Yang Su would die. Yang Su himself knew of Emperor Yang's intentions, and therefore refused all treatment and did not take good care of his own body, stating to Yang Yue, "Why should I want to live?" He died in fall 606, and Emperor Yang honored him with a magnificent funeral. After Yang Xuangan rebelled in 613, all of Yang Su's sons were killed. Yang Su's tomb was destroyed, and Yang Su's body was burned by the general Wei Wensheng (卫文升). But one daughter of his would later become a concubine of Emperor Gaozu of Tang and bear him a son named Li Yuanxiang (李元祥) and titled Prince of Jiang, while his granddaughter through his son Yang Xuanjing would become a concubine of Emperor Taizong of Tang and bear him a son named Li Fu (李福) and titled Prince of Zhao.

It was said that one of Yang Su's favorite dishes was fried rice and that he popularized the dish. In the Book of Sui, Yang Su was described as a man with imposing look and a shiny long beard.

In Popular Culture

Yang Su is portrayed by Hong Kong actor Lau Dan in TVB's 1987 series The Grand Canal (大运河)

Notes and references

Reading

• Book of Sui, vol. 48. http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/swa6.htm

• History of Northern Dynasties, vol. 41.http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/bs05.htm

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 170, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180.

生平

杨素的祖父杨暄是北魏辅国将军、谏议大夫。父亲杨敷是北周汾州刺史，陷没于北齐。杨素年少时性情豪迈行为散漫，有大志，不拘小节，当时的人大多不了解他，只有叔祖西魏尚书仆射杨宽对他感到非常奇异，杨宽经常对子孙们说：「处道必将超群绝伦，成为非凡的人才，不是你们所能比得上的。」杨素后来和安定牛弘志同道合，好学精研不倦，涉猎很广。杨素善于写作，精于草书和隶书，很留心于占卜之学，须发美丽，有英杰的风仪。保定五年（565年），杨素受北周大冢宰宇文护引荐，以中外府记室为起家官，升任司成大夫，加大都督。天和七年（572年），周武帝亲政，杨素因为父亲坚守节操陷落于北齐，没有受到朝廷的恩命，于是上表申诉。周武帝不许，杨素再三申请。周武帝大怒，命左右把杨素斩首。杨素大声说：「我侍奉无道天子，死是应该的。」周武帝认为杨素言辞勇壮，追赠杨敷使持节、大将军、淮广复三州诸军事、三州刺史，谥号忠壮。杨素又出任车骑大将军、仪同三司，渐渐受到周武帝的礼遇。周武帝命令杨素写诏书，杨素下笔立刻就完成了，文词义理都很优美。周武帝赞赏杨素，看著杨素说:「好自勤勉，别担忧不会富贵。」杨素应声回答说:「我只担心富贵来逼近我，我无心求取富贵。」

北周建德六年（577年）时平北齐，封成安县公。在灭陈朝之战中，作战长江中游，以功领荆州（今湖北江陵）总管，进爵郢国公（后改越国公）。开皇九年（589年）六月入朝纳言，后转内史令。开皇十年（590年）十一月，隋文帝命杨素率军前往江南镇压汪文进、高智慧、沈玄侩、蔡道人、沈孝彻、王国庆等豪强发动的叛乱。开皇十九年（599年），大败西突厥；仁寿二年（602年），又率兵大败东突厥执失思力俟斤于云内（今山西大同）。一般相信杨素曾在杨广夺位时参与其事。

大业元年（605年）为尚书令，与西京大兴城建筑总设计人宇文恺等奉诏营建东都洛阳城。次年又进位司徒，改封楚国公，因功高震主受杨广所忌，同年抑郁病死。一说其与患病的太子杨昭一同侍宴，炀帝敬杨素毒酒，传酒人不知情将毒酒给杨昭喝下，三天后毒发，宫人才知道，杨昭也感慨自己代杨素而死都是命运，数日后卒，而杨素最终也被毒死。其子杨玄感最终反叛隋朝。

逸话

杨素除了具有突出的军事才能外，在文学、书法上亦均有造诣。史书称其「研精不倦，多所通涉。善属文，工草隶，颇留意于风角。美须髯，有英杰之表」。

杨素幼时即说过「但恐富贵来逼我，我不求富贵」的话。后来富贵，结党营私，参与废立。

陈朝乐昌公主因隋朝的攻击，与夫婿徐德言失散。两人各有半面铜镜，作为信物，后乐昌公主沦入杨素家为妾，颇受宠爱，乐昌公主只好暗中命人在街上贩售破铜镜，意图寻夫，终于找到了徐德言。杨素得知此事之后，竟然将乐昌公主放回徐家，又赠了一笔金钱给徐德言。人称杨素有雅量，即成语「破镜重圆」。

杨素是唐人传奇《虬髯客传》的登场人物。杨素爱吃的「碎金饭」也是蛋炒饭的元祖。

隋文帝时，杨素与内史令李德林同掌隋朝朝政，因为杨素助隋文帝开国立功颇多，所受封赏甚巨，杨素家里因此养有封赏姬妾颇多（据隋唐嘉话称有千人之多），一日晚李德林的儿子李百药误入杨素家中，和杨素的宠妾偷欢，被杨素当场发现，将李百药捉拿，准备斩杀惩罪，但是杨素见李百药还未满20岁，仪态外貌俊秀，杨素因此起了恻隐之心，于是对李百药说"我听说你特别会写文章，你可以作诗自辨自救，如果写得好，那么你的死罪可以免除，得到我的宽恕。" 说完杨素给李百药解开了绑缚，给他纸笔，李百药也确实立刻就写好了一首诗用来自辨清白，杨素接过诗文看了很高兴很赞赏，完了还赐给了李百药自己的姬妾，还给了几十万的赏钱。

图集

File:杨越公（说唐演义全传）.jpg|《说唐演义全传》，杨越公

File:岐亭攻栅.jpg|杨素岐亭攻栅

家庭

十世祖

• 杨瑶（可能为杨珧），西晋侍中、仪同三司、尚书令。杨珧生散骑侍郎、谏议大夫杨彰；杨彰生中山相杨结；杨结生治书侍御史杨继；杨继生乐安王府从事中郎、京兆太守、库部录曹、都官给事、洛州刺史，追赠弘农简公杨晖；杨晖生杨恩。

高祖

• 杨恩，北魏河间国内史

曾祖

• 杨钧，北魏侍中、七兵尚书、北道大行□□□刺史、司空、临贞文恭公

祖父

• 杨暄，北魏度支尚书、华州刺史、临贞忠公

父亲

• 杨旉，北周中书□□□卿、开府仪同三司、汾州刺史、大将军、淮鲁复三州刺史、临贞忠壮公

兄弟姐妹

• 杨约，隋朝金紫光禄大夫、淅阳郡太守、修武县公

• 杨操，北周右胥附上士

• 杨戾，北周华州主簿

• 杨慎，隋朝义安侯

• 杨岳，隋朝万年县县令、苍山县公

• 杨氏，嫁隋朝上大将军、迁州刺史、武喜县公独孤陀

夫人

• 郑祁耶，北魏开府仪同三司、司农卿郑道颖孙女，开府仪同三司、沔龙莒三州刺史郑□之女

子女

• 长子杨玄感，洛阳起兵失败死。

• 二子杨玄纵，洛阳起兵失败后被斩首

• 三子杨玄挺，洛阳起兵失败战死

• 杨玄奖，义阳郡太守、上柱国、清河郡开国公

• 杨万石，洛阳起兵失败后被斩首

• 杨仁行，洛阳起兵失败后被斩首

• 杨积善，洛阳起兵失败后自杀未遂，后被车裂而死。

• 杨氏，后为唐高祖杨嫔，生江王李元祥

• 杨氏，嫁唐朝通事舍人、赠朝散大夫崔民令

墓志铭

杨素夫妇墓志铭1959年出土于陕西省潼关吴村乡亢家寨村。志石现存该县文物管理委员会。

延伸阅读