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Text/Editor/Dayu said Begonia
Among the rich legends of Chinese history, the story of Yang Jiajiang is undoubtedly the most dazzling. These stories have forged immortal legends in the epic battles of resisting the invasion of the Liao State. Especially in the literary work "The Complete Biography of Yue Yue", the bravery and sacrifice of the Yang generals are vividly depicted, showing their bravery and tragedy. When these stories are mentioned again in "Water Margin", they bring more doubts and speculations. Especially about the life experience of Yang Zhi, the descendant of the Yang family, which has caused extensive discussion.
Yang Zhi, as a descendant of the Yang family generals, has a significantly different image in "Water Margin" from the traditional image of the Yang family generals. He doesn't seem to have the unique arrogance and courage of the Yang family. The creation of this character makes people curious about his lineage and identity. Whose descendant is he, and why is his personality different from the heroism of traditional Yang generals?
Hidden deep in the dense forests of Liangshanbo, there is a mysterious mystery that involves both the search for the lineage of a legendary hero and the confusion about the level of martial prowess. This mysterious question revolves around a name - Yang Zhi. Among the many heroes of Liangshan, Yang Zhi may not be the most eye-catching, but the historical heritage and emotional entanglements behind him are undoubtedly the most rich and complex.
The question of which of the Yang generals was one of the heroes of his ancestors has been left unanswered, and has become a long-standing question among historians and literature lovers. The heroes and heroes of the Yang family's generals and the Seven Lang and Eight Tigers have their own characteristics, but which one is the true ancestor of Yang Zhi? This question not only arouses curiosity about history, but also touches on the deep thinking of heroic inheritance.
And Yang Zhi's martial arts are constantly questioned and discussed. Among the many heroes of "Water Margin", what level of his martial arts ranked? Did he inherit the extraordinary martial arts of the Yang family generals, or did some heroic traits have been diluted in the long course of history? The mystery of Yang Zhi's martial arts is also a reflection and question of traditional martial arts culture.
In the long history of the Song Dynasty, the four major families of Hu, Yang, Gao and Zheng were famous for their outstanding martial arts and illustrious family background. Hu Yanzhuo, the representative of the Hu family general, is famous all over the world for his amazing steel whip skills and lineage, and has become one of the five tiger generals. And Gao Chong, an outstanding descendant of the Gao family generals, he used Gao Huaide's fame as a springboard, and with the Gao family's marksmanship and extraordinary divine power, he became famous in the Yue family's army, and was even known as the first hero.
When it comes to the Yang generals, especially Yang Zaixing, his fame and military exploits make Yue Fei also full of awe for him. In order to collect this tiger general, Yue Fei did not hesitate to go out in person, and finally made Yang Zaixing return to obedience with his civil and military talents, and the glorious history of the Yang family general also prompted Yue Fei to become a brother with him, so that Yang Zaixing was quickly promoted to the vanguard general of the Yue family's army.
Another legendary descendant of the Yang family, Yang Zhi, is slightly inferior to Yang Zaixing. He neither has the handsome appearance of Yang Zongbao and Yang Wenguang, nor does he lack Yang Zaixing's lofty spirit. His appearance is ordinary, and although his achievements are not as well-known as those of the Battle of Xiaoshanghe, he also has the ambition to revitalize the Yang family. With his superb knife skills and loyalty to the country, Yang Zhi has also forged his own legend. Although he is known as the "Blue-Faced Beast", his story is still fascinating.
In exploring the history of the descendants of the Yang family, Yang Wulang's ordination career and Yang Balang's early death mean that they did not leave descendants to inherit the bloodline. And Yang Qilang's heir, Yang Zongying, died heroically in the bronze light array, which also led to the severance of Yang Qilang's bloodline. In contrast, Yang Liulang's descendants were prominent, from Yang Zongbao to Yang Wenguang, and then to Yang Huaiyu, they were all direct descendants of Yang Liulang.
In these descendants, a striking question arises. Most of Yang Liulang's descendants inherited the handsomeness and temperament of the Central Plains, even Yang Zaixing and Yang Jizhou, although not as handsome as Yang Wenguang and Yang Zongbao, still showed extraordinary heroism. On the contrary, Yang Zhi, known as the "blue-faced beast", does not seem to match this handsome temperament, and more embodies a rugged aura, which makes his association with Yang Liulang seem quite far-fetched.
In this case, it is more reasonable to speculate that Yang Zhi may be a descendant of Yang Shilang. Although Yang Shilang himself is the most handsome of the Seven Tigers and Eight Tigers, his eighteen years of life in the Liao Kingdom may have made his descendants have strong horseback ethnic characteristics. Yang Shilang's son, Yang Zongyuan, grew up in such an environment, and his rugged personality was revealed. Yang Zhi and Lin Chong's unreserved fighting style when they met was very similar to Yang Zongyuan's Liao characteristics, lacking the elegant temperament of the Yang generals, which was very different from even the rude and irascible Yang Qilang's behavior style.
Yang Zhi also caused everyone's amazement for a time. In the vast martial arts training ground of Liangshanbo, the sun shines on every corner, adding a solemnity to the atmosphere here. Many Liangshan heroes sat in a semicircle, watching Yang Zhi in the center. Their eyes were firmly locked on Yang Zhi, and this competition was not only a duel of skills, but also a feast of martial arts.
Although Yang Zhi's marksmanship is not the most outstanding, once he holds the Pu knife, he seems to be incarnated as a tiger on the battlefield. A burly Liangshan hero whispered to his partner next to him.
The good man next to him nodded lightly and stared at Yang Zhi intently, as if expecting him to show his extraordinary martial arts.
Yang Zhi picked up his spear, and when facing the challenger, his marksmanship was steady and solid, but compared to the other heroes of Liangshan, it seemed to be a little mediocre. Although the marksmanship is as smooth as flowing water, it seems to lack that charm. The audience could feel that Yang Zhi did not exert his full strength when using the spear.
As the contest progressed, Yang Zhi finally put down the spear and picked up his Pu knife instead. At this moment, the atmosphere of the entire martial arts training ground has changed. The Pu knife in his hand seemed to be injected with life, making his every movement appear more flexible and sharp. Every swing of the knife carried a majestic force, and the shadow of the knife slashed through the air like lightning.
The heroes of Liangshan began to discuss in a low voice, and they were shocked by Yang Zhi's Pu Dao skills. His sword skills are not only incredibly fast and accurate, but each move contains deep internal strength. This kind of skill can obviously only be honed in brutal actual combat.
"It turns out that his real strength is Park Dao. The previous good man sighed again.
"Indeed, Yang Zhi has the blood of the Yang family general in his body, and his martial arts have obviously inherited the essence of the family. One of the leaders present exclaimed.
Yang Zhi slowly walked down from the competition platform, his heart full of deep thoughts. He knows that his martial arts are not only for martial arts, but more importantly, to defend everything he cherishes. Every time he wields his sword, it is not only a review of his past, but also a vision and preparation for the future. In the brotherly land of Liangshanbo, Yang Zhi not only found his own belonging, but also found a reason for his own protection.
There was both battlefield sharpness and affectionate softness in his eyes. He understands that in this place where heroes gather, each hero has their own story and background, but a common goal unites them. Yang Zhi, as a member of the Yang family generals, his martial arts are not just personal glory,
Yang Zhi's character is characterized by forbearance, low-key, and attention to detail, which is quite similar to the traits Yang Shilang displayed when he went under the pseudonym "Mu Yi" in the Liao Kingdom. This similarity in character adds more credibility to the speculation that Yang Zhi may be a descendant of Yang Shilang. Although Yang Zhi was proficient in the Yang family's marksmanship, he preferred to use the Pu knife, which was different from the Yang family's traditional weapon use.
In contrast, Yang Zaixing, as a direct descendant of Yang Liulang, uses the traditional Yang family marksmanship, which also shows his identity as an orthodox descendant of the Yang family. And Yang Zhi's unique choice of weapons may be a reflection of his difference from other descendants of the Yang family.
After Yang Shilang returned to the Song Dynasty, his three sons born in the Liao Kingdom also returned to Tianbo Mansion with him. The details of this history provide more historical basis for the assertion that Yang Zhi may have been descended from Yang Shilang. As for the treasure knife in Yang Zhi's hand, it is rumored to have been given by She Taijun after Yang Shilang returned to the sect after visiting his mother. She handed Yang Linggong's matching knife to Yang Shilang, hoping that he could inherit the family's loyalty and patriotism.
Yang Zhi was proficient in the marksmanship of the Yang family, but in the historical background of the Song and Liao countries, Yang Shilang's deeds did not receive much praise. This subtle historical situation may have also influenced Yang Zhi's choice. Perhaps frustrated by some painful memories of his family's history, he chose the knife as his primary weapon. This was partly a response to the family's brilliant reputation as Yang Jiye, who struggled within the imperial court despite his illustrious prestige on the outside.
Especially when Yang Liulang's descendant Yang Huaiyu left the capital with his family and went to Taihang Mountain, Yang Shilang's family seemed to have chosen to stay in the capital, and they were eager to restore the family's prestige and be loyal to the country. Because Yang Shilang's reputation among the Yang generals was not particularly good, this made it difficult for them to gain attention in the imperial court, and the family gradually declined.
These challenges and dilemmas faced by Yang Zhi's family became the background of Yang Zhi's story in "Water Margin". Although their family is famous, it has lost its former aura and no longer has a strong backer. In this historical context, Yang Zhi's image presents a transformation from glory to decline. His choice is not only a display of personal martial arts, but also a response to family history and a struggle against the dilemma of reality.
In the narrative of "Water Margin", Yang Zhi's story reflects the rise and fall of a family, as well as the struggle between the family and the state. His life trajectory is not only a display of his personal destiny, but also a microcosm of the ups and downs of the Yang family in the torrent of history.