Demystify the real Yang Liulang in history

Mentioning Yang Liulang (Yang Yanzhao), I believe that everyone who has watched the film and television drama "Yang Jiajun" will know that he is a hero who acts heroically and righteously, loyal to the king and patriotic. However, the Yang family has spread the story for nearly a thousand years, and novels, commentaries, and operas have been brilliant. However, what does the real Yang Yanzhao look like in history? There are only three or two records in the history of zhengyi: Yang Yanzhao is said to be a border guard. So why did he become a household hero again?

Yang Yanzhao was born in the fifth year of Zhou Xiande (958 AD) after the fifth dynasty, and died in the seventh year of the Northern Song Dynasty (1014 AD), and was the only person in the Yang family whose birth and death years are recorded. Yang Yanzhao was originally called Yanlang, but later changed to Yanzhao to avoid the taoist Zhao Xuanlang. It is reasonable to say that the name of a Taoist priest need not be avoided, but this Daoist priest is extraordinary, and Song Zhenzong revered him as a holy ancestor.

In the story of the Yang family, Yang Yanzhao is the sixth son of Yang Ye, so he is also called Yang Liulang, but this is not the case in history. The History of Song records that Yang Ye had seven sons, and Yang Yanzhao was at least five of them, and he was not called Yang Liulang because he was the sixth, but for another reason. Yang Liulang was the name of Liao Bing, and Song Shi said that Liao Bing was very afraid of him, and there is no way to know why he was called Liu Lang and what reasons for it.

According to legend, Yang Liulang is still a prominent county horse, which has no basis. Judging from the trajectory of Yang Liulang's life, he has been guarding the border pass for many years, has no foundation in the capital, and has never lived or held a position in the capital, how can he become the county horse of the Chai family?

When Yang Yanzhao was a teenager, he was more introverted and did not like to talk, but he was very attentive to the art of war and the matter of marching and fighting, showing extraordinary talent. Yang Ye was very fond of him, felt that he was most like himself, and often took him with him and let him undergo combat training.

In 986, Emperor Taizong of Song launched the Second Liao War, and the 28-year-old Yang Liulang was in the lineup. When attacking Shuozhou City, Yang Liulang charged forward, his arm was shot by a stray arrow, and he was deep in the flesh, but he did not retreat, endured the painful battle, and defeated the strong Liao soldiers. The deeds of heroes are always indelible, and now the mountains around the Yanmen Gate are still left with relevant place names, which is a permanent memorial to him.

Yang Yanzhao was not initially used by the Song Dynasty. During the Taiping Revival period, he was made an envoy by Yin, which was a relatively low-ranking officer, roughly equivalent to the current company-level cadre. After Yang Ye's death, Yang Yanzhao was promoted from a tribute officer to a deputy envoy of Chongyi, barely a mid-level officer.

In the 9th month of the lunar calendar in 999, the Liao state launched a large-scale southern invasion, and Yang Liulang led his troops to fight several victorious battles, showing excellent military ability.

The Liao invasion of the Central Plains caused a deep disaster to the people. They took the local people to work as coolies, and even forced them to climb the city during the siege, so that the innocent people could be substitutes for the dead. Witnessing this scene, Yang Liulang hated that he could not lead a million male soldiers to kill Liaokou, but others were light-hearted, and there were few officers and soldiers, and it was impossible to do more. He repeatedly asked Gaoyang Guandu to deploy Fu Qian's troops to support, but he did not receive a reply. At that time, Fu Qian had more than 80,000 soldiers and horses under his command, but he was passive and afraid of battle. Yang Yanzhao, Yang Si, Shi Pu and other generals repeatedly asked Fu Qian to send more men and horses to take the initiative to attack, but Fu Qian turned a deaf ear. What's more, he also deliberately covered up the merits of his subordinates in resisting the Liao. Fu Qian, who was greedy for life and afraid of death, was severely condemned by everyone, and at that time, a civilian official named Qian Ruoshui advocated killing Fu Qian, informing the whole army to boost the prestige of the army, and then selecting an officer like Yang Yanzhao who was brave and good at war, entrusting him with a heavy responsibility to expel the Liao army.

Later, Emperor Zhenzong of Song personally led a large army to the Daming Capital to supervise the front, the Song army stretched for tens of miles, the momentum was huge, and the Liao army that penetrated deep into the Song territory was worried about being besieged, and retreated in the first month of 1000 AD. After the Liao army retreated, Emperor Zhenzong of Song exiled Fu Qian. It was also at this time that Yang Yanzhao was fortunate to be summoned by Song Zhenzong. Emperor Zhenzong asked him about the situation of border defense, and Yang Yanzhao replied fluently and with a lot of conversation. Song Zhenzong was very satisfied, and said to the ministers, "Yan Zhao's father Yang Ye was a famous general in the former dynasty, and Yan Zhao's military protection had the style of a father, which is very commendable. This may be the first and only time Yang Yanzhao has seen the emperor.

In 1001, the Liao army once again moved south. Yang Yanzhao ambushed the elite troops under Yangshan Mountain, led his troops to fight with the Liao army, lured the Liao army to the ambush circle, ambushed the troops in all directions, Yang Yanzhao led the crowd to kill back, the Liao army was defeated, and its leading general was killed on the spot. In this great battle of the morale of the Song army, Yang Yanzhao was awarded the title of Mozhou regimental training envoy for his merits. Yang Yanzhao was promoted to an official, causing the jealousy of some people in the imperial court. Song Zhenzong once talked to his ministers about this matter, he said that Yang Yanzhao was far away at the border pass, there were no acquaintances in the dynasty, he had achieved some meritorious fame by his loyalty and bravery, and there were many people who were red in his eyes.

This also confirms from another side that Yang Liulang could not have been a county horse at all, otherwise it would not be a nobody in the DPRK. Throughout his life, Yang Liulang did not have too high a status, and he was far from the legendary imperial court. The records of song shi on him are very simple, regardless of merit. Regarding his heroic deeds, there are more wild histories than canonical histories, and more legends than canons. In 1014, Yang Liulang died of illness at Bianguan at the age of 57.