Background

Yuwen Shu's ancestors were originally named Poyetou (破野頭) and were ethnically Xianbei. As they became followers of the Yuwen branch of the Xianbei, their names were named to Yuwen. His great-great-grandfather Yuwen Juyudun (宇文侰與敦), great-grandfather Yuwen Changshou (宇文長壽), and grandfather Yuwen Gu (宇文孤) all served under Northern Wei as army officers at Woye Garrison (沃野, in modern Bayan Nur, Inner Mongolia). Yuwen Shu's father Yuwen Sheng (宇文盛) was a general under Northern Zhou and eventually served as the minister of imperial clan affairs, one of the six main ministers under Northern Zhou's six-department governmental structure.

It is not known when Yuwen Shu was born. When he was young, he became known for his skills at riding and archery. Because of his father's achievements, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, he was made a mid-level governmental official. He was much favored by Emperor Wu's regent Yuwen Hu, and he became a commander of Yuwen Hu's personal guards. After Emperor Wu killed Yuwen Hu and personally took power in 572, he made Yuwen Shu the deputy minister of imperial clan affairs, and eventually, he was created the Duke of Boling, and then the Duke of Puyang.

In 580, after the death of Emperor Wu's son and successor Emperor Xuan, Emperor Xuan's father-in-law Yang Jian seized power as regent, and the general Yuchi Jiong, suspicious of Yang's intentions, rose against him at Xiang Province (相州, roughly modern Handan, Hebei). Yang sent the general Wei Xiaokuan against Yuchi, and Yuwen served under Wei. He defeated Yuchi's general Li Jun (李雋), and later, with other generals, defeated Yuchi's son Yuchi Dun (尉遲惇). Eventually, after Wei was victorious over Yuchi Jiong, forcing Yuchi Jiong to commit suicide, Yuwen's title was promoted to Duke of Bao.

During Emperor Wens reign

In 581, Yang Jian had Emperor Xuan's young son Emperor Jing yield the throne to him, ending Northern Zhou and starting Sui Dynasty as its Emperor Wen. Yuwen Shu served as a general for Sui. In winter 588, when Emperor Wen launched a major attack on rival Chen Dynasty, Yuwen Shu participated in the campaign, and after the generals Han Qinhu (韓擒虎) and Heruo Bi (賀若弼) crossed the Yangtze River to attack the Chen capital Jiankang, Yuwen advanced to the nearby fortress of Shitou to aid Han and Heruo. After Heruo and Han captured Jiankang and the Chen emperor Chen Shubao, the Chen generals Xiao Huan (蕭瓛) and Xiao Yan (蕭巖) were holding out in modern Zhejiang. Yuwen was sent, along with Yan Rong (燕榮), to attack Xiao Huan and Xiao Yan, and he defeated Xiao Huan and forced Xiao Yan to surrender. After the completion of the campaign, in recognition of his contributions, Emperor Wen gave his son Yuwen Huaji a mid-level governmental post, while making Yuwen Shu himself the commandant at An Province (安州, roughly modern Xiaogan, Hubei).

After the campaign against Chen, Emperor Wen's son Yang Guang the Prince of Jin, who was in overall command of the campaign against Chen, became the commandant at Yang Province (揚州, roughly modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu). Yuwen Shu was friendly with Yang Guang, and Yang Guang, whose ambitions included displacing his older brother Yang Yong the Crown Prince as his father's heir, therefore requested in 600 and received Emperor Wen's approval to have Yuwen's command post moved to Shou Province (壽州, roughly modern Lu'an, Anhui), closer to Yang Guang's post. At one point, Yang Guang consulted Yuwen Shu as to how he could displace his brother. Yuwen suggested entering an alliance with the powerful official Yang Su—and forming the relationship with Yang Su through Yang Su's brother and confidant Yang Yue (楊約). Yang Guang therefore gave Yuwen much treasure and had him go to the capital Chang'an to try to meet Yang Yue. Yuwen offered some of the treasures pillaged from Chen to Yang Yue, and then also intentionally lost to Yang Yue when the gambled. After he had become sufficiently familiar to Yang Yue, he revealed to Yang Yue that it was Yang Guang's intent to enter into an alliance with Yang Su—persuading Yang Yue that given that Yang Su did not have a warm relationship with Yang Yong, his family would be in danger if Yang Yong were to succeed Emperor Wen. Yang Yue, in turn, persuaded Yang Su, who subsequently persuaded Emperor Wen and Emperor Wen's wife Empress Dugu that Yang Yong should be deposed. Emperor Wen and Empress Dugu agreed, and in 600 Emperor Wen deposed Yang Yong and replaced him with Yang Guang. Yang Guang made Yuwen Shu a commander of his palace guards and gave his daughter, the Princess Nanyang, to Yuwen Shu's son Yuwen Shiji (宇文士及) in marriage.

In 604, while Emperor Wen was ill, Yuwen Shu was one of the guard commanders that Yang Guang summoned to guard Emperor Wen's vacation palace Renshou Palace (仁壽宮, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi). Emperor Wen soon died—a death that traditional historians, while admitting a lack of direct evidence, generally believed to be a murder ordered by Yang Guang. Yang Guang then took the throne as Emperor Yang, and he put Yang Yong to death.

During Emperor Yangs reign

After Emperor Yang took the throne, Yuwen Shu, as one of his confidants, became more and more powerful, eventually becoming one of the most powerful individuals in the realm; Emperor Yang also elevated his title to Duke of Xu (許國公). In 607, Yuwen, in order to allow Yun Dingxing (雲定興), the father of Yang Yong's favorite concubine Consort Yun, to join Emperor Yang's regime, persuaded Yun that Yang Yong's sons needed to die, and then persuaded Emperor Yang of the same. Emperor Yang poisoned Yang Yong's oldest son (by Consort Yun), Yang Yan (楊儼) the former Prince of Changning, and exiled Yang Yong's other sons, but eventually had them all killed. It was only after the deaths of Yang Yong's sons that Yuwen was able to recommend Yun to Emperor Yang, who made Yun one of his chief engineers.

In 607, while Emperor Yang was conducting a tour of the northern border, he arrived at Yulin Commandery (榆林, roughly modern Yulin, Shaanxi). Yuwen Shu's sons Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Zhiji (宇文智及), who were mid-level officials in Emperor Yang's government, secretly conducted forbidden trade with Tujue. Emperor Yang was incensed and ordered that they be executed, but at the last minute spared them, formally awarding them to their father as slaves.

In 608, the official Pei Ju persuaded Tiele to attack Tuyuhun, and after Tiele defeated Tuyuhun, Tuyuhun's Bujiabo Khan Murong Fuyun offered to surrender to Sui. Emperor Yang sent his cousin Yang Xiong (楊雄) the Prince of Ande and Yuwen to rendezvous with Murong Fuyun to accept his surrender, but once Yuwen arrived at Linqiang (臨羌, in modern Xining, Qinghai), Murong Fuyun, fearful of the strength of Yuwen's force, changed his mind and fled west, and Yuwen attacked Tuyuhun's trailing people instead, capturing thousands of Tuyuhun's people. Emperor Yang thus established four commanderies over the former Tuyuhun territory.

In 612, Yuwen Shu participated in Emperor Yang's first campaign against Goguryeo. Emperor Yang's main forces put Goguryeo's key northern city Liaodong (遼東, in modern Liaoyang, Liaoning) under siege (although he was ultimately unable to capture it), but sent Yuwen with a branch army to head deep south, across the Yalu River, heading directly toward the Goguryeo capital Pyongyang. However, on the way, his army ran out of food supplies and was forced to withdraw, and as it did, Goguryeo forces gave chase and crushed him. When Emperor Yang retreated as well, he put Yuwen under imprisonment, but still remembering his relationship with Yuwen, did not execute him, but reduced him to commoner rank. However, soon he had Yuwen's title restored.

In 613, Emperor Yang launched his second campaign against Goguryeo—and again, he himself headed for Liaodong while ordering Yuwen and Yang Yichen to head for Pyongyang. In the midst of the campaign, however, news arrived that Yang Su's son Yang Xuangan had rebelled near the eastern capital Luoyang. Emperor Yang was forced to abandon the campaign against Goguryeo, and he sent Yuwen and Qutu Tong (屈突通) ahead of himself, to reinforce the forces near Luoyang against Yang Xuangan. Yuwen, Qutu, and the generals defeated Yang Xuangan, and Yang Xuangan fled west, intending to attack Chang'an. Yuwen, Qutu, Wei Wensheng (衛文昇) and Lai Hu'er (來護兒) gave chase, catching up with Yang Xuangan at Hongnong (弘農, in modern Sanmenxia, Henan) and dealt him a final crushing blow. Yang Xuangan tried to flee further, but knowing that he could not escape, had his brother Yang Jishan (楊積善) kill him. Pursuant to Yuwen's suggestions, Emperor Yang had Yang Jishan and Yang Xuangan's strategist Wei Fusi (韋福嗣) put to death in cruel manner.

In 615, Yuwen was involved in a major massacre of a noble clan. While Yuwen was still Emperor Yang's guard commander when Emperor Yang was crown prince, Li Hun (李渾) the son of the senior noble Li Mu (李穆) the Duke of Shen, who had died in 586, had become angry at his nephew Li Yun (李筠), who had inherited the title of Duke of Shen, and he had Li Yun assassinated, while framing his cousin Li Jutan (李瞿曇) for the murder and had Li Jutan executed. He then bribed Yuwen, his brother-in-law, with a promise that if he were allowed to inherit the ducal title, he would give Yuwen half of the stipend received from the fief. Yuwen persuaded the Crown Prince to in turn persuade Emperor Wen to agree, so Li Hun inherited the title. However, after Li Hun received the title, he only paid the bribe for two years and then stopped. Yuwen, resentful of Li Hun's broken promise, planned his revenge. By 615, there had been rumors throughout Sui territory that the next emperor would be named Li. Emperor Yang therefore particularly became suspicious of Li Hun's nephew Li Min (李敏), the husband of his sister Yang Lihua's daughter Yuwen Eying (宇文娥英, who was also the daughter of Northern Zhou's Emperor Xuan, as the Yang Lihua, the Princess Leping, was Emperor Xuan's wife and empress), because Li Min's nickname was "Hong'er" (洪兒), meaning "son of a flood," and Emperor Wen had long ago dreamed that a flood would overflow the capital. Emperor Yang therefore tried to hint to Li Min that he should commit suicide, but Li Min did not. Yuwen Shu then had the official Pei Renji (裴仁基) falsely accuse Li Hun of plotting treason. Emperor Yang put Yuwen Shu in charge of the investigation, and Yuwen Shu manufactured evidence, particularly persuading Yuwen Eying that Emperor Yang would have the Lis executed anyway, and that she should save herself. Yuwen Eying thus wrote a confession implicating both Li Hun and Li Min. Li Hun, Li Min, and 32 of their clansmen were executed, and their other relatives were exiled. Several months later, Yuwen Eying was also poisoned.

In fall 615, Yuwen accompanied Emperor Yang on a tour of the northern frontier. The Eastern Turk leader Shibi Khan took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack against Yanmen Commandery in reprisal against various offenses by the emperor. His Chinese wife, the princess Yicheng, secretly sent a warning of the Turkish plans to Emperor Yang, who took refuge at the commandery seat in present-day Daixian, Shanxi. The Turks began their siege of the town on September 11. Yuwen suggested Emperor Yang select a few thousand elite cavalry soldiers to attempt a break out, but Su Wei and Fan Zigai (樊子蓋) persuaded Emperor Yang not to attempt this. Instead, at the suggestion of his brother-in-law Xiao Yu, the emperor sought more help from Princess Yicheng, who was one of his relatives but—according to Turkish custom—was in charge of managing military affairs at home in her husband's absence. She sent Shibi Khan a false report of a northern attack on the Khaganate; hearing this and learning of Chinese reinforcements on their way to the emperor's relief, the khan abandoned the siege and returned north. Su subsequently suggested to Emperor Yang that he return to Chang'an, but at Yuwen's suggestion, Emperor Yang went to Luoyang instead.

In fall 616, while Emperor Yang was inquiring about the status of agrarian rebellions (by this point, most of Sui territory was in fact engulfed in agrarian rebellions), Yuwen, in order to placate him, informed him that the rebellions had largely been suppressed. Su, however, truthfully informed Emperor Yang that the rebellions were causing major problems for Sui rule. Emperor Yang, not happy about the news, soon considered putting Su to death, but eventually only reduced Su to commoner rank.

Soon thereafter, seeing that Emperor Yang wanted to go back to Jiangdu, the capital of Yang Province, Yuwen formally suggested that he does so, and Emperor Yang agreed. Yuwen followed Emperor Yang there, and became ill at Jiangdu. He died in winter 616. Pursuant to his dying wishes, Emperor Yang pardoned Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Zhiji, returning them to governmental service.

生平

韓昇在《從〈陰雲墓誌〉論周隋之際的政局》一文中這樣論述陰云：「（宇文護）提拔新人，替換舊官員，特別是在要害部門大量安插親信，完全控制住權力中樞。《陰雲墓誌》所謂『引公為內親信』，正是此過程的真實寫照，有助于了解宇文護掌權的真相。陰壽以北周元從子弟的身份，獲得宇文護的重用，擔任軍職，從都督迅速升任大都督，掌管禁軍和外府的騎兵。這是非常重要的軍職。北朝作戰，騎兵為主力，可知宇文護對他寄任之重。……陰壽並未因為戰敗而受到責罰，反而加官晉級，不久更充任 『內外府掾』，身居要害之地。……從宇文護專權到周武帝親政之際，陰壽如何從宇文護的紅人變成周武帝的親信的呢？史書沒有留下任何記載，其墓誌也沒有蛛絲馬跡可尋。……陰壽從宇文護陣營轉入周武帝麾下，宇文神舉起著至關重要的作用。」

宇文述也與陰雲一樣，早年「領周塚宰親信」，應即北周宰相宇文護親信。宇文述墓誌可以找到他背叛宇文護投靠周武帝的蛛絲馬跡： 「仍領周塚宰親信。周武帝篡圖, 引公居臥內……」 。《北史卷七十九宇文述》：「周大塚宰宇文護甚愛之，以本官領護親信。及武帝親總萬機，召為左宮伯」，卻將宇文述背叛主子宇文護的事情全部隱去。

韓昇在《從〈陰雲墓誌〉論周隋之際的政局》一文中又說：「陰壽再度出現在歷史舞台時，他已經是隋文帝的寄任心腹的關鍵性人物。從周武帝重臣到助楊堅創建隋朝，這個關係是如何轉變的呢？我以為關鍵還在周武帝東征北齊之役。……北周水師是由楊堅統帥的。……亦即陰壽在楊堅的麾下作戰，建立功勳。此役使得陰壽有緣同楊堅建立直接的關係，其軍事才幹獲得青睞。」

宇文述也與陰雲一樣參加了周齊戰爭。宇文述墓誌雲「于時，周齊密邇，烽侯相望，壘結四郊，征鼙日警，勁鎩長棘，時不暫韜，東夏克平，厥功甚懋。功授大將軍，濮陽郡公。」 與陰壽墓誌「從周武帝東伐 , 師出河陰 , 彼以山川形 勝，水陸抗拒，公率一舸，亂流而出，燒其舩艦，無複遺余。潤下之流，不妨炎上；未濟之火 , 飜得焚舟。又從平齊，晉州力戰，摩壘致師，陵城折馘。次勛居最，複超榮序，授使持節、開府儀同大將軍、東光縣開國公，……」 說的是一件事，不過很難說在周齊戰爭中宇文述與隋文帝楊堅建立了「直接的關係」。

韓昇在《從〈陰雲墓誌〉論周隋之際的政局》一文中最後說：「楊堅篡周，一時三方俱起，尤其以尉遲迥聲勢最稱浩大，河北、河南、山東等地起而響應，楊堅亦集中主力與之對峙。這場決戰，中央由楊堅、李德林和高熲謀劃指揮，前線則委任老將韋孝寬總領全軍。當時的局勢十分複雜，各路將領各懷心思，韋孝寬難以駕馭，故稱病不出，……所以，當時在第一線掌握軍隊的重任就落到作為監軍的陰壽肩上，……當時最大的危險尚不在于尉遲迥起來反抗，而在 于眾將並未歸心，動搖觀望……陰壽在創建隋朝的最危險時刻，起到了至關重要的作用。」

宇文述也與陰雲一樣參加了平尉遲迥之戰。宇文述墓誌云：「大象二年，歷厭周德，鼎移隋運，尉迥稱兵，擁據漳滏。公為總管，討擊不庭，料敵制勝，騁變乘機，旗不暫褰，鼓不停響，兵無染鐸，凶渠盡殪。授上柱國、褒國公。」與陰壽墓誌「尉迥煽動清齊，居有彰鄴，遣鄖國公寬勒兵問罪，令公總護，諸將咸取節焉。一舉而武陟平，再戰而臨漳定，氛祲既消，廓清斯在，策授使持節、柱國、趙郡公，……」說的是一件事，宇文述應該是韋孝寬帳下諸總管之一。宇文述與陰壽一樣，在創建隋朝的最危險時刻，起到了攻城拔寨的作用，從宇文述受封上柱國、褒國公的獎賞看，其地位比陰壽還高一些，陰壽僅僅是柱國、趙郡公。

宇文述與陰壽的一生都經歷了在宇文護、周武帝、隋文帝之間華麗轉身的情節。這應該是北魏、西魏、北周到隋、唐整個中古時期武人的一種普遍的現象，當時的政治並沒有特別看重所謂春秋大義、君辱臣死，武人進行政治投機換得更好的未來是一種理所當然的行為。

隋朝建立後，雖然宇文述「以公門傳鐘鼎，世功世祿」，但主要是因為在楊廣奪宗中的投機和功勞，「東儲寄深」 ，隋煬帝登基不久的大業初年，宇文述正式成為隋軍中第二號人物左翊衛大將軍。

隋煬帝的御林軍驍果的直接領導人是司馬德戡，所謂驍果軍實際上就是武人集團。驍果軍殺隋煬帝一事，多處體現出中古武人的投機本質。

首先驍果軍並沒有計劃好推舉誰為領導，最後趙行樞推舉宇文化及為主，乃是因為趙行樞與宇文智及有舊，也就是《北史卷七十九》中「又有趙行樞者，本太常樂戶，家財億計。述謂為兒，受其賂遺」 ，既然宇文述收受了趙行樞大量賄賂，宇文智及也肯定收受了趙行樞大量賄賂，最後趙行樞成為折衝郎將，應該就是驍果軍的折衝郎將。中古時代這種發展自己親信的行為是很普遍的，宇文述、陰壽都曾是宇文護的親信，現在宇文述又發展自己的親信、在驍果軍中安插自己人趙行樞。

其次宇文化及下令殺了隋煬帝之後，驍果軍依然沒有一個道義上的領導人，以至于司馬德戡對趙行樞抱怨說：「君大誤我。當今撥亂，必藉英賢，化及庸暗，事將必敗，若何？」趙行樞的回答堪稱中古時代的經典話語，他回答說「廢之何難！」 廢立在隋朝那個時代實在是一件很隨意的事情。

宇文述並非北周宗室，祖上三代無名，應該是從爺爺開始憑戰功成為中古時代的武人，宇文述爺爺、父親、本人三代戰功不斷。宇文述先是北周塚宰宇文護親信、隨後背叛宇文護成為周武帝的大將，又參加平定尉遲迥而投靠隋文帝楊堅，太子楊勇 (隋朝)還在便投機晉王楊廣，一生多次轉身，雖然死前也提到「智及不可久留，願早除之」 ，但他的一生就是自己兒子宇文化及背叛、投機、弒君的榜樣。

宇文述年表：釋褐開府儀同三司 ,仍領周塚宰親信。（指宇文述擔任宇文護親信，但是隨後宇文述背叛宇文護，成為周武帝心腹，如《北史卷七十六》：「段文振……初為周塚宰宇文護親信」 ，《北史卷七》「周塚宰宇文護殺閔帝而立明帝」 ）

周武帝篡圖, 引公居臥內，……借筋 運籌，每符神契（殺宇文護），建德元年（572年）授左宮伯。

建德三年（574年）授宮伯，于時 , 周齊密邇，烽侯相望，……東夏克平，厥功甚懋。功授大將軍、濮陽郡公，俄為大司衛。

建德四年（575年）遷大司御。

大象二年（580年），歷厭周德，鼎移隋運，尉迥稱兵，擁據漳滏，公為總管，討擊不庭。授上柱國、褒國公。

隋高祖受命，以公為右武衛將軍。

開皇八年（588年），八年平陳，公為水軍總管，與僕射高熲總統軍事。

開皇九年（589年）蕭岩弟兄，據有吳會，公薄伐專征，悉皆克定。功封別子新城郡公。其年授安州總管。俄遷壽州總管。

開皇十九年（599年），獯獫放命，晉王北討。公為長史，仗武乘邊，申威河外，……嚴鼓裁通，凶醜潰散。

仁壽元年（601年），為左衛率。

大業元年（605年），煬帝嗣業, 深相任委……鐵勒契弊，遞相搖蕩。公丹麾所指，一時款服。其年授開府儀同三司。公與齊王楊暕特隆此命，朝野榮之。有頃，授左翊衛大將軍。（進位為隋軍二號人物）。

大業八年（612 年），隋煬帝征高麗，出師之盛，九軍失御，多見淪沒。公統率有方，全師反旆。

大業十一年（615 年），突厥可汗親勒兵眾，回累棊之危，成維山之固。勁松彰于歲寒，貞臣見于國危，公之謂矣。以隋大業十三年九月廿一日薨于江都，時年七十一。煬帝震悼，攬涕久之，不坐朝者三日。贈司徒公、尚書令、十郡太守。

評價

《隋書》對他的評價是：「宇文述以水濟水，如脂如韋，便闢足恭，柔顏取悅。君所謂可，亦曰可焉，君所謂不，亦曰不焉。無所是非，不能輕重，默默苟容，偷安高位，甘素餐之責，受彼己之譏。此固君子所不為，亦丘明之深恥也」。

隋煬帝時，宇文述與蘇威、裴矩、裴蘊、虞世基等掌握朝政，合稱「五貴」。

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