生平

南陈海陵县令来法敏之子，东汉中郎将来歙十八世孙。年幼孤儿，由伯母吴氏抚养成人。读《诗经》，感叹书中的「击鼓其镗、踊跃用兵」、「羔裘豹饰、孔武有力」，感叹「大丈夫在世当如是。会为国灭贼以取功名，安能区区久事陇亩！」

护儿长大后，将侯景之乱时杀害他伯父的陶武子杀死，首级祭于伯父墓前。后住在长江岸边的白土村。581年，贺若弼驻屯广陵，以来护儿为间谍，因功任大都督。588年，隋朝对陈征战，来护儿因功进位上开府。590年，高智慧乱起，来护儿跟随杨素到浙江攻打高智慧。高智慧沿岸布阵，绵延百里固守。来护儿率数百人敢死队上岸，直接袭击敌阵，击破之。高智慧出逃海上，来护儿追击到泉州。进位大将军、任泉州刺史。高智慧残党盛道延侵犯州境，来护儿进击大破之。跟从蒲山公李宽大破黟州、歙州的汪文进，进封柱国。603年，任瀛州刺史，赐爵位黄县公，受邑三千户，加上柱国，任右御卫将军。

隋炀帝即位，来护儿任右骁卫大将军，受皇帝亲任。610年，炀帝巡幸江都，来护儿跟从，赐织物千段、牛酒。来护儿参先祖之墓，与父老宴会，可谓衣锦还乡。数年后，转任右翊卫大将军。612年，第一次远征高句丽，来护儿任平壤道行军总管，率楼船从东莱渡黄海，在浿水（今大同江）距平壤六十里之地登陆。击破高句丽王高元之弟高建率领的军队，逼近平壤城下。知道宇文述率领的隋军本队败北后，返军。613年，第二次远征高句丽，来护儿率军再渡东莱，杨玄感在黎阳乱起，和宇文述回军讨伐。封荣国公，受邑二千户。614年，第三次远征高句丽，来护儿率军渡海，在辽东半岛毕奢城（卑沙城）登陆，击破高句丽军，斩首千人。高句丽王高元将隋朝叛臣斛斯政献于辽东城下，表示愿意降伏。炀帝准许，命来护儿返军。来护儿无视命令，想继续征战，但长史崔君肃反对，诸将也赞同返军，最后还是撤退。617年，进左翊卫大将军、开府仪同三司。618年，宇文化及在江都发动政变，来护儿和炀帝一起被杀害。

家庭

来护儿有子12人

• 长子来楷，因父军功，封为散骑郎、朝散大夫

• 来渊

• 五子来弘，进封果毅郎将、金紫光禄大夫

• 六子来整，有勇猛名，为武贲郎将、右光禄大夫

• 幼子来恒、来济在宇文化及之乱幸免于难，后来成为唐朝的宰相。来护儿有一后人，后为长生禅寺僧，法号本智。

传记资料

• 《隋书》卷六十四·列传第二十九

• 《北史》卷七十六·列传第六十四

In history

Lai Hu'er was born in Guangling (today's Yangzhou) during the late Southern and Northern Dynasties period. His parents died when he was young, and he was adopted by Aunt Wu, the wife of his father's elder brother. In 581, Yang Jian overthrew the Northern Zhou dynasty and established Sui dynasty. To prepare for the war against Chen dynasty in the south, Sui dynasty ordered the general He Ruobi to lead a troop to guard Shouzhou, a city near Guangling. Lai Hu'er thus had a chance to join the Sui army. He Ruobi sent Lai Hu'er to Chen dynasty as a spy. Lai Hu'er made several contributions as a spy and was promoted to be a Da Dudu (, literally Grand commander of troops). In 589, Sui launched massive campaigns against the Chen dynasty in order to unify China. Lai Hu'er took part in this war and was further promoted to be a high-ranked official in the military after the war.

In 590, because people in the previous Chen dynasty were unaccustomed of Sui's laws, they rebelled against Sui under the leadership of Gao Zhihui. The Emperor Wen of Sui ordered Yang Su and Lai Hu'er to put down the rebellion. During the campaign, Lai Hu'er provided a good strategy that eventually helped Sui defeat the rebels. After this campaign, Lai Hu'er was promoted to be the Grand General, given a title of Duke of Xiangyang County, and appointed to be the governor of Quanzhou. In the same year, Lai Hu'er defeated some other remnants forces of Gao Zhihui and was promoted to Duke of Yongning Prefecture.

In 604 after Emperor Yang became the new emperor, Lai Hu'er was promoted to be a top general of the royal guard army in the central court. His title was also promoted to be Duke of Rong. He was the favorite general to Emperor Yang. When Emperor Yang was touring the empire, he always let Lai Hu'er to be his personal guard outside of the palace. During his service as a senior general, he discovered the talent of Qin Shubao and predicted that Qin would eventually be a great general.

In 612, Emperor Yang launched his first campaign against Goguryeo. In this campaign, Lai Hu'er was appointed to be the Chief Commander of Pyongyang Circuit. He led the naval force of Sui dynasty to attack Goguryeo, and defeated the Goguryeo army 30 kilometers away from the Pyongyang city. He then ordered his troops to attack Pyongyang. His vice commander Zhou Fashang suggested that they should be careful because Goguryeo people were good at ambushing. Lai Hu'er did not take that suggestion. He marched towards the Pyongyang city with 40,000 men, and was ambushed by Goguryeo army outside of the city. Fortunately, Zhou Fashang reinforced him with the rest of the Sui troops so that Lai Hu'er managed to retreat back to the harbor. After other circuits of Sui dynasty attacking the Goguryeo from land were all defeated in Liaodong, Lai Hu'er retreated back to Sui dynasty.

In 613, Emperor Yang launched the second campaign against Goguryeo. Lai Hu'er, again, was ordered to lead the navy as the Chief Commander of Canghai Circuit to attack Pyongyang from the sea. Not long after the campaign started, Yang Xuangan rebelled against Sui in Luoyang. Lai Hu'er decided to draw back from Korea immediately and to encircle Yang Xuangan with some of other Sui generals such as Yuwen Shu. His vice commander Zhou Fashang was afraid that if they draw back without the permission from the emperor, they would be punished. Lai said that Goguryeo was only like a minor illness, but Yang Xuangan was like a life-threatening disease to Sui dynasty. Then, he took his men back to Sui dynasty and eventually suppressed Yang Xuangan along with other Sui forces. The emperor was pleased with his decision and promoted him to be a chancellor.

In 614, during the third campaign against Goguryeo, Lai Hu'er led the navy for the third time and defeated Goguryeo army during a battle at Sabi. King Yeongyang of Goguryeo was scared by Lai's attack and thus surrendered to Emperor Yang. Lai planned to continue attacking the Goguryeo, but the emperor accepted Goguryeo's surrender and asked Lai to withdraw.

In 615, when Emperor Yang was touring the northern border of the emperor, he was encircled by Tujue at Yanmen. Lai Hu'er led his troop to protect the general at Yanmen, and successfully held the city until reinforcements led by other Sui generals such as Li Shimin and Wang Shichong arrived. In 618, when Emperor Yang was touring the Jiangdu, Yuwen Huaji led a military mutiny. Emperor Yang was killed. Lai Hu'er was also killed during the fight in order to protect the emperor. Most of his sons were also executed by Yuwen Huaji after the mutiny.

In popular culture

Lai Hu'er was one of the prototypes that inspired the creation of the popular fictional figure Yang Lin. Folk tale writers in ancient China mixed stories of Lai Hu'er, Zhang Xutuo and Yang Shuang and created the story of Yang Lin that would be one of the most celebrated fictional figures in the folk culture. In some other versions of folk tales, Lai Hu'er was portrayed as a great warrior whose weapon was a steel spear.

Family

Notable ancestors:

• Lai She: Marquis of Pacifying the Qiang in Han dynasty

• Lai Leng: Cousin of Emperor Guangwu of Han dynasty

• Lai Yan: A chancellor in Han dynasty

• Lai Min: A general and scholar of Shu Han kingdom during Three Kingdoms period

Great Grandfather:

• Lai Cheng: Marquis of Xinye County in Northern Wei dynasty, and later surrendered to Liang dynasty

Grandfather:

• Lai Yi: A mid-ranked general in Liang dynasty

Father:

• Lai Famin: A local governor in Chen dynasty

Sons:

Lai Hu'er had 12 sons. Six of them were recorded in the history with names. Other sons were all killed by Yuwen Huaji during the mutiny in Jiangdu.

• Lai Kai: the eldest son. A mid-ranked official in the central court of Sui dynasty, and was killed by Yuwen Huaji.

• Lai Yuan: the second son. Joined the rebellion of Yang Xuangan, and was defeated by Lai Hu'er and Yuwen Shu.

• Lai Hong: the fifth son. A high-ranked official in the central court of Sui dynasty, and was killed by Yuwen Huaji.

• Lai Zheng: the sixth son. Duke of Xiangyang County. Killed by Yuwen Huaji.

• Lai Heng: the eleventh son. Survived in the Jiangdu Mutiny, and became a chancellor in Tang dynasty.

• Lai Ji: the twelfth son. Survived in the Jiangdu Mutiny, and became a chancellor in Tang dynasty.

Notable descendant:

• Monk Benzhi