生平

杨业本名重贵，并州太原（今山西太原）人，北宋抗辽名将。年少时便擅长骑射，立志成为名将。杨业少时倜傥任侠，善于骑射，喜好打猎，猎获总比他人多。读书不多，但忠烈武勇，甚有智谋。北汉建立后，年仅弱冠的杨业即追随北汉世祖刘崇，任保卫指挥使，以骁勇远近闻名。后屡立战功，迁升建雄军节度使，国人号为"无敌"。，授保卫指挥使，以骁勇闻名。后周广顺元年（951年），后汉北京留守兼中书令刘崇在太原称帝，建立北汉。杨业效力刘氏凡三十年，被赐姓刘氏，改名继业，官至侍卫亲军马步军都虞候，领建雄军节度使，被称为「太原骁将」。

北宋太平兴国四年（979年），宋太宗平定北汉，素闻杨业骁勇，便遣使召见，温言抚慰，命其复姓杨氏，单名业，授左领军卫大将军，还朝后授郑州防御使。太平兴国五年三月，杨业在雁门关大破辽军，威震契丹。

宋太宗认为杨业熟悉边防，不久即命杨业知代州兼三交驻泊兵马部署，临行前赏赐甚厚。次年（980年），宣徽南院使、开府仪同三司、兼三交都部署潘美自三交口巡抚至代州，遇辽国应州彰国军节度使、驸马都尉、侍中萧咄李率部南侵，即命杨业率麾下数百骑兵抄小路从背后夹攻，大败辽军，萧咄李死于阵中，应州马步军都指挥使李重诲被生擒，缴获大量铠甲马匹。潘美以功封代国公，杨业升云州观察使，仍判代州事。杨业一介降将，未及一年便立功边境，遭到潘美嫉恨，秘密向宋太宗上书进谗。宋太宗眷遇正隆，将谗书封送杨业，以示信任。

雍熙三年（986年），宋太宗发兵三路进行北伐，检校太师、忠武军节度使潘美为云应路行营都部署（主将），云州观察使杨业为副都部署（副将），从西路连下云、应、寰、朔四州，因主力东路军战败奉命退还代州。不久，宋太宗命潘美出兵掩护四州百姓内迁，时辽国北院枢密使耶律斜轸、彰国军节度使萧挞凛已越过云、应二州攻陷寰州，直逼朔州。出兵前，杨业建议说：「现在辽军锐气正盛，最好避免与之决战。朝廷目的在于取得数州百姓，我们应当从大石路出兵应州（示意切断辽军后路），出发之前派人悄悄通知云州百姓先南下（到应州），如果辽军回应州保护后路，则朔州百姓立即南下石碣谷（撤往代州），派强弩千人守住谷口，再派骑兵作为机动部队居中救援，（而我军在应州与辽军相持，辽军也不敢越过我军袭取云州、应州撤退的百姓）这是保护三州百姓的万全之策。」西上阁门使、蔚州刺史、云应路行营兵马都监（监军）王侁立即反对，要求从西边往朔州寻求与辽军进行主力决战，另一监军（史书未载其差遣，可能是云应路行营兵马副都监）军器库使、顺州团练使刘文裕也赞成王侁的提议。杨业力执不可，受到王侁讥讽：「君侯素号无敌，如今逗留不进，莫非有他意？」杨业本是降将，最忌讳别人说他有二心，为明心志自请为先锋出战。

宋军抵达朔州陈家谷，辽军也已赶到附近。杨业敦请主将潘美在陈家谷口布阵，自己作为先锋继续前进。辽军主将山西诸路兵马都统耶律斜轸派副将山西兵马副部署萧挞凛设伏，自己与杨业交战后假装败退，杨业中伏大败。监军王侁派人在高台眺望战况，看到杨业追击辽军，便率兵前去争功，潘美不能阻止王侁，于是一起沿著河边行军二十里，得知杨业战败后又立即撤退而不救援。杨业杀出重围后且战且退，到达陈家谷口只剩淄州刺史王贵和儿子杨延玉等残部百馀人，发现潘美已经撤退，伤心欲绝，对部下说：「你们都有父母妻儿，俱死无益，可归报天子。」但大家都慷慨赴死，无人逃难。杨业藏匿于树林中，被右皮室（辽军精锐部队名）详稳（部队主官名）耶律奚底射中，坠马被擒。辽军主将耶律斜轸责骂杨业擅开边衅，杨业但称有死而已，又叹息说：「受皇帝厚恩，本想立功边境以报答，却受奸臣逼迫而战败，无颜苟活人世。」于是绝食三天而死。

宋太宗闻讯震悼，将潘美削秩三等，责授检校太保；王侁、刘文裕除名（削去官籍），王侁配隶金州，刘文裕配隶登州；赠杨业检校太尉、大同军节度使，赐其家布帛千疋，粟千硕；以其子供奉官杨延昭（时名杨延朗）为崇仪副使，殿直杨延浦、杨延训为供奉官，杨延瑰、杨延贵、杨延彬为殿直。

家庭

妻：史书未载。自清以来，方志或云府州折氏。如清光绪年间续修《岢岚州志》卷九《人物·节妇》条记载：「杨业『娶折德扆女』，『折性敏慧，尝佐业立战功，号杨无敌』」。案《宋史·折德扆传》，折德扆父「折从阮自晋汉以来独据府州」。折家归附后周之后，「父子俱领节镇，时人荣之」。折、杨两家同为地方豪强，麟州、府州又相邻，两家结姻亲之好并非全无可能。

子：杨延昭、杨延浦、杨延训、杨延瑰、杨延贵、杨延彬、杨延玉。《宋史·杨业传》记载为七子，《续资治通鉴长编》言杨业仅五子，而《东都事略》中则只提到杨延昭一个儿子。

历史影响

杨业与其子杨延昭、孙杨文广三代为将，颇负盛名。北宋著名文学家欧阳修，称赞杨业、杨延昭「父子皆名将，其智勇号称无敌，至今天下之士至于里儿野竖，皆能道之。」宋元的民间艺人把杨家将的故事编成戏曲，搬上舞台。到了明代，民间又把他们的故事编成《杨家将演义》、《杨家将传》，用小说评书的形式在社会民间广泛传播。

影视作品

• 《杨家将》中，由常文治饰演

• 《杨家将》中，由杨泽霖饰演

• 《杨门虎将》中，由狄龙饰演

• 《铁血杨家将》中，由张冲饰演

• 《少年杨家将》中，由翁家明饰演

• 《忠烈杨家将》中，由郑少秋饰演

• 杨丽花版电视歌仔戏《杨家将》中，由张文彬饰演

• 叶青版电视歌仔戏《杨家将》中，由陈升琳饰演

Early life

Yang Chonggui was born in a military family. Growing up, his father Yang Xin (杨信) was named the Linzhou (麟州; modern Shenmu County, Shaanxi) prefect (刺史) during the Later Han (947–951). At a young age, Yang Chonggui was a very good horse archer, always returning with several times more game than others on hunting trips. He used dogs and falcons to hunt and saw it as a way to prepare for a career commanding soldiers as a military general.

Career under Northern Han

In his 20s, he joined warlord Liu Chong (Liu Min), quickly becoming a chief director of defense (保卫指挥使) after Liu established the Northern Han state in Jinyang (晋阳; modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) in 951. Yang showed enough gallantry in battles, some against the neighboring Khitan-ruled Liao Dynasty, for the new ruler to bestow the youngster the name Liu Jiye so that they share the same surname.

In 968, Northern Han was attacked by the Song Dynasty, and its 4th ruler Liu Jiyuan sought help from Liao, but Liu Jiye suggested attacking Liao's unsuspecting reinforcement to capture their horses: "The Khitans are greedy and untrustworthy, they will definitely invade our country one day." Liu Jiyuan refused the proposal, and eventually the Song forces withdrew.

Liu Jiye was already the Jianxiong Command (建雄军) military governor when the Song forces invaded again in 979. With Emperor Taizong of Song personally leading the troops, Song forces quickly reached Jinyang. Liu Jiyuan came out to surrender, but Liu Jiye continued fighting and defending the capital city. Impressed by his bravery, Emperor Taizong ordered Liu Jiyuan to persuade him to surrender. Having received Liu Jiyuan's message, Liu Jiye cried and bowed to the north, then took off his armor to surrender. A pleased Emperor Taizong rewarded him very well, and he changed his name to Yang Ye.

Career under Song

Knowing Yang Ye's experience in defending the same area from the Liao Dynasty, Emperor Taizong named Yang prefect over Daizhou on the frontier and the armed force director (兵马部署) of the neighboring Sanjiao (三交) military base. Previously Yang was also named a defense commissioner (防御使). Yang was illiterate but knew military strategies well. He would join his soldiers in military exercises, enduring the same hardship as his inferiors. Winters were very frigid in the area, but Yang never asked anyone to start a fire for him as he handled military matters outdoors. His soldiers were very loyal to him.

In 980, the Liao invasion started with roughly 100,000 Liao soldiers arriving before Yanmen, a pass on the Great Wall in Dai Prefecture and a strategic choke point. After the arrival of Song army commander Pan Mei in Daizhou, Yang and a few hundred cavalrymen took a difficult route on the west, arriving at the north and back of the enemy. As Pan and Yang attacked from both directions, the Liao army suffered a catastrophic defeat: Liao general Li Chonghui (李重诲) was captured; while Emperor Jingzong of Liao's brother-in-law and military governor Xiao Chuoli (萧啜里) was killed. Song forces acquired countless horses, saddles, and armor.

Following this battle, the Liao army would "retreat immediately whenever they saw Yang Ye's flag", according to History of Song. Within two years of his surrender, Yang was promoted to the nominal post of surveillance commissioner (观察使) of Yunzhou (云州, modern Datong, Shanxi, then still under Liao control), while retaining his appointments in Daizhou and the Sanjiao military base. Several Song border generals became jealous. Some sent letters to Emperor Taizong listing Yang's shortcomings. Emperor Taizong allegedly forwarded the letters to Yang to show his trust.

Death

In 986, the Song armies embarked on a large-scale northern campaign to take the Sixteen Prefectures from Liao. One of the three forces was led by Pan Mei, assisted by Yang Ye, along with military supervisors Wang Shen (王侁) and Liu Wenyu (刘文裕). In a little over a month, this force had already conquered 4 of the 16 prefectures, namely Huanzhou (寰州, part of modern Shuozhou, Shanxi), Shuozhou, Yingzhou (应州; modern Ying County, Shanxi) and Yunzhou, killing thousands of Liao soldiers. Yang Ye's son Yang Yanlang (Yang Yanzhao) was the vanguard general in the attacks of Shuozhou and Yingzhou. Elsewhere, Gao Hua (高化), a capable subordinate general whom Yang Ye valued and promoted, captured Liao general Dapengyi (大鹏翼).

However, another Song force on the east led by Cao Bin was destroyed by a Liao force led by Yelü Xiuge, and tens of thousands of Song soldiers perished. As the Liao force with over 100,000 soldiers marched westward, Pan and Yang Ye were in Daizhou and received orders to help the civilians of the four conquered prefectures retreat back to Song territory. When Huanzhou fell to the Liao army, Yang told Pan, "Liao forces are strong and we must not fight them." He proposed a detailed plan to maximize the safety of the civilians from the 3 remaining prefectures. Per this plan, the Yunzhou civilians would leave first. The main Song force would advance from Daizhou to Yingzhou, drawing the main Liao force, thus allowing the Shuozhou civilians to leave and move to a valley called Shijiegu (石碣谷), which could be defended by a thousand soldiers with arrows. Finally a cavalry reinforcement would help the main Song force retrieve the Yingzhou civilians. The generals defending Shuozhou and Yunzhou would be notified of the plan to coordinate activities.

Wang Shen refuted his suggestion, jeering, "Such cowardice despite having tens of thousands of strong soldiers!" With the support of Liu Wenyu, he insisted that Yang immediately take his troops to take the enemy head-on. Yang reiterated his belief that such a move would bring defeat, which was met by Wang's rebuttal of "You sir have been called 'invincible', but today you are so hesitant in face of the enemy and reluctant to fight. Is your loyalty elsewhere?" Yang had no choice but to reply, "I am not evading death, but this is a bad situation which would make soldiers die and injure in vain. However, since you accuse me for fearing death, I will be the first (to die) before you all." He pointed at the end of a valley called Chenjiagu (陈家谷, in modern Shuozhou): "Gentlemen, please put infantrymen with arrows on both sides of that place, so that they could attack from both directions and provide assistance in case I retreat there. Otherwise, the situation could be dire." Pan and Wang agreed, and led their men to the place.

Liao general Yelü Xiezhen heard of Yang's arrival and set up an ambush. Yang engaged the Liao force in a bloody battle and fought from noon to dusk until he indeed retreated to the end of Chenjiagu, but no Song soldier was there, as Pan and Wang had already left. As the enemy closed in, Yang Ye's son Yang Yanyu (杨延玉) was killed, as was a 72-year-old subordinate Wang Gui (王贵) who continued fighting with his fists after exhausting all arrows. Seeing only around a hundred soldiers around him, Yang Ye told them, "You all have fathers, mothers, wives and children, no point in dying together with me. Return home and serve the emperor later." His men all cried, but nobody left.

Liao soldiers were instructed to capture Yang alive. Even with several dozen wounds on him, Yang fought on, killing about a hundred enemy soldiers by himself. He was captured when his horse was gravely wounded by an arrow from Liao general Yelü Xidi. Yelü Xiezhen yelled, "You have been fighting with our country for over 30 years. What do you have to say today!" To which Yang replied, "I deserve the death sentence." He allegedly sighed and said, "The emperor has treated me so kindly, expecting me to conquer the enemy and defend the borders in return. However, due to persecutions from treacherous officials, the royal troops have been defeated. How can I live on?" he suicided by smashing his head .

As expected Yunzhou, Yingzhou and other prefectures were recaptured by the Liao army, but according to History of Liao, it was because Song generals "abandoned the cities and fled when they heard of (Yang) Jiye's death".

Aftermath

Yang Ye's severed head was presented to the young Emperor Shengzong of Liao and his mother Empress Dowager Xiao Yanyan. This was such a great victory for the Liao, where Buddhism was the state religion, that Kailong Temple (开龙寺) in the capital Shangjing (上京, in today's Baarin Left Banner) conducted religious activities for a month and provided food for over 10,000 monks.

In the Song Dynasty, the Yang family was initially compensated only 100 rolls of silk, 100 rolls of textile and 10 stones of rice for Yang Ye's death. In comparison, the family of a lesser general He Huaipu (贺怀浦) who also died in the same battle was compensated 100 rolls of silk, 100 strings of coins, 20 bottles of wine, and 15 sheep, indicating possible scapegoating against Yang. What exactly happened afterwards is unclear, but a few months later Emperor Taizong proclaimed the following edict:

Yang Ye's six surviving sons were also given official appointments, especially Yang Yanzhao, who would become a prominent general himself.

Invincible Yang Temple

Liao Dynasty had built an "Invincible Yang Temple" in Gubeikou shortly after his death. Its earliest mention was a 1055 poem "Passing Gubeikou's Invincible Yang Temple" (过古北口杨无敌庙) by Song politician Liu Chang (刘敞), who went to Liao on a mission that year. In a 1089 poem, "Gubeikou's Invincible Yang Temple" (古北口杨无敌庙), Su Zhe who was also visiting Liao, compared Yang to the Jin Dynasty (266–420) general Zhou Chu who was similarly persecuted by his superior.

This temple is still at the location today in Gubeikou, Miyun County, Beijing.

In fiction

In the popular The Generals of the Yang Family legends, Yang Ye married She Saihua, a woman skilled in martial arts and archery. In most versions, his weapon is a poled golden glaive. The older Yang Ye is usually called Yang Linggong (杨令公, literally "Commander Lord Yang").

During the battle of Mount Twin Wolves, he was surrounded by enemies. His eldest three sons had already died and his fourth and fifth sons were missing. His sixth son Yang Yanzhao asked the seventh son to seek aid while he tried to fight a way out for the father. Feeling hopeless, Yang Ye saw in a distance a headstone on the ground. The name on it was Li Ling, a famous Han Dynasty general who in 99BC was forced to lead an army of 5,000 to attack the 80,000-men strong Xiongnu army from the north. Fighting valiantly for over 10 days and killing over 10,000 Xiongnu soldiers, Li received no reinforcement and defected to his enemy in the end, resulting in the execution of his entire family back home. Refusing to become another Li Ling, Yang Ye decided to commit suicide by ramming his head on the stele.

The Water Margin character, Yang Zhi, is stated to be one of Yang Ye's descendants, and Yang Ye is mentioned to have been one of the many generations to have wielded Yang Zhi's legendary sabre.

Notes and references

Sources

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