Yang Su (楊素) | 24 Histories

Overview

Yang Su was a Northern Zhou and Sui general and statesman.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 604 上大漸
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 36, passage 166
AD 601 仁壽元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 51, passage 209
AD 601 to AD 602 仁壽初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 36, passage 131
AD 600 唯楊素耳
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 37
AD 580 大象二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Zhou 8, passage 64
AD 580 大象二年七月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Zhou 8, passage 32

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AD 579 to AD 581 大象末
Dated from the passage context · Book of Zhou 10, passage 28
AD 588 to AD 589 平陳之役
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 56, passage 190
AD 576 徹與楊素、宇文慶等力戰
Directly stated · Book of Sui 54, passage 178
AD 604 to AD 618 煬帝時
Directly stated · Book of Sui 44, passage 41
AD 598 to AD 600 突厥複寇雲州
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 32
AD 591 貓鬼案 / 尚書令
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 79, passages 75, 170
AD 581 to AD 606 越國公楊素
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 84, passages 16, 20
AD 589 to AD 600 開皇年間
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 53, passage 22
AD 581 to AD 604 開皇至仁壽
Directly stated · Book of Sui 52, passages 87, 180
AD 581 to AD 606 開皇至大業
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 43, passage 174
AD 581 to AD 618 隋
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 184, passage 26
AD 581 隋初
Directly stated · Book of Chen 30, passage 83
AD 589 隋師濟江
Dated from the passage context · Book of Chen 15, passages 63-65
AD 590 高智慧等之作亂
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 18
AD 604 高祖于仁壽宮將大漸
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 198

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Yang Xuangan (楊玄感)
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 20
Ancestor of Yang Shou (楊收)
ancestor 裔 · paternal line
Uncertain · New Book of Tang 184, passage 26
Sibling of Yang Yue (楊約)
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Sui 79, passage 170; Book of Sui 61, passage 38
Spouse of Lady Zheng (鄭氏)
wife 妻
Directly stated · Book of Sui 79, passage 75
Sibling of Lady Yang (楊氏)
younger half-sister 異母妹 · Paternal half siblings
Directly stated · Book of Sui 79, passage 76

Key source chapters

Career and standing

campaigning commander-in-chief 行軍元帥
AD 601 仁壽元年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 209
commander-in-chief (元帥) 元帥
Held
Directly stated · Book of Chen 15, passage 63
Left Director 左僕射
Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 36, passage 166
Minister of Education 司徒
Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 44, passage 41
Right Vice Director 右僕射
Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 52, passage 180
Duke of Qinghe 清河公
Held
Directly stated · Book of Chen 15, passage 63

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Duke of Yue 越國公
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 16
forged edict 矯詔
Issued · Authority Emperor Wen of Sui (隋文帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 198

Places and affiliations

Polity Northern Zhou
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 53, passage 22
Polity Sui
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 53, passage 22
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 209; Book of Sui 61, passage 198; New Book of Tang 84, passage 16
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 18

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Li Mi (李密) · Direct quotation · Units s0016
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 16
Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Xiao Cong (蕭琮)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 79, passages 170, 172
Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Yang Xuangan (楊玄感) · Direct quotation · Units s0020
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 20
Speech · Speaker · With Yang Da (楊達)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 43, passage 174
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Sui 44, passages 41-45, 100-101

Events and relationships

Advanced seized Matou
Military · Commander in chief · At Matou 馬頭
Directly stated · Book of Chen 15, passage 63
Defeated and beheaded
AD 580 大象二年 · Military · Commander · With Yuwen Zhou (宇文冑) · At Xing Province 滎州
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 8, passage 64
Drove off Turks
AD 598 to AD 600 突厥複寇雲州 · Military · Commander · At Yunzhou 雲州
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 32
Forged edict with Crown Prince
AD 604 高祖于仁壽宮將大漸 · Political · Co instigator · With Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 198
Fought fiercely and preserved army of
AD 576 憲師敗 · Military · Subordinate commander · With Prince of Qi Xian (齊王憲) · With Person Id Li Che (李徹)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 54, passage 178
Halted emperor flight
Political · Remonstrator
Directly stated · Book of Sui 36, passage 131

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Northern expedition
AD 601 仁壽元年 · Military · Commander in chief · With Rangan (染幹)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 209
Reported edict to crown prince
Political · Informant · With Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 36, passage 167
Sent to suppress
AD 580 大象二年七月 · Military · Commander · With Yuwen Zhou (宇文冑)
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 8, passage 32
Suppressed Shi Wansui’s victory report and falsely suggested that he had gone to the deposed crown prince.
Court intrigue
Directly stated · Book of Sui 53, passage 28
Went by the Xin prefecture route in the campaign to pacify Chen and ordered Bi as coordinator
AD 588 to AD 589 平陳之役 · Military · Commander · With Yu Wenbi (宇文弼) · At Xin prefecture route 信州道
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 56, passage 190
Relation Co conspirator of · Person Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 198

Assessments and attributes

Assessment impressed by Mi's intelligence · Assessor Person Id Yang Su (楊素) · About Person Id Li Mi (李密) · Mode named-person-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passages 19-20
Assessment fierce general not a strategist · Mode named-speech Speaker He Ruobi (賀若弼)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 52, passage 196
Assessment Mi's insight and capacity are not like those of Xuangan's sort · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Yang Su (楊素)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 20

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Chen 15, passage 12; Book of Sui 51, passage 209; Book of Sui 61, passage 198

References in the histories

Search passages

History

44 passages

Book of Chen, Chapter 15Volume 15: Imperial Family · 1 passage

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及隋師濟江，元帥清河公楊素下自巴硤，慧紀遣其將呂忠肅、陸倫等拒之，[4]戰敗，素進據馬頭。 When Sui forces crossed the Yangzi, the commander-in-chief, Duke of Qinghe Yang Su, came down from Baxia; Huiji sent his generals Lü Zhongsu, Lu Lun, and others to oppose them,[4] but they were defeated and Su advanced to seize Matou.

Book of Chen, Chapter 30Volume 30: Xiao Ji; Lu Qiong; Gu Yewang; Fu Zai · 1 passage

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右僕射楊素奏從典續司馬遷史記迄于隋，其書未就。 Right vice director Yang Su memorialized that Congdian should continue Sima Qian's Records of the Historian down to Sui; the book was never finished.

Book of Sui, Chapter 36Volume 36 Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 4 passages

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高熲、楊素等追及上，扣馬苦諫。 Gao Jiong, Yang Su, and others overtook him, seized his horse's bridle, and remonstrated with him in desperate earnest.

及上至，后流涕拜謝，熲、素等和解之。 When he arrived, the empress wept and bowed in apology. Jiong, Su, and the others brought about a reconciliation.

述、巖出閤為勑書訖，示左僕射楊素。 Xu and Yan left the gate-tower, drafted the imperial order, and showed it to Left Director Yang Su.

素以其事白太子，太子遣張衡入寢殿，遂令夫人及後宮同侍疾者，並出就別室。 Su reported the matter to the crown prince. The crown prince sent Zhang Heng into the sleeping hall and ordered Lady Xuanhua and all the women of the inner palace who were attending the emperor to leave for separate rooms.

Book of Sui, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 8: He Jian Wanghong, Yang Chugang, Yang Zichong, Guang De, Wang Xiong · 1 passage

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楊素每言曰：「有君子之貌，兼君子之心者，唯楊達耳。」 Yang Su often said, "Among those who look the gentleman and are one in spirit, Yang Da is the only example I know."

Book of Sui, Chapter 44Volume 44 Biographies 9: Teng Mu Wangzan, Daodao Wangjing, Caiwang Zhiji · 2 passages

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帝令公卿議其事，司徒楊素等曰：「綸希冀國災，以為身幸。 The emperor ordered the high ministers to deliberate. Minister of Education Yang Su and others said, "Lun has been praying for calamity to befall the state, treating national disaster as his personal opportunity.

天子下公卿議其事，楊素等曰：「集密懷左道，厭蠱君親，公然咒詛，無慚幽顯。 The emperor referred the case to the high ministers for deliberation. Yang Su and others said, "Ji has secretly embraced heterodox arts, practiced malign sorcery against his sovereign and kin, and openly uttered curses without shame before Heaven or earth.

Book of Sui, Chapter 51Volume 51 Biographies 16: Zhang Sunlan · 1 passage

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詔楊素為行軍元帥，晟為受降使者，送染幹北伐。 Yang Su was made campaigning commander-in-chief and Sheng commissioner for receiving surrenders, escorting Rangan north.

Book of Sui, Chapter 52Volume 52 Biographies 17: Han Qinhu, He Ruobi · 6 passages

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從楊素擊突厥，破之，進位上柱國，改封江都郡公。 He joined Yang Su against the Turks, won a victory, was promoted to Supreme Pillar of State, and was re-enfeoffed as Duke of Jiangdu commandery.

既而楊素為右僕射，弼仍為將軍，甚不平，形於言色，由是免官，弼怨望愈甚。 When Yang Su became Right Vice Director while Bi remained only a general, Bi's displeasure showed plainly in words and face. He was stripped of office, and his resentment only deepened.

後數年，下弼獄，上謂之曰：「我以高熲、楊素為宰相，汝每倡言，雲此二人惟堪啖飯耳，是何意也？」 A few years later Bi was thrown into prison. The emperor confronted him: "I made Gao Jiong and Yang Su my chancellors, yet you kept saying they were fit for nothing but filling their bowls. What did you mean by that?"

弼曰：「熲，臣之故人，素，臣之舅子，臣並知其為人，誠有此語。」 Bi replied, "Jiong is an old friend of mine, and Su is my nephew by marriage. I know both men well, and I did say it."

煬帝之在東宮，嘗謂弼曰：「楊素、韓擒虎、史萬歲三人，俱稱良將，優劣如何？」 While he was still crown prince, Emperor Yang once asked Bi, "Yang Su, Han Qinhu, and Shi Wansui are all called great generals—how do they rank against one another?"

弼曰：「楊素是猛將，非謀將； Bi answered, "Yang Su is a fierce fighter, not a strategist;

Book of Sui, Chapter 53Volume 53 Biographies 18: Daxi Zhangru, Helou Zigan, Shi Wansui, Liu Fang · 4 passages

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及高智慧等作亂江南，以行軍總管從楊素擊之．萬歲率眾二千，自東陽別道而進，踰嶺越海，攻陷溪洞不可勝數．前後七百餘戰，轉鬥千餘里，寂無聲問者十旬，遠近皆以萬歲為沒．萬歲以水陸阻絕，信使不通，乃置書竹筒中，浮之於水．汲者得之，以言於素．素大悅，上其事．高祖嗟歎，賜其家錢十萬，還拜左領軍將軍． When Gao Zhihui and others rebelled in the south, Wansui followed Yang Su as commander on campaign. With two thousand men he advanced by a separate route from Dongyang, crossed mountains and sea, and took ravine strongholds beyond count. In more than seven hundred fights over a thousand li of hills, for a hundred days no word came from him; everyone thought Wansui was dead. Cut off by land and water, he sealed a letter in a bamboo tube and set it adrift. Someone who drew water found it and told Su. Su was delighted and reported upward. Gaozu marveled and gave his family one hundred thousand cash; on his return Wansui was made general of the left forward army.

開皇末，突厥達頭可汗犯塞，上令晉王廣及楊素出靈武道，漢王諒與萬歲出馬邑道．[一]萬歲率柱國張定和、大將軍李藥王、楊義臣等出塞，至大斤山，與虜相遇．達頭遣使問曰：「隋將為誰？」 At the end of Kaihuang the Turk khan Tatou raided the frontier. The emperor sent Prince Jin Guang and Yang Su by the Lingwu route, and Prince Han Liang and Wansui by the Mayi route. [1] Wansui led the pillars of state Zhang Dinghe and the grand generals Li Yaowang, Yang Yichen, and others beyond the border. At Mount Dajin they met the enemy. Tatou sent a messenger to ask, “Who is the Sui general?”

候騎曰：「是也．」達頭聞之，懼而引去．萬歲馳追百餘里乃及，擊大破之，斬數千級，逐北入磧數百里，虜遁逃而還．楊素害其功，因譖萬歲云：「突厥本降，初不為寇，來於塞上畜牧耳．」遂寢其功．萬歲數抗表陳狀，上未之悟．會上從仁壽宮初還京師，廢皇太子，窮東宮黨與．上問萬歲所在，萬歲實在朝堂，楊素見上方怒，因曰：「萬歲謁東宮矣．」以激怒上．上謂為信然，令召萬歲．時所將士卒在朝稱冤者數百人，萬歲謂之曰：「吾今日為汝極言於上，事當決矣．」既見上，言將士有功，為朝廷所抑，詞氣憤厲，忤於上．上大怒，令左右摧殺之．既而悔，追之不及，因下詔罪萬歲曰：「柱國、太平公萬歲，拔擢委任，每總戎機．往以南寧逆亂，令其出討．而昆州刺史爨翫包藏逆心，為民興患．朕備有成敕，令將入朝．萬歲乃多受金銀，違敕令住，致爨翫尋為反逆，更勞師旅，方始平定．所司檢校，罪合極刑，捨過念功，恕其性命，年月未久，即復本官．近復總戎，進討蕃裔．突厥達頭可汗領其兇眾，欲相拒抗，既見軍威，便即奔退，兵不血刃，賊徒瓦解．如此稱捷，國家盛事，朕欲成其勳庸，復加褒賞．而萬歲、定和通簿之日，乃懷姦詐，妄稱逆面交兵，不以實陳，懷反覆之方，弄國家之法．若竭誠立節，心無虛罔者，乃為良將，至如萬歲，懷詐要功，便是國賊，朝憲難虧，不可再捨．」死之日，天下士庶聞者，識與不識，莫不冤惜． The scouts said, “It is he.” When Tatou heard this he withdrew in fear. Wansui galloped after them for more than a hundred li, overtook them, and broke them utterly, taking several thousand heads. He drove the fugitives north into the desert for hundreds of li before they escaped and he returned. Yang Su, jealous of his glory, slandered him: “The Turks had already surrendered and were only pasturing livestock at the border—they were not raiding.” His merit was buried. Wansui memorialized again and again; the emperor would not see it. When the emperor returned from Renshou Palace to the capital, deposed the crown prince, and hunted the eastern palace faction, he asked where Wansui was. Wansui was in fact at court, but Yang Su, seeing his anger, said, “Wansui has gone to the eastern palace,” to inflame him further. The emperor believed it and summoned Wansui. Several hundred soldiers he had commanded were at court petitioning that they had been wronged. Wansui told them, “Today I will speak out for you before the emperor—the matter will be settled.” Before the emperor he spoke of his men’s merit and how the court had suppressed them; his tone was fierce and he gave offense. The emperor raged and ordered his attendants to kill him on the spot. He soon regretted it but could not undo the deed, and issued an edict condemning Wansui: “The pillar of state and duke of Taiping, Wansui, was raised and entrusted with every campaign. When the south rebelled he was sent to punish them. Cuan Wan of Kunzhou harbored treachery and harmed the people. We had made full plans to bring him to court. Wansui took much gold and silver, disobeyed Our plan by leaving him, and Cuan Wan soon rebelled again, costing fresh armies before order returned. The crime merited death; remembering his merit We spared him and soon restored his rank. Recently he commanded the advance against the frontier tribes. Tatou led his fierce horde to resist; at sight of our might they fled—blades unstained, the enemy dissolved. Such a victory is the state’s glory; We meant to crown his merit with new rewards. Yet on the day the registers were filed he and Dinghe lied, claiming they had met the enemy in battle when they had not, mocking the laws of the state. Only one who serves with full loyalty and no deceit is a true general; Wansui, who sought merit by fraud, is a traitor. The statutes cannot bend—we will not spare him again.” On the day he died, all who heard, whether they knew him or not, mourned him.

仁壽中，會交州俚人李佛子作亂，據越王故城，遣其兄子大權據龍編城，其別帥李普鼎據烏延城．左僕射楊素言方有將帥之略，上於是詔方為交州道行軍總管，以度支侍郎敬德亮為長史，統二十七營而進．方法令嚴肅，軍容齊整，有犯禁者，造次斬之，然仁而愛士，有疾病者，親自撫養．長史敬德亮從軍至尹州，疾甚，不能進，留之州館．分別之際，方哀其危篤，流涕嗚咽，感動行路．其有威惠如此，論者稱為良將．至都隆嶺，遇賊二千餘人來犯官軍，方遣營主宋纂、何貴、嚴願等擊破之．進兵臨佛子，先令人諭以禍褔，佛子懼而降，送於京師．其有桀黠者，恐於後為亂，皆斬之． In the Renshou era the Li chieftain Li Fozi of Jiaozhou rebelled, seized the old city of the King of Yue, sent his nephew Daquan to hold Longbian, and his lieutenant Li Puding to hold Wuyan. The left vice director Yang Su said Fang had a commander’s gifts, and the emperor made him commander on the Jiaozhou route with Jing Deliang of the revenue office as chief clerk, advancing with twenty-seven battalions. Fang’s discipline was severe and his ranks orderly; violators were beheaded on the spot, yet he was kind to his men and nursed the sick himself. Chief clerk Jing Deliang fell gravely ill at Yinzhou and could not continue; Fang left him at the prefectural lodge and wept at their parting so that passersby were moved. With such authority and kindness together, men called him a fine general. At Dulong Ridge more than two thousand rebels attacked; Fang sent the battalion commanders Song Zuan, He Gui, and Yan Yuan to break them. Advancing on Fozi, he first sent men to explain fortune and disaster; Fozi surrendered in fear and was sent to the capital. The stubborn and cunning, lest they rebel again, were all executed.

Book of Sui, Chapter 54Volume 54 Biographies 19: Wang Zhangshu, Li Yan, Yi Louqian, Tian Rengong, Yuan Heng, Du Zheng, Li Che, Cui Peng · 1 passage

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憲師敗，徹與楊素、宇文慶等力戰，憲軍賴以獲全。 Xian's army was defeated; Che, Yang Su, Yuwen Qing, and others fought fiercely and preserved Xian's army intact.

Book of Sui, Chapter 55Volume 55 Biographies 20: Du Yan, Gao Mai, Er Zhu Chang, Zhou Yao, Du Gukai, Qi Fuhui, Zhang Wei, He Hong, Houmo Chenying · 2 passages

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高智慧等之作亂也，複以行軍總管從楊素討之，別解江州圍。 When Gao Zhihui and others rebelled, he again served as campaign commander under Yang Su and on his own broke the siege of Jiangzhou.

突厥複寇雲州，上令楊素擊走之，是後猶恐為邊患，以彥素為突厥所憚，複拜雲州總管。 When the Turks raided Yunzhou again, the emperor sent Yang Su to repel them; still anxious about the frontier, and knowing the Turks feared Yan, he reappointed him commander of Yunzhou.

Book of Sui, Chapter 56Volume 56 Biographies 21: Lu Kai, Ling Huxi, Xue Zhou, Yu Wenbi, Zhang Heng, Yang Wang · 1 passage

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平陳之役，楊素出信州道，令弼持節為諸軍節度，仍領行軍總管。 In the campaign to pacify Chen, Yang Su went by the Xin prefecture route. He ordered Bi to hold credentials as coordinator of the armies and still lead as campaign commander.

Book of Sui, Chapter 61Volume 61 Biographies 26: Yu Wenshu, Guo Yan · 5 passages

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然能移主上者，唯楊素耳。 Yet the one who can move the sovereign is Yang Su alone.

素之謀者，唯其弟約。 Of those who counsel Su, only his younger brother Yue matters.

約然其說，退言於素，素亦從之。 Yue approved of this plan, withdrew and spoke of it to Su, and Su assented as well.

於是素每與述謀事。 Thereafter Su regularly plotted affairs together with Shu.