Yang Yan (楊炎) | 24 Histories

Overview

Yang Yan was a Tang Chancellor and Fiscal Reformer.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 777 十二年三月
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 93
AD 779 to AD 781 Yang Yan's tenure in government under Dezong
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 129, passage 135
AD 766 to AD 777 初，楊炎為吏部侍郎
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 92
AD 779 十四年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 144, passages 149, 151
AD 780 嗣恭節度河陽也
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 138, passages 217-218, 237
AD 779 to AD 781 宰相楊炎遇之頗厚
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 160

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AD 779 to AD 781 建中初
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 130, passage 160
AD 780 to AD 781 建中初
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 150, passage 85
AD 780 建中初
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 131, passage 68
AD 780 建中初
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 53, passages 71, 144
AD 780 to AD 783 建中前後
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 135, passage 95
AD 779 德宗嗣位
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 127, passages 94, 96
AD 780 德宗立
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 138, passage 217
AD 766 明年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 144, passages 132, 136
AD 779 是歲十月（大曆十四年）
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 144, passages 155, 166
AD 780 to AD 783 楊炎、盧杞為相
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 61
AD 780 楊炎致冤於後
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 257
AD 779 to AD 783 為相 until Jianzhong 4
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 89
AD 756 肅宗在靈武
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 172, passage 191
AD 780 至德宗相楊炎
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 52, passage 5

Key source chapters

Career and standing

chancellor 宰相
AD 779 德宗嗣位 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 127, passages 94, 98
chief minister 相
Appointed
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 52, passage 5
Chancellor 宰相
AD 780 德宗立 · Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 138, passage 217
chief minister / holder of government 秉政
AD 779 to AD 781 自用楊炎、盧杞秉政 · Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 129, passage 135
chancellor 相
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 61; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 89
chief minister 宰相
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 130, passage 160

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Chief Minister 宰相
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 160
Vice Minister of Personnel 吏部侍郎
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 92
Suffered
AD 777 十二年三月 · Demoted · Reason Yuan Zai case
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 93

Places and affiliations

Tang 唐
Relation Served
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 52, passage 5
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Active in
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 144, passage 136
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 160; Old Book of Tang 127, passage 92; Old Book of Tang 129, passage 135; Old Book of Tang 153, passage 61; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 89; New Book of Tang 138, passage 217; New Book of Tang 144, passage 155
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 257
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 53, passage 71

Works and attributed material

Memorial · Speaker · Addressed to Dezong (德宗) · Direct quotation · Extent Unit Ids s0096, s0097, s0098
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passages 96-98
Speech · Speaker · With Dezong (德宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passages 155-161, 163-164

Events and relationships

Denounced Liu Yan and Li Gan
Political · Accuser · With Liu Yan (劉晏)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passages 96-98
Denounced Xiqian and recalled Ning
AD 779 是歲十月（大曆十四年） · Political · Memorialist
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passage 168
Engineered wrongful ruin
Political · Instigator · With Liu Yan (劉晏)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 257
Exiled Cui Ning to Fu Fang
Political · Punisher · With Cui Ning (崔寧)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 100
Feasted with
Social · Participant · With Du Hongjian (杜鴻漸)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passage 136
Instituted Two Tax Law
Administrative · Architect
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 52, passage 5

Show 19 more source-backed claims

Persuaded emperor not to return Ning to Shu
AD 779 是歲十月（大曆十四年） · Political · Advisor · With Dezong (德宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passages 155, 163, 165
Promoted
Political · Patron · With Lu Bie (盧鸑)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 160
Removed Liu Yan and later proposed garrison farms at Fengzhou
Administrative · Official
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 53, passages 71, 144
Shelved appointments
Political · Blocker · With Cui Ning (崔寧)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passage 151
Slandered
Political · Attacker · With Liu Yan (劉晏)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passage 152
Stripped and framed Liu Yan
Political · Persecutor · With Liu Yan (劉晏)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passages 101-103
Relation Colleague chancellor with · Person Lu Qi (盧杞)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 61
Relation Destroyed · Person Liu Yan (劉晏)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 257
Relation Rival of · Person Liu Yan (劉晏)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 92
Relation Subordinate of · Person Du Hongjian (杜鴻漸)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passage 136
Relation Client of · Person Dezong (德宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 52, passage 14
Relation Avenger of · Person Yuan Zai (元載)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 95
Relation Came from faction of · Person Yuan Zai (元載)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passage 152
Relation Resented · Person Cui Ning (崔寧)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passage 152
Relation Rival of · Person Cui Ning (崔寧)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 144, passages 155, 168
Relation Patron of · Person Lu Sigong (路嗣恭)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 138, passage 217
Relation Patron of · Person Lu Bie (盧鸑)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 160
Relation Political opponent of · Person Liu Nai (劉迺)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 89
Relation Patron of · Person Lu Shu (路恕)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 138, passage 237

Assessments and attributes

Assessment befouled the imperial design and brought about the present crisis · Mode named-person-judgment Speaker Xiao Fu (蕭復)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 129, passage 135
Assessment mostly detested upright men · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 61; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 89

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 92; Old Book of Tang 129, passage 135; New Book of Tang 144, passages 136, 155; New Book of Tang 172, passage 191

References in the histories

Search passages

History

32 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 127Volume 123 Biographies 73: Liu Yan, Di Wuqi, Ban Hong, Ban Shao, Li Xun · 9 passages

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初，楊炎為吏部侍郎，晏為尚書，各恃權使氣，兩不相得。 Earlier Yang Yan was vice minister of personnel while Yan was minister; each abused his power and the two could not abide each other.

炎坐元載貶，晏快之，昌言於朝。 When Yang was demoted over Yuan Zai's case, Yan rejoiced and spoke openly at court.

及炎入相，追怒前事，且以晏與元載隙憾，時人言載之得罪，晏有力焉。 When Yang became chancellor he pursued old grievances, and because Yan had feuded with Yuan Zai, contemporaries said Yan had helped bring Zai down.

炎將為載復仇，又時人風言代宗寵獨孤妃而又愛其子韓王迥，晏密啟請立獨孤為皇后。 Yang meant to avenge Zai, and rumor held that Daizong favored Consort Dugu and loved her son Jiong, Prince of Han; Yan had secretly urged making Dugu empress.

炎因對敭流涕奏言：「賴祖宗福祐，先皇與陛下不為賊臣所間。 Yang seized an audience to declare tearfully: "Thanks to our ancestors' blessing, the late emperor and Your Majesty were not estranged by treacherous ministers.

硃泚、崔寧又從傍與祐甫救解之，寧言頗切，炎大怒，故斥寧令出鎮鄜坊以摧挫之。 Zhu Ci and Cui Ning also sided with Youfu; Ning spoke sharply; Yang was furious and banished Ning to command the Fu-Fang region to break his spirit.

炎欲誣構其罪，知庾準與晏素有隙，舉為荊南節度，以伺晏動靜。 Yang Yan wanted to frame him on false charges, so he appointed Yu Zhun—who had long been at odds with Liu Yan—as military commissioner of Jingnan to watch Yan's every move.

準乃奏晏與硃泚書祈救解，言多怨望，炎又證成其事，上以為然。 Yu Zhun reported that Yan had written to the rebel Zhu Ci pleading for rescue, his language seething with grievance; Yang Yan bolstered the accusation, and the emperor believed it.

本秀於林，風必摧之，常袞見忌於前，楊炎致冤於後，可為長嘆息矣！ A tree that stands above the forest is sure to be broken by the wind. Chang Gun resented him first; Yang Yan engineered his ruin afterward—enough to draw a long sigh.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 129Volume 125 Biographies 75: Zhang Yi, Liu Congyi, Xiao Fu, Liu Hun · 1 passage

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上不悅，又請別對，奏云：「陛下臨禦之初，聖德光被，自用楊炎、盧杞秉政，惛瀆皇猷，以致今日。 The emperor was displeased. Fu again requested a separate audience and memorialized, saying, "When Your Majesty first assumed the throne, sage virtue shone abroad. Since Yang Yan and Lu Qi were entrusted with government, they have befouled the imperial design and brought about the present crisis.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 130Volume 126 Biographies 76: Li Kui, Li Han, Chen Shaoyou, Lu Yue, Pei Xu · 1 passage

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宰相楊炎遇之頗厚，召入左司郎中、京兆少尹，遷大尹。 Chief Minister Yang Yan favored him, recalled him as director in the Left Secretariat and junior metropolitan governor of Jingzhao, then promoted him to metropolitan governor.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 131Volume 127 Biographies 77: Yao Lingyan, Zhang Guangcheng, Yuan Xiu, Qiao Lin, Zhang She, Jiang Zhen, Hong Jinglun, Peng Yan · 3 passages

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建中初，楊炎執政，以京兆尹嚴郢威名稍著，心欲傾之。 Early in Jianzhong, Yang Yan held power; Yan Ying, metropolitan governor of Jingzhao, was growing in renown, and Yan wished to bring him down.

休與王氏離絕之時，炎風聞休、郢有隙，遂擢休自流人為京兆少尹，俾令伺郢過失。 When Xiu had broken with the Wang family, Yan heard that Xiu and Ying were at odds; he therefore promoted Xiu from exile to Vice Metropolitan Governor of Jingzhao, ordering him to watch for Ying's faults.

休既職久，與郢親善，炎怒之，奏令以本官兼御史中丞，奉使回紇。 After Xiu had long been in office he became close to Ying; Yan was angry and memorialized that he should retain his post while also serving as Vice Censor-in-Chief on an embassy to the Uighurs.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 135Volume 131 Biographies 81: Li Mian; Li Gao and His Sons Xianggu and Daogu · 1 passage

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時楊炎謫官道州，知皋事直，及為相，復拜衡州。 Yang Yan was then in exile in Daozhou and knew Gao to be upright. When Yang became chief minister, Gao was restored to Heng.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 157Volume 153 Biographies 103: Yao Nanzhong, Liu Nai, Yuan Gao, Duan Pingzhong, Xue Cuncheng, Lu Tan · 1 passage

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及楊炎、盧杞為相，意多醜正，以故五歲不遷。 When Yang Yan and Lu Qi became chancellors, they mostly detested upright men, and for five years he received no promotion.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 52Volume 52 Treatises 48: Finance and Economics 2 · 2 passages

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至德宗相楊炎，遂作兩稅法，夏輸無過六月，秋輸無過十一月。 When Dezong elevated Yang Yan to chief minister, he enacted the Two-Tax Law, setting a summer deadline in the sixth month and an autumn deadline in the eleventh.

而德宗方信用炎，不疑也。 Dezong, however, was wholly convinced by Yang Yan and would not be swayed.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 53Volume 53 Treatises 43: Finance and Economics 3 · 3 passages

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及楊炎為相，以舊惡罷晏，轉運使復歸度支，凡江淮漕米，以庫部郎中崔河圖主之。 When Yang Yan became chancellor he removed Yan over old grudges. Transport reverted to the revenue office, and Jiang-Huai grain fell to Cui Hetu of the storehouse bureau.

建中初，宰相楊炎請置屯田於豐州，發關輔民鑿陵陽渠以增溉。 Early in Jianzhong (780), Chancellor Yang Yan proposed garrison farms at Fengzhou and drafting Guanfu laborers to dig the Lingyang Canal for irrigation.

時楊炎方用事，郢議不用，而陵陽渠亦不成。 Yang Yan was in power; Yan's plan was rejected and the Lingyang Canal was never finished.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 138Volume 138 Biographies 63: · 2 passages

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德宗立，陰賕宰相楊炎，炎錄前效，更拜兵部尚書、東都留守。 When Dezong succeeded, Sigong secretly bribed Chancellor Yang Yan, who cited his past service and reappointed him Minister of War and resident of the Eastern Capital.

嗣恭節度河陽也，恕為懷州刺史，年才三十，楊炎用捍魏博，為時嗤詆。 When Sigong held Heyang, Shu was made prefect of Huaizhou at only thirty. Yang Yan used him to block Weibo—a appointment widely mocked.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 144Volume 144 Biographies 69: Lai, Tian, Hou, Cui, Yan · 7 passages

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會寧遣使至，獻繒錦數萬，辭卑約甚，鴻漸貪其利，遂入成都，政事一委寧，日與僚屬杜亞、楊炎縱酒高會。 When Ning sent envoys with lavish silks and abject words, Du Hongjian's greed drew him into Chengdu; he handed all affairs to Ning and spent his days feasting with Du Ya and Yang Yan.

因奏李衡、於結等任御史，宰相楊炎怒，寢不行。 He nominated Li Heng, Yu Jie, and others as censors; Yang Yan blocked the appointments in anger.

炎方詆劉晏，寧申救於帝，又素事元載，而炎亦出載門，故銜之，未忍發。 As Yang Yan attacked Liu Yan, Ning pleaded for Liu at court; though both men had ties to Yuan Zai's faction, Yan resented Ning and bided his time.

炎業與有嫌，恐已入蜀不可制，即說帝曰：「蜀，天下之奧壤，自寧擅制，朝廷失外府十四年矣。 Yang Yan, already hostile, feared Ning would become uncontrollable in Shu and told the emperor, "Shu is the empire's richest redoubt; Ning has held it autonomously for fourteen years.

炎曰：「請無歸寧。 Yan said, "Do not send Ning back.

遂罷寧西川節度，改兼京畿觀察使、靈州大都督、單於鎮北大都護、朔方節度、鄜坊丹延州都團練觀察等使，托言重臣綏靜北陲，而每道置留後，使得自奏事，杜希全靈州，王翃振武，李建徽鄜州，及戴休顏、杜從政、呂希倩皆炎署置，使伺寧過失。 Ning was stripped of West River and given nominal commands over the capital region and the northern frontier while Yang Yan installed loyal acting commissioners—Du Xiquan, Wang Hong, Li Jianhui, Dai Xiuyan, Du Congzheng, and Lü Xiqian—to watch his every move.

炎惡之，即奏希倩無綏邊才，而以神武將軍時常春代之，更拜寧尚書右僕射、知省事，司空如故。 Yang Yan, alarmed, replaced Xiqian with Shi Changchun and recalled Ning as right vice director while leaving his minister of works title intact.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 150Volume 150 Biographies 75: Li, Chang, Zhao, Cui, Qi, Lu · 1 passage

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建中初，楊炎輔政，起為福建觀察使。 At the beginning of the Jianzhong era, when Yang Yan came to power, Gun was appointed Fujian Observation Commissioner.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 172Volume 172 Biographies 97: Yu, Wang, Two Du's, Fan · 1 passage

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鴻漸為山南、劍南副元帥，亞與楊炎並為判官。 When Hongjian became deputy supreme commander for Shannan and Jiannan, Ya and Yang Yan served jointly as his adjutants.