Yang Yan

Yang Yan (; 727–781), courtesy name Gongnan , was a Chinese historian and politician serving as a chancellor early in the reign of Emperor Dezong. He was credited with reforming the tax system to reduce burdens on the peasants and to bring merchants into the rank of taxpayers, but was blamed for using his position to take vengeance on political enemies. He was removed in 781 and soon executed.

Background Yang Yan was born in 727, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. His family was from Fengxiang (鳳翔, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) and claimed ancestry through officials of the Warring States period state Han), Qin, Han, and Sui dynasties, although the lineage was not completely traceable. His great-grandfather Yang Dabao served as a county magistrate during the reign of the Tang dynasty's founder, Emperor Gaozu, and was killed when resisting a rival contender for the throne, Liu Wuzhou the Dingyang Khan, and therefore was posthumously honored. His grandfather Yang Zhe was known for his filial piety. His father, Yang Bo , was known for having passed the imperial examinations but then declined official offices to support his parents, an act for which he was honored by both Emperor Xuanzong and Emperor Xuanzong's son Emperor Suzong.

Early career Yang Yan was known in his youth for his handsome eyebrows and beard, his ability to stand up against monetary enticements, and his beautiful writing. In his home region, he became known as the younger Yang Shanren , implying that he was a Taoist hermit. Later, he took off his hermit robes and served as a secretary under Lü Chongbi the military governor (Jiedushi) of Hexi Circuit (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu). He had previously been humiliated by Li Dajian , and he became a colleague of Li's after he came to serve under Lü, and he took the opportunity, on one occasion, to batter Li severely along with his guards, almost causing Li's death. Lü, however, favored his talent and did not punish him. Later, when the major general Li Guangbi invited him to serve as an assistant, he declined, and he also declined a promotion to serve as an imperial chronicler at the capital Chang'an. Instead, he returned home to support his mother. After his mother died, he was honored for his filial piety to her—and it was said that it was unprecedented, at that point, that a household would be decorated for three straight generations for their filial piety. Instead, Yang was demoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Dao Prefecture (道州, in modern Yongzhou, Hunan).

As chancellor, Yang quickly carried out a number of actions that were praised by contemporaries and/or later historians:

Promoting Li Gao the Prince of Cao, a capable official of imperial descent who had been demoted due to false accusations by Xin Jinggao .

Meanwhile, though, Yang was also said to be vindictive. Blaming the senior official Liu Yan, one of the judges that adjudicated Yuan Zai's guilt, for Yuan's death and for his own demotion, he accused Liu of having encouraged Emperor Daizong to make his favorite concubine Consort Dugu empress—which would have endangered Emperor Dezong's position as crown prince since he was not Consort Dugu's son, and Consort Dugu had her own son, Li Jiong the Prince of Han.

While Yang Yan was chancellor, he had demoted Yan Ying the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region) because he disliked Yan Ying. Lu, knowing this, had Yan Ying made the chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu). At Lu's direction, Yan Ying soon exposed an incident in which Yang had asked Zhao Huibo the mayor of Henan Municipality (河南, i.e., the Luoyang region) to sell Yang's mansion for him—and, at Yan's manipulation, this incident was increased in severity from the lesser charge of conflict of interest to embezzlement. Meanwhile, Lu also secretly told Emperor Dezong that Yang had built his family shrine on land that was said to be greatly blessed, and accused Yang of intending to try to become emperor himself. In winter 781, Emperor Dezong demoted and exiled Yang to the post of military advisor to the prefect of Yai Prefecture (崖州, in modern Sanya, Hainan). However, even before Yang reached Yai Prefecture, Emperor Dezong sent executioners to intercept and execute him.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 118 . New Book of Tang, vol. 145. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 225, 226, 227. A history of China from 7 BC to 1279 Chinaknowledge.de article Article on foreign relations during the Tang dynasty