Yang Ye
"Invincible Yang"; defeated and captured at Chenjiagu during the Yongxi Northern Expedition, he starved himself to death.
Life
Invincible Yang
Yang Ye was originally a general of Northern Han, brave and skilled in battle, known as "Invincible Yang." When Northern Han fell in 979 he surrendered to the Song dynasty, and Emperor Taizong of Song appointed him prefect of Daizhou to guard Yanmen.
Great victory at Yanmen
In 980, 100,000 Liao troops invaded Yanmen. He led several hundred horsemen along a byway to the rear of the Liao army and, in a pincer attack, inflicted a crushing defeat on it; from then on the Liao would retreat at the mere sight of his banners.
Fell at Chenjiagu
During the Yongxi Northern Expedition of 986, as the Western Route army was retreating, the army supervisor Wang Shen forced him to sally out. He arranged for the commander Pan Mei to wait at the mouth of the Chenjiagu valley to support him, and fought his way to Chenjiagu, only to find that the supporting troops had already withdrawn. Wounded, he was finally captured, and died after refusing food for three days.
Legacy
Yang Ye is the prototype of the "Generals of the Yang Family" stories; his tragic, heroic end became a symbol of loyal and brave service to the country, and the Yang family tales spread widely in later opera and fiction.
Major works & achievements
- Routed the Liao army at the Battle of Yanmen
Did you know? Figures such as "She Taijun" and "Yang Liulang" also had historical counterparts; Yang Liulang was his son Yang Yanzhao.
Key dates
- 979Surrendered to Song with Northern Han
- 980Routed the Liao army at the Battle of Yanmen
- 986Defeated and captured at Chenjiagu
- 986Starved himself to death