Yang Gao
Encyclopedia
Yang Gao (607–618), nickname Jizi (季子), was an imperial prince of the Chinese
dynasty Sui Dynasty
. He was the youngest son of Emperor Yang
.
Yang Gao was born in 607, after Emperor Yang had already become emperor. His mother was Consort Xiao, of whom little is known, and she might have been a sister or a relative of Emperor Yang's wife Empress Xiao
. In 613, he was created the Prince of Zhao. Yang Gao was said to be intelligent and handsome in his childhood, as well as filially pious -- such that when Emperor Yang was ill and unable to eat, Yang Gao would refuse to eat as well, and when Empress Xiao was ill and considered moxibustion
, he volunteered to undertake it first. Emperor Yang, when he was under siege by Tujue's Shibi Khan
Ashina Duojishi in 615 at Yanmen (雁門, in modern Xinzhou, Shanxi
), was recorded as so desperate that he was not doing anything except holding Yang Gao and crying.
In 618, while Emperor Yang was at Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
), forces participating in a coup led by the general Yuwen Huaji
entered the palace and surrounded him. Yang Gao was by his side, and started crying bitterly. Perhaps in irritation or perhaps to show Emperor Yang that the coup leaders were serious, Pei Qiantong (裴虔通) seized Yang Gao and killed him with a sword in Emperor Yang's presence, with Yang Gao's blood spilling onto Emperor Yang's clothes. Emperor Yang then offered to commit suicide, but was strangled to death instead. Empress Xiao and her ladies in waiting
had to take decorative wooden boards within the palace to make makeshift caskets for Emperor Yang and Yang Gao.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
. He was the youngest son of Emperor Yang
Emperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui , personal name Yang Guang , alternative name Ying , nickname Amo , known as Emperor Ming during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong), was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty.Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but...
.
Yang Gao was born in 607, after Emperor Yang had already become emperor. His mother was Consort Xiao, of whom little is known, and she might have been a sister or a relative of Emperor Yang's wife Empress Xiao
Empress Xiao (Yang)
Empress Xiao , formally Empress Min , was an empress of the Chinese Sui Dynasty...
. In 613, he was created the Prince of Zhao. Yang Gao was said to be intelligent and handsome in his childhood, as well as filially pious -- such that when Emperor Yang was ill and unable to eat, Yang Gao would refuse to eat as well, and when Empress Xiao was ill and considered moxibustion
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy using moxa, or mugwort herb. It plays an important role in the traditional medical systems of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, and Mongolia. Suppliers usually age the mugwort and grind it up to a fluff; practitioners burn the fluff or...
, he volunteered to undertake it first. Emperor Yang, when he was under siege by Tujue's Shibi Khan
Shibi Khan
Shibi Khagan , 611 - 619 AD, succeeded Qimin Khan as the ninth khagan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate...
Ashina Duojishi in 615 at Yanmen (雁門, in modern Xinzhou, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), was recorded as so desperate that he was not doing anything except holding Yang Gao and crying.
In 618, while Emperor Yang was at Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), forces participating in a coup led by the general Yuwen Huaji
Yuwen Huaji
Yuwen Huaji was a general of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty who, in 618, led a coup against Emperor Yang of Sui, killing him. He subsequently declared Emperor Yang's nephew Yang Hao led Emperor Yang's elite Xiaoguo Army north, but was then repeatedly defeated by Li Mi, Li Shentong , and...
entered the palace and surrounded him. Yang Gao was by his side, and started crying bitterly. Perhaps in irritation or perhaps to show Emperor Yang that the coup leaders were serious, Pei Qiantong (裴虔通) seized Yang Gao and killed him with a sword in Emperor Yang's presence, with Yang Gao's blood spilling onto Emperor Yang's clothes. Emperor Yang then offered to commit suicide, but was strangled to death instead. Empress Xiao and her ladies in waiting
Lady in Waiting
Lady in Waiting is the 2nd album by American southern rock band Outlaws, released in 1976. -Track listing:#"Breaker-Breaker" – 2:59#"South Carolina" – 3:05#"Ain't So Bad" – 3:48...
had to take decorative wooden boards within the palace to make makeshift caskets for Emperor Yang and Yang Gao.