From Humble Beginnings to Political Player

Yang Guozhong’s ascent in the Tang court was as unlikely as it was ruthless. Born into obscurity, he lacked the aristocratic pedigree that traditionally opened doors to imperial power. Yet, through cunning and opportunism, he carved a path into the highest echelons of government. His rise was emblematic of a broader shift in Tang politics—where merit and manipulation increasingly rivaled noble birth as the keys to influence.

Yang’s early career was tied to the powerful chancellor Li Linfu, who saw in him a useful subordinate. Like a street-smart opportunist in the back alleys of Chang’an, Yang studied the brutal power struggles of the capital’s factions. He drew parallels between the cutthroat rivalries of local gangs and the political infighting at court, resolving to emulate the former’s ruthlessness. To Yang, Li Linfu was merely a stepping stone—a figure to exploit before discarding, much like a gang leader outmaneuvered by his own protégé.

The Machinations of Li Linfu and the Rise of An Lushan

Li Linfu, the dominant chancellor of the era, was a master of political purges. He systematically eliminated rivals—exiling, executing, or forcing them into suicide. Among his victims were respected officials like Wei Jian, Pei Kuan, and the elderly Li Yong, who was beaten to death at age 70. Even Li Shizhi, a distinguished general and relative of the imperial family, was driven to take his own life.

To consolidate power, Li Linfu installed the Taoist priest Chen Xilie as a puppet chancellor, leveraging Emperor Xuanzong’s fascination with Daoism. Meanwhile, his policies empowered military governors (jiedushi) along the frontiers, notably the ambitious general An Lushan.

An Lushan, a mixed-ethnicity commander of Sogdian-Turkic descent, was a master of deception. Obese and charismatic, he played the fool to disarm suspicion. He flattered Li Linfu with exaggerated deference—sweating profusely in his presence—while secretly courting Emperor Xuanzong and his beloved consort, Yang Guiyifei (Lady Yang). His most infamous stunt? Petitioning to become Lady Yang’s “adopted son” despite being older than her, then staging a grotesque “infant” performance, swaddled in silk, to amuse the court.

The Excesses of the Yang Clan

By 751 CE, the Yang family’s influence had reached dizzying heights. Lady Yang’s relatives—her cousins Yang Xian and Yang Qi, along with her three sisters (the titled Ladies of Han, Guo, and Qin)—formed the notorious “Five Yang Households.” Their extravagance was legendary:

– Processions of Opulence: Their carriages, draped in colored silks and escorted by whip-wielding guards, terrorized Chang’an’s streets. Citizens who failed to clear the path were beaten—even royalty. When Princess Guangping and her husband were lashed for refusing to yield, Emperor Xuanzong punished them to placate the Yangs, a shocking inversion of justice.
– Political Theater: An Lushan’s “adoption” farce and the Yangs’ unchecked arrogance eroded the court’s dignity. As elites whispered, “Is this the end of an era?”

The Looming Rebellion

An Lushan’s power grew unchecked. By 751, he commanded three key military districts (Pinglu, Fanyang, and Hedong) with nearly 200,000 troops. Li Linfu, dismissive of the “barbarian” general’s ambitions, failed to see the threat—until it was too late.

Yang Guozhong, now a rival to Li Linfu, stoked tensions. He accused An Lushan of treason, provoking the general to launch the catastrophic An Lushan Rebellion (755–763 CE). The revolt shattered the Tang’s golden age, leaving millions dead and the empire permanently weakened.

Legacy: A Dynasty Undone by Hubris

The Tang court’s collapse was a tragedy of unchecked ambition and decadence:

– Yang Guozhong’s Fate: Killed during the rebellion, his scheming epitomized the rot within the bureaucracy.
– An Lushan’s Irony: The clownish general turned rebel died ignominiously, murdered by his own son in 757.
– Historical Echoes: The Tang never fully recovered, foreshadowing the dynasty’s eventual fall in 907.

The tale of Yang Guozhong and An Lushan serves as a timeless warning: when power is divorced from accountability, even the mightiest empires crumble from within.