From Obscurity to Military Prominence
Yang Su (d. 606 CE), styled Chudao, emerged from a distinguished military lineage in Huayin (modern Shaanxi). His grandfather Yang Xuan served as a general in the Western Wei dynasty, while his father Yang Fu died in service against Northern Qi. Early accounts describe Yang Su as possessing an imposing physique with a magnificent beard, coupled with an insatiable intellectual curiosity—he mastered classical literature, calligraphy, and military strategy.
His breakthrough came through a dramatic confrontation with Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou. When the emperor refused to posthumously honor Yang Su’s father for his martyrdom against Northern Qi, Yang Su risked execution by repeatedly petitioning. His defiant declaration—”I serve an unworthy emperor; death is my due”—impressed the monarch, earning his father a posthumous generalship and launching Yang Su’s own meteoric rise.
Master of Warfare and Naval Innovation
Yang Su’s military genius shone during the conquest of Southern Chen (589 CE). At the Yangtze River campaigns, he revolutionized naval warfare by constructing the colossal “Five-Clawed” warships—100-foot-tall floating fortresses carrying 800 troops each. His tactical brilliance was evident at the Battle of Langwei Beach, where he:
– Launched a daring nighttime amphibious assault
– Coordinated synchronized attacks from multiple directions
– Personally led boarding actions against iron-chain river defenses
Chen soldiers reportedly mistook him for a river deity due to his imposing presence aboard flagship vessels. These victories earned him the title Duke of Qinghe and cemented his reputation as the Sui dynasty’s most formidable commander.
The Dark Arts of Political Survival
Yang Su’s relationship with Emperor Wen revealed his political cunning. After being temporarily dismissed when his wife accused him of treason (for joking about becoming emperor), he rebounded by:
1. Championing the southern conquest strategy
2. Crushing the massive Jiangnan rebellion (590s CE) through psychological warfare—turning rebel leaders against each other
3. Developing the “scorched earth” counterinsurgency tactics that became imperial policy
His alliance with Prince Yang Guang (later Emperor Yang) proved particularly consequential. Yang Su engineered:
– The framing of rival Prince Yang Xiong
– The purge of loyalists like general Shi Wansui
– The palace coup securing Yang Guang’s succession (600 CE)
Architectural Ambitions and Human Costs
As overseer of the Renshou Palace project, Yang Su demonstrated both engineering vision and ruthless efficiency. Contemporary sources describe:
– Mountain-leveling terrain modifications
– Worker casualties so high that “ghostly wails” haunted the site
– A lavish complex that nearly provoked imperial displeasure until Yang Su manipulated Empress Dugu’s intervention
This project typified his approach—grandiose achievements built on expendable human capital.
The Merciless Art of War
Yang Su perfected a brutal but effective combat doctrine:
– Decimation tactics—executing retreating troops to enforce discipline
– Psychological dominance—personally scouting behind enemy lines before night attacks
– Mobility emphasis—dismantling traditional anti-cavalry defenses for lightning strikes
His annihilation of the Tujue (Turkic) forces at the Great Wall (603 CE) demonstrated this philosophy, permanently clearing the northern frontier through terror tactics.
The Paradox of Power
Yang Su’s final years embodied the dangers of overreach:
– Controlled 4,000 enslaved scholars and artists
– Maintained a harem rivaling the imperial palace
– Saw relatives monopolize 12 high offices simultaneously
Emperor Yang’s poisoned “gifts” of medicine revealed the fragility of their alliance. Dying in 606 CE, the general reportedly refused treatment, telling his brother: “Must I keep living?”
Legacy of Steel and Shadow
Yang Su’s complex legacy includes:
– Military textbooks studied for centuries
– The canal-and-palace infrastructure enabling Tang dynasty prosperity
– A cautionary tale about unchecked power in Chinese political thought
His life encapsulated the Sui dynasty’s transformative brutality—a blend of visionary state-building and human costs that shaped medieval East Asia. The “Yang Su model” of military-political operation would influence warlord strategies for generations.