The Generals of the Yang Family

The Generals of the Yang Family is a collection of Chinese folklore, plays and novels on a military family from the earlier years of imperial China's Song dynasty (960–1279). The stories recount the unflinching loyalty and the remarkable bravery of the Yangs as they sacrificed themselves to defend their country from foreign military powers, namely the Khitan-ruled Liao dynasty (907–1125) and Tangut-ruled Western Xia (1038–1227).

Spanning the century from 950 to 1050, the mostly fictional saga was based on the lives of historical characters Yang Ye (died 986), Yang Ye's son Yang Yanzhao (c. 958–1014) and Yang Yanzhao's son Yang Wenguang (died 1074). As Yang Yanzhao was nicknamed "sixth son" (六郎) in history, the stories made him Yang Ye's sixth eldest son. Also, as Yang Wenguang was close to two generations younger than his father, the stories made him Yang Yanzhao's grandson instead.

In 907, when the Tang dynasty officially ended, imperial China entered the chaotic and fragmented phase known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The decades that followed were marked by regional warlords, many legitimizing themselves as emperors, fighting amongst one another for power and territories. The year 907 also marked the beginning of such a militaristic state – officially called the Liao after 947 – established by Khitan people in roughly today's Liaoning and Inner Mongolia. The Khitans were largely nomadic people and frequently engaged in raids of the more affluent agricultural Han Chinese and Korean people in the south for wealth.

The southern area known as the Central Plain, or the Chinese heartland, defended against the Khitan incursions with strategical points or passes established roughly along the line of the old Great Wall. However, the area including these passes, known as the Sixteen Prefectures, were given to the Liao dynasty in 936 by general Shi Jingtang, in exchange for military aid in Shi's personal war against the Later Tang. With no more passes impeding their army, the Khitans gained unlimited access to the Central Plain: just a decade later, they easily took their army south to extinguish the same Later Jin they helped Shi establish.

Even though the Khitans did not occupy the Central Plain, partially because their constant looting had caused unmanageable unrest, the sad fate of Later Jin already illustrated the danger looming in the north for any succeeding Chinese dynasty. When the Song dynasty was established in the Central Plain in 960, it first tried to appease the Liao dynasty to focus on campaigns against the states in southern China, but the goal of recovering the Sixteen Prefectures had always been there.

(Yang Ye) really earned the respect of his soldiers. The soldiers under him could not bear to leave him, they'd rather die in battle with him. The spirit of loyalty and righteousness is quite apparent. — A Yuan dynasty historian commenting in History of Song (1345)

Yang Ye, a general of the Northern Han Kingdom, was nicknamed "Invincible" (無敵) due to his tactical prowess and unmatched gallantry in battle. He served the Song dynasty after Liu Jiyuan, ruler of Northern Han, surrendered. Emperor Taizong of Song had great faith in Yang Ye and commissioned him to defend Song's northern border from the Khitan-ruled Liao dynasty. Yang Ye proved himself by defeating the Liao in the Battle of Yanmen Pass, instilling fear in the enemy but also incurring the jealousy of some Song officials.

In 986, during a northern campaign against Liao forces, the Song force commanded by General Pan Mei was attacked by the main enemy force. Pan Mei and others forced Yang Ye to lead an army to resist a much larger enemy despite Yang Ye's opposition. Yang Ye engaged Liao forces in a bloody battle at Chenjiagu (陳家谷), but reinforcements did not arrive as promised. Surrounded by the much larger army, Yang Ye was captured by Liao forces and starved himself to death. One of Yang Ye's seven sons was also killed. Pan Mei was later demoted by Emperor Taizong for Yang Ye's death.