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Yang Guozhong () (died July 15, 756〔(兩千年中西曆轉換 )〕), né Yang Zhao (楊釗), was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor late in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. His second cousin Consort Yang Yuhuan was then Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine, and it was through his relations with her that he managed to be initially noticed by Xuanzong. Yang was a gambler and a wastrel, but keen with the political scene. In 752, Xuanzong appointed him chancellor succeeding Li Linfu owing to his skills in managing finances. He proved to be disastrously incompetent as chancellor, incurring the wrath of many, but remained one of Xuanzong's most trusted officials. His conflict with An Lushan, also a favorite official of Emperor Xuanzong's, eventually drove An into rebellion (known historically as the Anshi Rebellion, with his new state known as Yan). He then permitted the latter to capture the imperial capital Chang'an by forcing Geshu Han, a general who was holding a favorable defensive position at the Tong Pass, to confront the rebel troops. As expected, the Tang forces were completely routed by the Yan army's commanded by Cui Qianyou (崔乾祐). Emperor Xuanzong was forced to flee, and while in flight, Yang Guozhong, Consort Yang, and many of the Yang family were killed by the angry soldiers escorting Emperor Xuanzong because the army attributed the chaos to them. ==Background== It is unknown when Yang Zhao was born. His family was from Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) and traced its ancestry to the great Han Dynasty official Yang Zhen (楊震), as well as officials of Later Yan, Northern Wei, and Tang Dynasty's predecessor Sui Dynasty. Yang Zhao's great-great-grandfather Yang Wang (楊汪) was an important official during Sui. His grandfather Yang Youliang (楊友諒) served as a county magistrate for Tang, and his father Yang Xun (楊珣) served as a military officer.〔''New Book of Tang'', vol. 71.()()〕 His mother Lady Zhang was a sister of Wu Zetian's lovers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong.〔There was, however, a story recorded in the ''Tianbao Tales'' (天寶故事) that Yang Zhao was actually a son of Zhang Yizhi's, with the servant girl Binzhu (蠙珠), but given to his sister to raise to avoid punishment from the jealous Wu Zetian. See ''Bo Yang Edition of the Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 52 (). If this story were true, Yang Guozhong would have been born sometime between 697, when Zhang Yizhi became Wu Zetian's lover, and 705, when Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were killed and Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup.〕 Yang Zhao himself was said to lack knowledge and virtues. He was a heavy drinker and gambler, and was looked down upon by his own clan members. Motivated by this slight, Yang decided to join the army, and ended up serving in the army stationed at Yi Prefecture (益州, roughly modern Chengdu, Sichuan). For his military service, he was set to be promoted, but the secretary general of Yi Prefecture, Zhang Kuan (張寬), disliking him, initially refused to do so and in fact whipped him, but eventually he was made the magistrate of Xindu County. After his three-year term of service was over, he did not save sufficient funds to return home, and relied on assistance from a rich man of the region, Xianyu Zhongtong (鮮于仲通). He also spent much time with the household of his father's cousin Yang Xuanyan (楊玄琰), and eventually carried on an affair with one of Yang Xuanyan's daughters (the later Lady of Guo). When Yang Yuanyan, who was sonless, died, Yang Zhao was temporarily in charge of the household, until Yang Yuanyan's daughters went to Henan Municipality (河南府, i.e., Luoyang) to stay with their uncle Yang Xuanjiao (楊玄璬). Yang Zhao later served as the sheriff of Fufeng County (扶風, in modern Xi'an, Shaanxi), but was unable to progress further, and returned to the Yi Prefecture region. While he was in the region, he also married his wife Pei Rou (裴柔), who had been a prostitute.〔''Old Book of Tang'', (vol. 106 ).〕〔''New Book of Tang'', (vol. 206 ).〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Yang Guozhong」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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