Yang Biao was a minister at the end of the Eastern Han. Wikidata's simplified Chinese label is Yang Biao, and the English label is Yang Biao. The cited article gives his courtesy name as Wenxian and his home as Huayin in Hongnong. The courtesy name does not replace the title. He belonged to the Yang clan of Hongnong. From Yang Zhen to Yang Biao, four generations served as grand commandant. His son was Yang Xiu. This entry dates him from 142 to 225, records his realm as Cao Wei, and records him as a political figure.[1][2]
Family and early office
The article traces a distant ancestor, Yang Xi, as a fierce general under Emperor Gao of Han, and an ancestor Yang Chang as chancellor under Emperor Zhao, Marquis of Anping, who married a daughter of Sima Qian. It also says Yang Bao once saved a yellow sparrow and was repaid with a jade ring. As a youth Yang Biao was shaped by the family learning. He was first recommended as filial and incorrupt, the province then recommended him as an abundant talent, and the offices summoned him. He declined all of these. In the Xiping years he was called in as a gentleman-consultant because of his knowledge of old records. With Ma Midi, Cai Yong, Lu Zhi, Han Shuo, and others he continued the Han Record of the Eastern Lodge, and he became palace attendant and governor of the capital district. In the second year of Guanghe (179) the yellow-gate prefect Wang Fu had his clients extort more than seventy million from the commanderies. Yang Biao exposed it to Yang Qiu, colonel-director of retainers. Yang Qiu memorialized, and Wang Fu was killed. Yang Biao then served again as palace attendant and leader of the five offices, governed Yingchuan and Nanyang, and passed through palace attendant, steward of the Yongle palace, coachman, and commandant of the guards. In the sixth year of Zhongping (189) he replaced Dong Zhuo as minister of works, and that winter replaced Huang Wan as minister over the masses.[2]
The move of the capital, and the flight
In the first year of Chuping (190) the east of the passes rose against Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo planned to move the capital to Chang'an and cited the Stone Bundle prophecy. The officials dared not speak. Yang Biao said a move was a great matter, that after Wang Mang's chaos almost no one in Guanzhong had survived, and that to abandon the temples and tombs for no cause would shake the people. He called the prophecy a deviant book. Dong Zhuo changed color. The grand commandant Huang Wan supported Yang Biao. Xun Shuang, minister of works, saw that Dong Zhuo would not bend, agreed aloud, and privately told Yang Biao that further argument would bring disaster. On the fifth day of the second month Dong Zhuo had Xuan Fan, colonel-director of retainers, cite omens and memorialize the dismissal of Huang Wan, Yang Biao, and others. In the third month of the second year of Xingping (195), Li Xian, a nephew of Li Jue, surrounded the palace with several thousand men to seize Emperor Xian. Yang Biao said emperors had never lived in a minister's house. Li Xian would not listen, and Yang Biao went with the emperor. The emperor sent him and the ministers to Guo Si's camp to urge peace. Guo Si held Yang Biao, Zhang Xi, Zhu Jun, Shisun Rui, Han Rong, and others as hostages. Yang Biao said to his face that one man seizing the emperor and another taking the ministers hostage could not be allowed. Guo Si meant to kill him. Yang Biao answered that if Guo Si would not serve the emperor, he himself need not seek to live. The leader of court gentlemen Yang Mi persuaded Guo Si to stop. After the emperor returned to Luoyang, Yang Biao acted as prefect of the masters of writing.[2]
Last years
In the first year of Jian'an (196) he followed Emperor Xian to Xu. At a banquet Cao Cao saw that his face was unhappy, pleaded illness, and returned to camp. In the ninth month Yang Biao was dismissed for illness. After Yuan Shu took the imperial title in Huainan, Cao Cao, because Yang Biao was Yuan Shu's kin, jailed him on a charge of plotting with Yuan Shu to depose the emperor. Kong Rong went to protest before he could put on court dress, saying the Yang house had four generations of pure virtue and could not be condemned for the Yuans. Man Chong, prefect of Xu, who conducted the interrogation, told Cao Cao that no proof had been beaten out of him and that killing so famous a man without proof would lose the people's hearts. Cao Cao released him. The article says he was again made minister of ceremonies in the fourth year of Jian'an, dismissed in the tenth year, and stripped of his nobility the next year. Seeing the Han about to fail, he claimed a cramp in the leg and stayed at home. After Cao Cao killed his son Yang Xiu, Cao Cao asked why he was so thin. Yang Biao said he was ashamed not to have had Jin Midi's foresight in killing his own son, and that he still had an old cow's care for its calf. Cao Cao's expression changed. After Cao Pi became emperor he wanted Yang Biao as grand commandant. Yang Biao said he had already been one of the Han three excellencies, was old and ill, and could not take office under the new dynasty. Cao Pi made him grand master of splendor and specially advanced, treated him as a guest, gave him a longevity staff and an armrest, and allowed a deer-skin cap. Yang Biao declined and came in a plain robe and leather cap. Cao Pi also set a barrier and clerks at the Yang house. Yang Biao died in the fifth year of Huangchu (225), at the age of eighty-four.[2]
Basic facts
- Name: Yang Biao[1]
- Courtesy name: Wenxian[2]
- Dates recorded on this entry: 142–225[1]
- Realm recorded on this entry: Cao Wei; the article calls him a minister of the late Eastern Han[1][2]
- Occupation recorded on this entry: political figure[1]
- Portrayal: Yang Biao (a character in Romance of the Three Kingdoms)