The Sui Dynasty was a short but glorious dynasty in Chinese history. Yang Guang, the second emperor of the Sui Dynasty, ruled with controversy. Among them, the rumors about his murdering his father and having an affair with his concubine have always been the focus of debate in the historical community. This article will take you to unravel this mystery.

1. Background of Yang Guang, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty

Yang Guang, styled Shimin, was the second son of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty. His mother was Dugu Jialuo, the daughter of Dugu Xin, a general of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, who married Yang Jian for political alliance. However, there has always been controversy about Yang Guang's paternal identity in history. One theory suggests that Yang Guang was actually the son of Yang Jian's brother Yang Yan, rather than Yang Jian's biological son. This theory is based on the fact that Yang Yan was sealed as the King of Qin after Yang Jian ascended the throne, and after Yang Guang became emperor, he also posthumously awarded Yang Yan the title of King Xiaocheng of Qin, which seems to suggest a father-son relationship between them.

2. Rumors of Killing His Father and Having an Affair with His Concubine

The rumors about Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty murdering his father and having an affair with his concubine were first recorded in historical books such as "Zi Zhi Tong Jian". According to the records, before Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty died, he summoned Yang Guang and Yang Yong, the two princes, to discuss national affairs together. However, when Yang Guang learned that his father was seriously ill, he secretly sent someone to poison Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty. In addition, there are also rumors that Yang Guang had an improper relationship with his concubine Dugu Jialuo after his father's death.

3. What is the Truth?

Although the rumors about Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty murdering his father and having an affair with his concubine are recorded in historical books, modern scholars generally believe that these rumors are not reliable. First, the records about the cause of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty's death do not clearly indicate that he was poisoned. Second, regarding the relationship between Yang Guang and Dugu Jialuo, although they did have close contact after Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty's death, this does not mean that they had an improper relationship. In fact, Dugu Jialuo supported Yang Guang's succession after Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty's death and held important positions during his reign.

Conclusion: Although the rumors about Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty murdering his father and having an affair with his concubine are recorded in historical books, modern scholars generally believe that these rumors are not reliable. When evaluating the historical status of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, we should base our assessments on historical facts and maintain objectivity and fairness.

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