Yang Guang, also known as Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, was one of the famous tyrants in Chinese history. During his reign, there were numerous internal and external conflicts in the country, and the people suffered greatly. In 618 AD, Li Yuan launched the Xuanwumen Coup and overthrew the Sui Dynasty, establishing the Tang Dynasty. So, what did Li Yuan do with Yang Guang's children after his death?

According to historical records, Yang Guang had five sons: Yang Yong, Yang Yan, Yang Xiu, Yang You, and Yang Jian. Among them, Yang Yong was the eldest son and originally the crown prince, but he was deposed due to a dispute with Yang Guang. Yang Yan, Yang Xiu, and Yang You were respectively sealed as the Prince of Qin, the Prince of Qi, and the Prince of Chen. Yang Jian, born to Yang Guang's favorite concubine Xiao, was sealed as the Prince of Zhao.

After Li Yuan established the Tang Dynasty, he took different approaches to deal with Yang Guang's children. Firstly, he released Yang Yong from imprisonment and granted him the title of the Prince of Yue, and later the Prince of Qin. However, due to Yang Guang's involvement, Yang Yong could not shake off the shadow of being a "deposed crown prince" and was eventually killed in a coup.

For the three princes, Yang Yan, Yang Xiu, and Yang You, Li Yuan took even harsher measures. He believed that these three were Yang Guang's close associates and might pose a threat to the new regime. Therefore, shortly after the Xuanwumen Coup, Li Yuan had them all executed. As for Yang Jian, he was placed under house arrest after the coup and later forced to become a monk, never returning to the political stage.

Overall, Li Yuan demonstrated great political wisdom and decisiveness in dealing with Yang Guang's children. He neither slaughtered the members of the former royal family like other new emperors of other dynasties nor allowed them to remain in the political arena. This approach ensured the stability of the new regime and avoided possible public resentment. It was with this wise political maneuvering that Li Yuan successfully established the Tang Dynasty, ushering in one of the most glorious periods in Chinese history.

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