14 Facts About Yang Yanzhao

Yang Yanzhao, named Yang Yanlang before 1012, was a military general in ancient China's Northern Song dynasty.

Yang Yanzhao was the vanguard general for his father Yang Yanzhao Ye's troops during the attacks on the prefectures Yingzhou and Shuozhou.

Yang Yanzhao fought on despite an arrow piercing his arm in the attacks of Shuozhou.

At the border, Yang Yanzhao continued his father's tradition of instilling strong discipline in his troops by setting good examples.

Yang Yanzhao had few servants and associates for his position and would endure the same hardship as his soldiers.

Yang Yanzhao befriended Yang Si, another brave general at the border, and commoners would gradually call the duo the "two Yangs".

Yang Yanzhao quickly recruited fit men from the city's population to strengthen the troops defending the city, providing them with weapons and armor.

Yang Yanzhao ordered his men to pour water on the outside of the city's defensive walls.

Finally the Liao forces had no choice but to retreat, and Yang Yanzhao chased after them and obtained much armor.

Yang Yanzhao described the situation at the border and answered all questions to the emperor's satisfaction.

The Liao force was annihilated and Yang Yanzhao presented the severed head of a Liao general to Emperor Zhenzong.

Yang Yanzhao's 3 surviving sons, Yang Chuanyong, Yang Dezheng, Yang Wenguang all became officials.

In Generals of the Yang Family, Yang Yanzhao is the sixth son of Yang Ye and She Saihua.

Yang Yanzhao was the only son who returned from the battlefield to the family after the defeat in Golden Beach.