The Tuy Tu Period had a profound impact on the Tang Dynasty, the Song Dynasty, and subsequent dynasties of China in the areas of politics, economy, culture, and diplomacy. However, it was also during this dynasty that the most notorious emperor in Chinese history emerged, leading to the swift downfall of the dynasty.
Emperor Tuy Dang Pha destroyed the unified dynasty that his father had established, leading to the demise of the Tuy family after only 38 years
Emperor Tuy Dang (569 – 618), whose real name was Yang Quang, was the second emperor of the Tuy Dynasty in Chinese history. Tuy Dang’s father, Emperor Tuy Van Yang Kien, overthrew the Northern Chu and Southern Tran dynasties, unifying China after 250 years since the Tien dynasty. During the Northern-Southern period, the Tran family, led by Tran Ba Tien in Chiet Giang, controlled the southern part of China from 557 to 589.
Under the guidance of his father, Yang Quang was described as intelligent and studious, highly respected by many grandmasters. In front of his parents, Yang Quang appeared to be thrifty and respectful, earning him praise for his filial piety.
At the age of 21, Yang Quang was appointed General-in-Chief and led an army of 110,000 soldiers to conquer the Southern Tran Dynasty, entering the capital Ke Nghiep (present-day Yangzhou) in just one year.
When his father grew old, his eldest son Yang Dung was entrusted with the task of governing the court, but he lacked political talent and wasted money, which displeased Emperor Tuy Van. Due to Yang Dung’s improper use of rituals, the grandmasters submitted memorial letters of accusation to Emperor Van. Prime Minister Yang To fabricated a story that Yang Dung wanted to rebel, and Empress Doc Co pressured him, causing Emperor Tuy Van to demote the crown prince to a commoner.
In 604, Emperor Tuy Van, 64 years old, fell severely ill in the palace, and Yang Quang took care of governmental affairs. One day, Yang Quang visited the palace to see Emperor Van and took notice of Queen Tuyen Hoa, who was eight years older than him. He teased and coerced her.
Tuyen Hoa was frightened and ran back to the palace to report to Emperor Van. Outraged, Emperor Van ordered someone to draft a document to depose Yang Quang as crown prince. However, Yang Quang and Prime Minister Yang To found out about it and sent Truong Han into the palace to assassinate Emperor Tuy Van. The two queens later became concubines of Emperor Tuy Dang Yang Quang, according to the content in the self-governing document.
Yang Quang has been criticized by Chinese historians for making many mistakes and neglecting the lives of the people, destroying the unified dynasty that his father had established, leading to the demise of the Tuy family after only 38 years.
A tyrannical emperor, lamenting people
