Yang Yan - Early Career

Early Career

Yang Yan was known in his youth for his handsome eyebrows and beard, his ability to stand up against monetary enticements, and his beautiful writing. In his home region, he became known as the younger Yang Shanren (山人), implying that he was a Taoist hermit. Later, he took off his hermit robes and served as a secretary under Lü Chongbi (呂崇賁) the military governor (Jiedushi) of Hexi Circuit (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu). He had previously been humiliated by Li Dajian (李大簡), and he became a colleague of Li's after he came to serve under Lü, and he took the opportunity, on one occasion, to batter Li severely along with his guards, almost causing Li's death. Lü, however, favored his talent and did not punish him. Later, when the major general Li Guangbi invited him to serve as an assistant, he declined, and he also declined a promotion to serve as an imperial chronicler at the capital Chang'an. Instead, he returned home to support his mother. After his mother died, he was honored for his filial piety to her — and it was said that it was unprecedented, at that point, that a household would be decorated for three straight generations for their filial piety.

After Yang completed his period of mourning, he became Sixun Yuanwailang (司勳員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu), and later served at the ministries of defense (兵部, Bingbu) and the ministry of rites (禮部, Libu). While serving at the ministry of rites, he became one of the main drafters of edicts for Emperor Suzong's son Emperor Daizong. Both he and his colleague Chang Gun were known for the beautiful language they used in writing edicts — with Chang being known for his ability to cite ancient precedents, and Yang known for the ability to use appropriate praises. When he wrote the text of a monument dedicated to the general Li Kailuo (李楷洛), the writing was so beautiful that the scholars at the time all took pains to memorize it. He later became the deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang) and was put in charge of editing the imperial history. He also became well regarded by the powerful chancellor Yuan Zai and was fostered by Yuan to be his successor. After Yuan was executed for corruption in 777, Emperor Daizong initially wanted to execute Yang and some other close associates of Yuan's as well, but Emperor Daizong's uncle Wu Cou (吳湊) persuaded him not to do so. Instead, Yang was demoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Dao Prefecture (道州, in modern Yongzhou, Hunan).