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Sui Tang Yanyi

Author	Chu Renhuo
Original title	隋唐演義
Language	Chinese
Subject	Ancient China
Genre	Historical, war
Publication date	17th century
Publication place	China
Media type	Book

Lds/Sandbox/Sui Tang Yanyi
Traditional Chinese	隋唐演義
Simplified Chinese	隋唐演义
Literal meaning	Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Suí Táng Yǎnyì

Sui Tang Yanyi is a historical novel based on the events in the Sui and Tang dynasties, beginning with the conquest of the Chen dynasty by Emperor Wen of Sui in the 580s CE and concluding with the return of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang to the capital Chang'an in 758 near the end of the An Lushan Rebellion. The novel was written by Chu Renhuo (褚人獲) in the 17th century during the Qing dynasty.

Background

The novel is a romanticisation of historical events and figures of the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties. Stories and folk tales about the insurrection against the Sui dynasty had been circulating since the Song dynasty (960-1279) — roughly five centuries before the novel was written. Influential works based on the Sui and Tang dynasties preceding Sui Tang Yanyi include Sui Tang Zhi Zhuan (隋唐志傳; Historical Tales of Sui and Tang), Sui Yangdi Yanshi (隋煬帝艷史; Splendid History of Emperor Yang of Sui) and Sui Shi Yiwen (隋史遺文; Lost Writings on the History of Sui), all of which were written during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Chu Renhuo (褚人獲) adapted and compiled these works, along with others, to write a historical novel titled Sui Tang Yanyi, with a length of more than 700,000 Chinese characters. Sui Tang Yanyi was noted for being the first work of literature to fully cover all the tales on the Sui and Tang dynasties, which previously existed in the form of various loose collections.

Plot

Sui Tang Yanyi begins in the 580s with the conquest of the Chen dynasty (557-589) by the Sui dynasty under Emperor Wen, and concludes with the return of the Tang dynasty's Emperor Xuanzong to the capital Chang'an in 758 near the end of the An Lushan Rebellion (755-763). The plot is made up of three main story lines. The first, with Emperor Yang of Sui and his concubine Zhu Gui'er (朱貴兒) as the central characters, covers the events in the political arena and inner palace in the final years of the Sui dynasty. The second story line narrates a turbulent period known as the transition from Sui to Tang, when heroes such as Qin Shubao, Shan Xiongxin (單雄信), Cheng Yaojin (程咬金) and Xu Maogong rise up to overthrow the Sui dynasty, followed by stories of how Li Shimin (the future Emperor Taizong of Tang) defeated his rivals and eventually solidified the Tang dynasty's sovereignty over China. The last story line tells of the romance between Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Consort Yang, and the events of the An Lushan Rebellion.

Important characters

Sui dynasty figures

• Dugu Xin (獨孤信), Pillar of State General (柱國將軍).
• Yang Jian (楊堅), Emperor Wen of Sui (隋文帝).
• Yang Guang (楊廣), Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝).
• Wu Jianzhang (伍建章), Prince Zhongxiao (忠孝王).
• Qiu Rui (邱瑞), Prince of Changping (昌平王).
• Ding Yanping (丁彥平), General of Double Spears (雙槍將).
• Gao Tong (高炯), Upper Trust of State (上信國).
• Han Qinhu (韓擒虎), Lower Pillar of State (下柱國).
• Yu Juluo (魚具羅), Grand Viceroy (大都督).
• He Ruobi (賀若弼), Upper Pillar of State (上柱國).
• Yang Lin (楊林), Prince Kaoshan (靠山王).
• Yang Su (楊素), Prince of Yue (越王).
• Yuwen Huaji (宇文化及), Great Chancellor (大丞相).
• Yuwen Chengdu (宇文成都), Great General of Heavenly Treasure (天寶大將).
• Wei Wentong (魏文通), Great General of Flowery Sword (花刀大將).
• Shang Shitu (尚師徒), General of Four Treasures (四寶將).
• Xin Wenli (新文禮), General of Eight Horses (八馬將).
• Lai Hu'er (來護兒), Great General of Iron Spear (鐵槍大將).
• Zhang Xutuo (張須陀), First General of Courage (第一勇將).
• Lady Xian (洗夫人), Holy Mother (聖母).
• Yang Yichen (楊義臣), Eight Sides Golden Lock (八面金鎖).
• Mai Tiezhang (麥鐵杖), Duke of Su (宿國公).
• Ma Shumou (麻叔謀), Mahuzi (麻胡子).
• Yuwen Shiji (宇文士及), Right General of the Guard (右衛將軍).
• Yu Shiji (虞世基), "Old Cunning Villain" (老奸巨滑).
• Xin Yue'e (新月娥), Embroidered Velvet Sword (繡絨刀).
• Su Wei (蘇威), Crown Prince's Guardian (太子少保).
• Niu Hong (牛弘), Duke of Qizhang Prefecture (奇章郡公).

Anti-Sui rebels and Tang dynasty figures

• Cheng Yaojin (程咬金), "Demon King of Chaos" (混世魔王).
• Shan Xiongxin (單雄信), "Red Haired Official of Spirits" (赤發靈官).
• Pei Yuanqing (裴元慶), "Silver Hammer Grand Protector" (銀錘太保).
• Yuchi Jingde (尉遲敬得), "Flying General in Brocade Robe" (錦袍飛將).
• Fang Xuanling (房玄齡), "Talent to Assist a Ruler" (王佐之才).
• Luo Cheng (羅成), "Stern Faced Cold Spear" (冷面寒槍).
• Li Yuanba (李元霸), Prince Zhao of the Western Residence (西府趙王).
• Luo Shixin (羅士信), "Present Day Meng Ben" (今世孟賁).
• Wang Bodang (王伯當), "White Robe Divine Arrow" (白衣神箭).
• Qin Qiong (秦瓊), "Divine Fist Grand Protector" (神拳太保).
• Du Ruhui (杜如晦), "Intelligent Strategist" (神謀鬼策).
• Xu Maogong (徐茂公), "Accurate Predictor" (神機妙算).
• Hou Junji (侯君集), "Little White Ape" (小白猿).
• You Junda (尤俊達), "Iron Faced Judge" (鐵面判官).
• Wu Yunzhao (伍雲召), Administrator of Nanyang (南陽太守).
• Wu Tianxi (伍天錫), "Invincible Golden Club" (金鏜無敵).
• Li Daozong (李道宗), Prince of Jiangxia (江夏王).
• Li Mi (李密), Chief of Wagang (瓦崗當家).
• Wang Xuan (王玄), "Lord of the Beautiful Beard" (美髯公).
• Zhangsun Wuji (長孫無忌), "Excellent Minister of Two Dynasties" (兩朝良佐).
• Liu Hongji (劉弘基), Duke of Ren (任國公).
• Zhai Rang (翟讓), Big Chief (大當家).
• Qi Guoyuan (齊國遠), "Hollow Club Great General" (空錘大將).
• Xiong Kuohai (雄闊海), "Purple Faced Heavenly King" (紫面天王).
• Luo Yi (羅藝), Prince of Beiping (北平王).
• Su Dingfang (蘇定方), Right Garrison General (右屯將軍).
• Qin Yong (秦用), "Silver Faced Skanda" (銀面韋馱).
• Hong Fu Nü (紅拂女), one of the "Three Heroes in the Wind and Dust" (風塵三俠).
• Li Jing (李靖), one of the "Three Heroes in the Wind and Dust".
• Qiuranke (虯髯客), one of the "Three Heroes in the Wind and Dust".

Adaptations

The television series listed below cover only the first two story lines in the novel. The third, about the romance between Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Consort Yang, is not included.

Television series

Year	Production	Cast	Additional information
1996	Mainland China	Zheng Shuang, Chen Rui, Deli Ge'er, Wang Wensheng, Shao Feng, Huang Haibing etc	See Sui Tang Yanyi (1996 TV series)
2003	Mainland China	Huang Haibing, Nie Yuan, Lam Chi-chung, Ashton Chen, Ren Shan, Tse Kwan-ho, Du Zhiguo, Zheng Guolin, Tong Lei, Yue Jingwei, Fang Qingzhuo	See Sui Tang Yingxiong Zhuan
2012	Mainland China	Dicky Cheung, Winston Chao, Purba Rgyal, Zhang Rui, Liu Xiaoqing, Jang Seo-hee	See Sui Tang Yingxiong
2013	Mainland China	Yan Kuan, Hans Zhang, Jiang Wu, Du Chun, Bai Bing, Wang Like	See Heroes in Sui and Tang Dynasties

See also

• Shuo Tang
• Xing Tang Zhuan

External links

• (in Chinese) Sui Tang Yanyi on Baidu Baike