Yan Pi was from Shengle in Yulin. His grandfather, Yan Jin, was the governor of the local county during the Wei Dynasty. His father, Yan Qing, served as the chief minister of the Zhou Dynasty and the governor of Ningzhou. At the age of seven, Yan Pi inherited the title of Duke of Shibao County, with a fief of one thousand households.
As he grew older, Yan Pi developed a dignified and serious demeanor, and he had a keen interest in reading historical and philosophical texts. He studied the 'Book of Han' with Xiao Gai and likely mastered its main content. He was skilled in seal, cursive, and clerical scripts, excelling particularly in painting, and was regarded as one of the top painters of his time. Emperor Wu of Zhou took a liking to him and granted him permission to marry Princess Qingdu.
When Emperor Xuan ascended to the throne, he appointed Yan Pi as the Supervisor of the Right and as the leader of the Imperial Guards. After Emperor Yang Jian usurped the Zhou Dynasty, Yan Pi served in the Eastern Palace, the residence of the crown prince, utilizing his skills to assist Crown Prince Yang Yong. He frequently presented exquisite crafts to please the crown prince, who greatly valued him and often praised him before the emperor. Later, Yan Pi was appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry, serving as a guard in the Eastern Palace.
Once, the emperor sent Gao Feng to conduct a grand military review at Longtaize, where many troops were out of order, but Yan Pi's troops stood disciplined and orderly. Gao Feng reported this to the emperor, who rewarded Yan Pi with silk. Shortly after, Yan Pi took on the role of Chief Historian of the Prince's Palace Guards and was soon promoted to Supervisor. Many of the beautiful items used by the crown prince were crafted by Yan Pi.
Following Crown Prince Yang Yong's removal from his position, Yan Pi, due to his close relationship with him, was sentenced to one hundred strokes, and he and his wife were both sent to serve as slaves in government offices. After two years, they were finally released and restored to their status as free citizens.
After Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty ascended the throne, he massively produced military supplies. Because Yan Pi was skilled and familiar with this field, Emperor Yang Guang put him in charge of this work. Shortly after, he was also appointed as a court official known as a '朝请郎.' Yan Pi proposed many improvements for the imperial carriages of the time, which are recorded in the "Yufuzhi." Later, he was promoted to be a department official.
At that time, the emperor was preparing for a grand procession ceremony and felt that there were too many carriages and horses accompanying him. He asked Yang Jian, "When I first became emperor, there were only twelve carriages in the procession, which was enough. Now there are eighty-one carriages, some even drawn by oxen. This doesn’t do anything for our image! I want to reduce some, what do you suggest?"
Yang Jian replied, "When I first set this number, I carefully researched historical customs with Yuwen Kai. According to the views of Hu Bo Shi and Cai Yong of the Han Dynasty, the practice of using eighty-one carriages and horses originated in the Qin Dynasty and has been followed since then. This is reflected in Zhang Heng's poem, where he mentions 'ninety-nine carriages.' For official imperial processions, one-third should be deducted, which amounts to thirty-six carriages, in line with the Han Dynasty's practice. In addition, according to the situation during the Xiaojian period of the Song Dynasty, officials reported that after the Jin Dynasty moved its capital to the south, only five carriages and horses were used. Shangshu Ling, Prince Jianping Hong said, 'Eighty-one carriages and horses represent the combined scale of nine vassal states; thirty-six carriages and horses lack historical precedent. Five carriages and horses in the south are too simplistic and do not adhere to the rituals. However, the ceremonial processions, banners, and carriage canopies of emperors throughout history, as well as the number of crowns and jade ornaments, correspond to the number twelve. Now we should follow this number and set up twelve carriages and horses.' After pacifying the Chen Dynasty during the Kaihuang period, we have continued to adhere to this system. Now we should follow the ancient system, with large-scale ceremonial processions adhering to the Qin Dynasty practice, formal processions following the Han Dynasty system, and small-scale processions following the Song Dynasty system, ensuring a clear hierarchy."
The emperor said, "Why must we stick to the Qin Dynasty's system? For large-scale processions, use thirty-six horse-drawn carriages; for formal processions, use twelve; and for smaller processions, let's just do away with them!" Yang Jian had a deep understanding of these historical references, and this was how he handled things.
He was in overall command during the construction of the Great Wall. When the emperor wanted to go to Mount Hengshan for sacrifices, he arranged the altar site. Before long, he was promoted to the position of palace attendant and accompanied the emperor to Zhangye Commandery. When the Gaochang envoys were waiting for the emperor on the way, he was sent to greet them carrying the emperor's token and then brought the envoys back to the Eastern Capital. Later, due to his mother's death, he resigned and returned home to mourn. After the mourning period, he was reinstated.
When it was time to attack Liaodong, the emperor wanted to open a canal from Luokou all the way to Zhuo Commandery to make transporting military supplies easier. He was in charge of supervising the construction of this canal. The following year, he also took on the role of Wuben Lang's military officer, responsible for the emperor's safety. At that time, the army surrounded Liaodong City, and the emperor sent him to the city to read the imperial edict. The enemy shot arrows randomly, and his horse was hit by an arrow, but he kept his composure and read the edict out loud and strong before heading back. Later, he was promoted to Court Physician, then to the Palace Attendant Supervisor, and also served as the Supervisor of Works. He followed the emperor on a campaign to conquer Liaodong and encountered the rebellion of Yang Xuangan. The emperor then returned to the capital. The Minister of War, Husi Zheng, fled to Liaodong, and the emperor sent him to lead two thousand cavalry to pursue, but they did not catch up. Husi Zheng occupied Poyang City in Goryeo, besieged it for two days, and then received orders from the emperor to return to the capital. On the way to Gaoyang, he suddenly passed away at the age of fifty. The emperor was very regretful and posthumously promoted him to the position of Palace Attendant Supervisor.
He Chou, courtesy name Guilin, was the nephew of the Minister of Rites He Tuo. His father, He Tong, was an accomplished jade carver. He Chou was gifted and dexterous from a young age, with a keen intellect. When he was in his teens, he encountered the fall of Jiangling City and followed He Tuo to Chang'an. He became a minor imperial decorator in the Zhou Dynasty. Later, when Gaozu became Chancellor, he summoned He Chou to serve as a military advisor and put him in charge of managing intelligence agencies. In the early years of the Kaihuang era, he was appointed as a commander and gradually rose to the position of supervisor of the imperial household, and later became the assistant minister of the imperial household. He Chou was well-read and very knowledgeable about ancient artifacts. Persia once presented a gold-threaded brocade robe of exquisite craftsmanship. The emperor asked him to replicate it, and the robe He Chou made was even better than the tribute, delighting the emperor. At that time, China had not produced glassware for a long time, and craftsmen were hesitant to try, but he successfully made glass using green porcelain, almost identical to the real thing. He was later appointed as a cavalry attendant. Towards the end of the Kaihuang era, a local named Li Guang in Guizhou led an uprising, and the court sent He Chou to suppress it. When the army reached the Hengshan Mountains, He Chou sent messengers to negotiate the surrender of the rebel leader Mo Chong. The prefect of Guizhou, Wang Wentong, arrested Mo Chong and brought him to He Chou. He Chou feigned an announcement, saying, "The local government's mismanagement caused the border people to rebel. This is not Mo Chong's fault!" He then ordered Mo Chong to be released and invited him to share a meal and drinks, along with Mo Chong's four followers, before letting them go. Mo Chong was overjoyed and returned to his hideout completely unguarded. He Chou waited until dawn and secretly led his troops to launch a surprise attack on Mo Chong's hideout, eliminating the remaining rebels.
Rebel leaders Du Tiaoliao of Xiangzhou and Pang Jing of Luozhou surrendered one after another. He Chou then sent Liang Ni, the governor of Jianzhou, to quell the rebellion led by the barbarian Luo Shou, and sent Feng Xuan, the governor of Luozhou, to suppress the rebel leader Li Datang. They both pacified them and brought their heads back to the military camp. He Chou appointed the surrendered rebel leaders as officials in the counties, and everyone was quite pleased and compliant. The governor of Qinzhou, Ning Mengli, also led his troops to welcome He Chou's army. Initially, Ning Mengli took refuge in the treacherous mountain caves, plotting to rebel, but ultimately, he became frightened and requested to surrender in person to the court. Noticing his serious illness, He Chou chose to trust his intentions and sent him back to Qinzhou, agreeing to meet him in the capital in eight or nine months' time. After returning to the court and reporting the situation, the emperor was displeased. In October of that year, Ning Mengli died, and the emperor said to He Chou, "You failed to bring Ning Mengli back, and now he is dead." He Chou replied, "I had an agreement with Ning Mengli; even if he were to die, his son would come to serve the emperor. The Yue people are known for their straightforwardness; his son will surely come."
Before Ning Mengli died, he instructed his son Chang Zhen, saying: "I have made an agreement with the ambassador and must not betray the court. After you give me a proper burial, make haste to the capital." Chang Zhen followed his father's words and went to the capital. The emperor was very pleased and said, "How could He Chao gain the trust of the barbarians? It's really amazing!" Because of this merit, He Chao was appointed to the position of Grand Chancellor. At the beginning of the Renshou period, Empress Wenxian passed away, and He Chao and Yu Wenkai were tasked with overseeing the construction of the empress's tomb. He Chao was a man of few words who had a knack for understanding the emperor's thoughts, so the emperor became closer to him. When the emperor was seriously ill, he addressed He Chao, saying, "You were in charge of the empress's funeral before. Now that I am dying, I entrust all these matters to you. What use are these matters? It's just that I can't let go of them. If my soul is aware, we will meet in the underworld." The emperor then pulled the crown prince close and said, "He Chao is very diligent. I entrust all future matters to him, and all matters must be discussed with him." Emperor Yang of Sui wanted to go to Yangzhou for leisure and said to Yang Xuange, "Now the world is peaceful. I have inherited the ancestral foundation, but many rituals, systems, and attire are still incomplete. You will be in charge of reviewing the classics, designing and making various ceremonial items, vehicles, and attire, and sending them to Jiangdu." That very day, Yang Xuange was promoted to the position of Junior Minister of the Imperial Household Department.
Yang Xuangan started to get busy. He organized thirty-six thousand people to make the ceremonial troops, as well as the emperor's carriage, the empress's ceremonial troops, the officials' clothing, and so on. Everything was completed on time and sent to Jiangdu. This was a huge project, involving over a hundred thousand people and an unfathomable amount of gold and silver. The emperor even sent officials to conduct a thorough inspection, and the inspection took several years to complete, and there wasn't a single error found. Yang Xuangan consulted ancient and contemporary texts and made many improvements. For example, in the Wei and Jin dynasties, officials' leather hats only had hatbands without decorations. Yang Xuangan said, "These are hunting garments, but now they are worn to court, so they should be updated." Therefore, from then on, ivory hairpins were added to the leather hats. Also, officials' court attire used to not have waistbands. Yang Xuangan said, "This is clothing for minor court meetings. How can high-ranking officials attend court without wearing waistbands or jade?" So, animal head waistbands and jade pendants were added to the court attire. In the past, the five-spoke carriage had its cabin on the shaft, and the emperor and attendants were all in the same carriage. Yang Xuangan said, "It’s too cramped for the emperor and his attendants to share the same space." So, he made the carriage larger, added railings, had the attendants stand in the carriage, and constructed a raised platform within the carriage for the emperor to sit alone. He made many additions and modifications to other flags, ceremonial troops, etc., all of which are documented in the "Records of Rituals and Ceremonies." The emperor also commissioned Yang Xuangan to produce ten thousand military vehicles and eight hundred linked carriages. The emperor was highly pleased and permitted him to continue serving as the Minister of Works. Three years later, he was additionally appointed as the Minister of Finance.
During the Liaodong campaign, Yang Xuangan temporarily served as the General of the Right Tunwei, commanding thirty thousand imperial crossbow soldiers. At that time, the Minister of Works, Yuwen Kai, had not finished building the Liaoshui Bridge, which prevented the army from crossing, resulting in the death of Ma Tiezhang, the Grand General of the Right Tunwei. The Emperor then ordered Yang Xuangan to construct the bridge, which he completed in just two days! Earlier, Yang Xuangan had also designed and built the Imperial Palace and Liuhe City. This time, during the standoff with the enemy in Liaodong, they were utilized in the middle of the night. Liuhe City had a circumference of eight li, with walls and parapets reaching a total height of ten zhang, crowded with soldiers waving flags. Each of the four corners had a gate, each with three smaller gates underneath, and everything was finished before dawn. The Goguryeo people who witnessed it considered it a miracle. That year, Yang Xuangan was appointed as the Duke of Jinci Guanglu. The following year, he again took on the role of Left Tunwei General and followed the Emperor to Liaodong. Twelve years later, he was promoted to Right Guanglu Dafu and accompanied the Emperor to Jiangdu. When Yuwen Huaji led a rebellion, he was compelled to take on the role of Minister of Works. After Yuwen Huaji's defeat, he was captured by Dou Jiande, who appointed him Minister of Works as well and conferred upon him the title of Duke of Shu. After Dou Jiande's defeat, he sought asylum in the Tang Dynasty and was appointed as the Chief Architect, eventually dying there. During the Kaihuang era, there was a man named Liu Long from Hejian. He was remarkably intelligent, resourceful, and brimming with ideas. Emperor Qi knew of his talents and had him build the Sanjue Terrace, which he executed exceptionally well, greatly pleasing the Emperor, which resulted in his rise through the ranks. When Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, he held him in high regard as well, appointing him as the Right Guard General and Chief Architect. During the capital's establishment, he and Gao Feng oversaw the planning and construction, and everyone at the time held them in high esteem for their abilities.
During the reign of Daye, there was a man named Huang Gen, his origins were unclear. He and his brother Huang Jun were both very talented and had a wealth of ideas. Emperor Yangdi often had the two brothers work directly in the Imperial Workshop. At that time, many projects needed reconstruction, and Huang Gen and Huang Jun were both involved. No matter what they did, Yang Su always had Huang Gen and Huang Jun create the initial designs first. The craftsmen of the time believed their work was excellent, and no one could find any faults. Huang Gen eventually became a court official, and Huang Jun became a cavalry attendant.
According to historians, Yuwen Kai's talents were well-rounded and he had a keen grasp of the rules and proportions of architecture, comparable to Ban Gu and Zhang Heng. At that time, all the architectural systems were based on his designs. He built the Renshou Palace, repaired Luoyang City, pursued luxury, and indulged in extravagance, leading to the neglect of court affairs by Emperor Wen and the eventual death of Emperor Yang, the underlying cause of the country's unrest. However, his studies of classical texts and the creation of the "Mingtang Diagram" had some ideas that were ahead of their time, yet still held significant value for reference. As for Pishamen and Yang Chao, they were also very talented and knowledgeable about previous architecture. Drawing on excellent designs from previous generations, they produced remarkable cultural artifacts. Though some were excessively ornate, they remain worthy of study and emulation by future generations.
