Yang Flame

A Chinese politician in the mid-Tang Dynasty. His courtesy name was Gongnan. He was from Fengxiang (Shaanxi Province). He was awarded filial piety by his grandfather, father, and himself for three generations. He started out as a secretary in a local feudal domain, then moved to the central government and became a member of the Secretariat, where he drafted imperial edicts and was given the nickname "Changyang." He was recognized by his fellow townsman, Prime Minister Yuan Zai, and became a staff officer in the Ministry of Personnel. After Yuan Zai's downfall, he was transferred to the provinces, but when Emperor Dezong ascended to the throne, he was recommended by Prime Minister Cui Youfu to become Prime Minister. In 780, following his suggestion, the tax and labor system was abolished and the two-tax law was implemented in order to stabilize the national finances, which had been in disarray since the An Lushan Rebellion. These two tax laws became the basis of China's tax system until the implementation of the Yijo Benpo Law during the Ming Dynasty.

Yang Yan, who had gained power, rejected Cui Youfu, who had been recommended to him, and made Yuan Zai his virtuous partner. He was obsessed with taking revenge for Yuan Zai's downfall, and he slandered his political rival Liu Yan, who he believed to be involved in the plot, leading to his death. However, his centralized policies drew opposition from the various feudal domains and he lost the trust of Emperor Dezong. In the end, he himself was slandered by Prime Minister Lu Qi and demoted to the Sima of Yazhou (Hainan Island), where he was executed on the way.

[Shuichi Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、唐中期の政治家。字(あざな)は公南。鳳翔(ほうしょう)（陝西(せんせい)省）の人。祖父、父、本人と三代にわたり孝をもって表彰された。地方藩鎮の掌書記を振り出しに、中央に入り中書舎人となり、常袞(じょうこん)と制誥(せいこう)（詔勅の文）を起草し、「常楊」と並称された。同郷の宰相元載(げんさい)に認められて吏部侍郎となる。元載の失脚から地方にうつされたが、徳宗が即位すると、宰相崔祐甫(さいゆうほ)の推挙を受けて宰相となった。780年、彼の建議により、安史の乱後の紊乱(びんらん)した国家財政の安定を図って、租庸調制を廃し両税法が断行された。両税法は以後明(みん)代に一条鞭法(いちじょうべんぽう)が施行されるまで中国税制の基本となった。

　権勢を握った楊炎は、推挙を受けた崔祐甫を排し、元載を徳とし、元載の失脚に対する復讐(ふくしゅう)に執心し、これに関係ありとして政敵劉晏(りゅうあん)を讒(ざん)して死に至らしめた。しかし彼の中央集権策は諸藩鎮の反発を買い、徳宗の信頼を失い、最後は彼自身も宰相盧杞(ろき)の讒にあって崖州(がいしゅう)（海南島）司馬に左遷され、その途中で死を賜った。

［松井秀一］

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