Early Life and Marriage To Sima Yan
Yang Yan was the daughter of Yang Wenzong (楊文宗), a marquess during Cao Wei, and his wife Lady Zhao. Her mother died early, probably when she was still in infancy, and she was initially raised by her maternal uncle and aunt—who breastfed her. After she grew older, she became raised by her stepmother Lady Duan; by this point, her father, who said to have died early as well, was probably dead. When she was young, she was described as intelligent, studious, and beautiful. A fortuneteller once foretold that she would have extraordinary honor, and it is said that when the Cao Wei regent Sima Zhao heard this, he took her and married her to his son Sima Yan. She bore for her husband three sons and three daughters. After Sima Zhao's death in 265, Sima Yan inherited his position and soon forced the Cao Wei emperor Cao Huan to abdicate in favor of him, ending Cao Wei and establishing Jin Dynasty (as Emperor Wu). In 266, he created her empress.
Read more about this topic: Empress Yang Yan
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