Yang Guozhong

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Yang Guozhong (楊國忠 Pinyin: Yáng Guó zhōng) (d. July 15, 756) was an official who achieved high rank due to his relation with Emperor-Consort Yang Guifei.

Yang Zhao (楊釗) was her distant cousin, a gambler and a wastrel, though not without political cunning. He received the given name Guozhong ("Loyal to the Empire") and ten titles, including Overseer of All Departments (支部郎中). In effect, he became the Prime Minister of the empire, and was entirely unsuited for the position.

Yang, his cousin the consort, and many of the Yang family were executed during the Anshi Rebellion because the army attributed the chaos to them.