Yang Kan

Yang Kan (496–549), courtesy name Zuxin, was a military general of the Northern Wei and Liang during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. During the final years of the Northern Wei, he began a rebellion and led his followers to join the Liang, fulfilling his family's wish of returning to the southlands. Yang Kan then became a general of Liang, participating in a few northern expeditions but never given important roles. In 548, when Jiankang came under heavy siege from the rebel, Hou Jing, he staunchly defended the capital before dying of illness. Outside of his official duty, Yang Kan garnered a reputation in the south for his sumptuous lifestyle, love for music and martial prowess. He possessed remarkable physical strength, with one story stating that he chopped down a tree using only a spear.