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Yang Zhong 楊忠 (507-568), courtesy name Yanyu 揜于, was a high official of the late Northern Dynasties 北朝 (386~581) and the father of Yang Jian 楊堅 (Emperor Wen 隋文帝, r. 581-604), the founder of the Sui dynasty 隋 (581-618).
He hailed from Huayin 華陰 in the commandery of Hongnong 弘農 (in today's Shaanxi province) and was a capable military leader. With 18, he travelled to the region of Mt. Taishan 泰山 at the border to the Liang empire 梁 (502-557). He was captured and held a hostage for five years. He returned in the entourage of Prince Yuan Hao 元顥 (494-529) and was appointed General of the Guards (zhige jiangjun 直閣將軍) of the Northern Wei dynasty 北魏 (386-534). After Yuan Hao's death, Yang Zhong entered the service of Erzhu Rong 爾朱榮 (493-530). For his merits in the western campaign under Emperor Xiaowu 北魏孝武帝 (r. 532-534), he was invested as a Marquis 侯. Later on, he was given the title of General Pacifying the West (anxi jiangjun 安西將軍).
He served Dugu Xin 獨孤信 (503-557) in the invasion of the province of Jingzhou 荊州, which belonged to the Liang empire, and killed the regional inspector Xin Zuan 辛纂 (d. 534). When the Northern Wei empire fell apart, he became a subject of the Western Wei empire 西魏 (535-556). Yang Zhong, accompanying Emperor Xiaowu, and became an adjutant of the local warlord Yuwen Tai 宇文泰 (505-556). For a while, however, he had to seek refuge in the south. In 537, he returned to the Western Wei capital Chang'an 長安 (today's Xi'an 西安, Shaanxi) with Dugu Xin and participated in the capture of Dou Tai 竇泰 (500-537). For further military successes, he was appointed General Conquering the West (zhengxi jiangjun 征西將軍) and Left Grand Master for Splendid Happiness (zuo guanglu dafu 左光祿大夫), Commander-in-chief (da dudu 大都督), General of Chariots and Cavalry (cheji jiangjun 車騎將軍), Cavalier attendant-in-ordinary (sanji changshi 散騎常侍). In practice, he commanded the armies of four provinces and was regional inspector (cishi 刺史) of the province of Shuozhou 朔州.
For his outstanding services to the dynasty, he was granted the Taɣbač family name Puluru 普六茹. In 544, he was further honored with the titles of Palace Attendant (shizhong 侍中), General-in-chief of Agile Cavalry (piaoji da jiangjun 驃騎大將軍), and regional inspector of Jingzhou. When dispatched to campaign against the Liang dynasty, he was given command over military affairs in fifteen provinces, and was stationed at Rangcheng 穰城. His achievements earned him the investment as Duke of Sui 隋國公.
After the replacement of the Western Wei by the Northern Zhou 北周 (557-581), Yang Zhong was appointed as Junior Clansman (xiao zongbo 小宗伯). In 562, he was made Grand Minister of Works (da sikong 大司空).
He was posthumously awarded the title of Grand Guardian (taibao 太保). His posthumous title was Duke Huan 隋桓公. After the foundation of the Sui dynasty, this title was changed to Emperor Wuyuan 隋武元帝.