Tonyukuk vs Yang Shiqi

Tonyukuk served as the chief advisor and strategist to Bilge Qaghan during the restoration of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. He counseled against premature attacks on the Tang and advocated for a gradual buildup of strength, which proved successful.

Tonyukuk led a military campaign against the Tang dynasty and their Turkic allies. He used guerrilla tactics and surprise attacks to defeat larger Tang forces, securing the khaganate's independence and expanding its territory.

Tonyukuk commissioned his own memorial inscription, the Tonyukuk inscription, which is one of the Orkhon inscriptions. It recounts his life, his role in the khaganate's revival, and his military campaigns, providing a detailed first-person account of Turkic history.

Tonyukuk died of natural causes at an advanced age. His death marked the end of an era for the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, as he was the last of the great founding figures. His strategic wisdom was greatly missed in the subsequent years.

The Yongle Emperor appointed Yang Shiqi as a Grand Secretary in the newly established Grand Secretariat. This position made him a key advisor to the emperor and a central figure in the Ming bureaucracy.

Yang Shiqi served as one of the chief editors of the Yongle Encyclopedia, a massive compilation of Chinese knowledge. The encyclopedia contained over 11,000 volumes and was the largest encyclopedia in world history at the time.

After the death of the Hongxi Emperor, Yang Shiqi was one of the senior officials who guided the young Xuande Emperor. He helped maintain stable governance and continued the policies of the early Ming golden age.

Yang Shiqi supported the decision to halt the treasure voyages of Zheng He. He argued that the expeditions were too costly and diverted resources from domestic needs. The voyages were ended, and China's maritime expansion ceased.