The stories recount the unflinching loyalty and the remarkable bravery of the Yangs as they sacrificed themselves to defend their country from foreign military powers, namely the Khitan-ruled Liao dynasty (907–1125) and Tangut-ruled Western Xia (1038–1227).

The year 907 also marked the beginning of such a militaristic state – officially called the Liao after 947 – established by Khitan people in roughly today's Liaoning and Inner Mongolia.

[2] The southern area known as the Central Plain, or the Chinese heartland, defended against the Khitan incursions with strategical points or passes established roughly along the line of the old Great Wall.

Even though the Khitans did not occupy the Central Plain, partially because their constant looting had caused unmanageable unrest, the sad fate of Later Jin already illustrated the danger looming in the north for any succeeding Chinese dynasty.

— A Yuan dynasty historian commenting in History of Song (1345)[3]Yang Ye, a general of the Northern Han Kingdom, was nicknamed "Invincible" (無敵) due to his tactical prowess and unmatched gallantry in battle.

[9] Later, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered its modification into the Peking opera version, a huge project that lasted from 1898 until 1900 when it was interrupted by the Boxer Rebellion and subsequent foreign invasions.

[9] In addition to the plays shown in the Forbidden City, qinqiang, yuju, pingju and many other local Chinese opera forms have all throughout the centuries developed their own stories about generals of the Yang family.

After Yang Ye's reluctant surrender, Emperor Taizong awarded his family an impressive mansion in the capital Kaifeng called "Heaven Wave House".

Gratified, Yang Ye swore allegiance to the emperor and defeated the Liao dynasty forces from Song's northern borders again and again.

Pan Renmei offered to start a martial arts tournament in Kaifeng's Tianqi Temple, but requested the Yang family not participate.

As feared, the meeting turned out to be a trap, and only his two youngest sons remained when Yang Ye and his men retreated to Twin Wolves Mountain.

Finally, Kou Zhun convicted Pan Renmei of multiple crimes and executed him with the help of the Eighth Virtuous Prince.

As the new commander of the Song army succeeding his father, the sixth son Yang Yanzhao continued to fight the Liao forces under the new emperor.

Emperor Zhenzong honored the Yang family by building a stone epitaph, which was disrespected by Xie Jinwu – the son-in-law of Wang Qin who had since become a high official.

Worried about his mother, he, without permission, violated the military rules to rush back to the capital with a subordinate Jiao Zan, who couldn't control his anger and killed Xie Jinwu, creating more trouble.

Meanwhile, their sister – Yang Ye's eighth child – learned that her father's remains and golden sabre were kept by the Liao in Haotian Pagoda so she went across the border by herself in an attempt to retrieve the items.

She was arrested but escaped with help from someone who turned out to be her fourth brother, now under the false identity "Mu Yi" and had married a Liao princess.

Some of the most well-known sites include: Stories about the Yang family have been retold in the form of folk tales, stage plays and opera, novels, manhua (comics), films and television dramas.

In 2000 Du Mingxin also produced a symphonic version of the opera for the China Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO), consisting of an overture, three movements and an epilogue.