Prince of Jin
Yang Zhao was born in 584, while his father Yang Guang was the Prince of Jin under his grandfather Emperor Wen. His mother was Yang Guang's wife Princess Xiao, and he was their oldest son. In his infancy, he was raised by his grandparents Emperor Wen and Empress Dugu. In 590, Emperor Wen created him the Prince of Henan. He initially married the daughter of the official Cui Hongsheng () as his wife and princess, but after Princess Cui's aunt, who married his uncle Yang Jun the Prince of Qin, was discovered to have poisoned Yang Jun over her jealousness for Yang Jun's concubines in 597, Yang Zhao divorced his wife and married the daughter of the official Wei Shou () the Duke of Hua as his wife and princess. After his father Yang Guang displaced his uncle Yang Yong as crown prince in 600, Yang Zhao was created his father's old title of Prince of Jin in 601.