Yin Kaishan, born in Huxian county (now Huyi district, Xi’an, Northwest China’s Shaanxi province), was a general during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

He was once a magistrate during the Sui Dynasty (581–618). When Li Yuan (566-635), who later founded the Tang Dynasty, gathered an army to overthrow the Sui Dynasty, Yin was recruited to help make the military plans. 

Yin attacked Xihe prefecture (now in North China's Shanxi province) along with Li Jiancheng (589-626), the oldest son of Li Yuan. After Guanzhong (the central Shaanxi plain) was occupied, he was ordered to summon the peasant armies to surrender.

In 617, Yin was appointed as the assistant of a commanding general named Liu Hongji to attack enemies in Fufeng county in Shaanxi province. Leading more than 60,000 soldiers, they won the battle and captured thousands of warriors as prisoners and hundreds of horses. 

Yin was honored a title of nobility after helping overturn the Sui Dynasty but later, his title was removed and he became a common folk due to  his failure in a fight against Xue Ju, leader of another insurrectionary army. He didn’t regain his title until defeating Xue Rengao, Xue Ju’s son.

In 619, Yin followed Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, to subjugate other insurrectionary armies, and was honored a higher title for his contributions.

When Yin died of illness in a war, Li Shimin cried bitterly. In 643, Li regarded Yin as one of the founding fathers of the Tang Dynasty and included him on the list of exemplary statesmen of the dynasty.