Gao Ying
Encyclopedia
Gao Ying (740
– July 24, 811), courtesy name Gongchu (公楚), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Dezong
and Emperor Shunzong
.
, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong
. His ancestors were originally from Bohai (渤海, in modern Cangzhou
, Hebei
), but later moved to the later Wei Prefecture (衛州, in modern Puyang
, Henan
), and claimed common ancestry with but not descendance from the imperial house of Northern Qi
. His grandfather Gao Zhi (高質) served as a prefectural secretary general.
Gao Ying himself was said to understand the Spring and Autumn Annals
at age eight and already capable of writing, such that he was praised by the Confucian
scholars. When the Anshi Rebellion erupted, and the rebel Yan
forces captured the capital Chang'an
, Gao Ying's father Gao Boxiang (高伯祥) was serving as the sheriff of nearby Haozhi County (好畤, in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
) and tried to resist, but was captured by Yan forces. He was set to be executed, but the young Gao Ying spread his legs and loosened his clothes, offering to be executed in his father's stead. The Yan officers praised him for his filial piety and released them both.
s and was selected in the special class of those with great talents or unusual deeds. He was made the sheriff of Huayin County (華陰, in modern Weinan
, Shaanxi
). In 767
, when Emperor Xuanzong's grandson Emperor Daizong
, who was then emperor, was building a large Buddhist temple — Zhangjing Temple (章敬寺) — in honor of his mother Lady Wu, Gao changed into white clothes (to show fear) and submitted petitions against the waste of money in building the temple, but Emperor Daizong did not heed his advice.
Later, while the general Guo Ziyi
was serving as the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Shuofang
Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia
), he invited Gao to serve on his staff as a scribe. In 778
, Guo was angry with his deputy Zhang Tan (張曇), believing that Zhang disrespected him on account of the fact that he rose from the soldier ranks. Guo's associate Wu Yao (吳曜) thereafter made false accusations against Zhang, and Guo executed Zhang under the pretense that Zhang was encouraging soldiers to disobey orders — over Gao's objection. Guo thus demoted Gao to be the secretary general of Yishi County (猗氏, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
). (It was said, however, that when other staff members subsequently began to resign, Guo regretted both killing Zhang and demoting Gao.)
became the military governor of Binning Circuit (邠寧, headquartered in modern Xianyang) in 779
, during the reign of Emperor Daizong's son Emperor Dezong
, he invited Gao Ying to serve as a secretary, and Gao was eventually promoted to be his assistant. When Li rebelled against Emperor Dezong (who was then also battling a rebellion by Zhu Ci
and who had been forced to flee to Liang Prefecture (梁州, in modern Hanzhong
, Shaanxi
) in response to Li's rebellion) in 784
, Gao tried to get him to change his mind and again submit to Emperor Dezong, but Li refused. When Li gathered his troops at his base Hezhong (河中, in modern Yuncheng) and prepared to again attack west against the Tang general Hun Zhen
, Gao and fellow staff member Li Yong spoke against it, and Gao further persuaded Li Huaiguang's son Li Wei (李琟) as well, and while Li Wei was fearful of the consequences of acting against imperial forces, he was also unable to persuade Li Huaiguang. Later in 784, after Zhu was destroyed by another imperial general, Li Sheng
, Gao was able to get Li Huaiguang to agree to resubmit to Emperor Dezong. However, when Emperor Dezong's emissary Kong Chaofu (孔巢父) arrived at Hezhong, he angered Li Huaiguang and his soldiers by not immediately offering the command back to Li Huaiguang, and the soldiers, with Li Huaiguang's tacit approval, killed Kong and the eunuch Dan Shouying (啖守盈). Li Huaiguang thereafter continued to stand against imperial forces. In 785
, when Gao's colleague Lü Mingyue (呂鳴岳) secretly submitted to imperial forces and was discovered by Li Huaiguang, Li Huaiguang killed Lü and his family and arrested Gao and Li Yong when they revealed that, they, too, had been in communication with imperial forces, but as Li Huaiguang was unwilling to execute them as well, he kept them imprisoned. After Li Huaiguang, after defeats at the hands of the imperial general Ma Sui
, committed suicide later in 785, Ma invited Gao and Li Yong to serve on his own staff.
Not long after that, Gao was recalled to Chang'an to serve as Zhuke Yuanwailang (主客員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, Libu). He later successively served as Xingbu Langzhong (刑部郎中), a supervisorial official at the ministry of justice (刑部, Xingbu), and then Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), where he served for nine years. He was then made deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Libu Shilang), and he was put in charge of the imperial examinations. It was said that at that time, the examinees often neglected their studies and spent their time on feasting and associating with officials to receive preferential treatment. Gao had long despised this trend, and after he became in charge of the imperial examinations, he refused the other officials' intercessions on part of the examinees, and it was said that within three years of Gao's becoming in charge of the examinations, the habits of the examinees had changed for the better. Gao later served as the minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing). Around the new year 804
, Gao was made Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, and given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor, along with Zheng Xunyu
. He was also given the honorific title Yinqing Guanglu Daifu (銀青光祿大夫).
and was succeeded by his severely ill son Emperor Shunzong
, Gao was made the minister of justice (刑部尚書, Xingbu Shangshu) and continued to serve as chancellor. When, later in the year, Emperor Shunzong passed the throne to his son Emperor Xianzong
, Gao was removed from his chancellor post but continued to serve as the minister of justice and acting minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu). In 806
, he was made the prefect of Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan).
Later in 806, Gao was recalled to Chang'an to again serve as minister of worship, and soon he was made the chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu). Several months later, he was made the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu). Just after a month, he requested retirement, and Emperor Xianzong agreed, giving him the title of You Pushe (右僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng) before approving the retirement. Gao died in 811
and was give posthumous honors and the posthumous name
Zhen (貞, meaning "clean").
740
Year 740 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 740 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* October 26 – An earthquake strikes...
– July 24, 811), courtesy name Gongchu (公楚), was an official of the Chinese
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Dezong
Emperor Dezong of Tang
Emperor Dezong of Tang , personally name Li Kuo , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and the oldest son of his father Emperor Daizong. His reign of 26 years was the third longest in the Tang dynasty...
and Emperor Shunzong
Emperor Shunzong of Tang
Emperor Shunzong of Tang , personal name Li Song , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. He was created crown prince in 779 and became emperor in 805 after the death of his father Emperor Dezong, of whom he was the oldest son...
.
Background
Gao Ying was born in 740740
Year 740 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 740 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* October 26 – An earthquake strikes...
, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
. His ancestors were originally from Bohai (渤海, in modern Cangzhou
Cangzhou
Cangzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, People's Republic of China. Cangzhou's urban center has a population of approximately 514,074 at the 2010 census which correspond to the built up area), while the prefecture-level administrative region in total has a population of 7,134,053...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
), but later moved to the later Wei Prefecture (衛州, in modern Puyang
Puyang
Puyang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province, China. Located on the northern shore of the Yellow River, it borders Anyang in the west, Xinxiang in the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Hebei in the east and north respectively....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), and claimed common ancestry with but not descendance from the imperial house of Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
. His grandfather Gao Zhi (高質) served as a prefectural secretary general.
Gao Ying himself was said to understand the Spring and Autumn Annals
Spring and Autumn Annals
The Spring and Autumn Annals is the official chronicle of the State of Lu covering the period from 722 BCE to 481 BCE. It is the earliest surviving Chinese historical text to be arranged on annalistic principles. The text is extremely concise and, if all the commentaries are excluded, about 16,000...
at age eight and already capable of writing, such that he was praised by the Confucian
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
scholars. When the Anshi Rebellion erupted, and the rebel Yan
Yan (Anshi)
Yan , also known as the Great Yan , was a state established in 756 by the Tang Dynasty general An Lushan, after he rebelled against the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang in 755. The state was extinguished in 763, with the death of An Lushan's former subordinate, Shi Siming's son, Shi Chaoyi, who...
forces captured the capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
, Gao Ying's father Gao Boxiang (高伯祥) was serving as the sheriff of nearby Haozhi County (好畤, in modern Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) and tried to resist, but was captured by Yan forces. He was set to be executed, but the young Gao Ying spread his legs and loosened his clothes, offering to be executed in his father's stead. The Yan officers praised him for his filial piety and released them both.
Early career
Gao Ying later passed the imperial examinationImperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
s and was selected in the special class of those with great talents or unusual deeds. He was made the sheriff of Huayin County (華陰, in modern Weinan
Weinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
). In 767
767
Year 767 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 767 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.-Africa:* The Kharijite Berbers of Tlemcen and Tiaret...
, when Emperor Xuanzong's grandson Emperor Daizong
Emperor Daizong of Tang
Emperor Daizong of Tang , personal name Li Yu , né Li Chu , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty....
, who was then emperor, was building a large Buddhist temple — Zhangjing Temple (章敬寺) — in honor of his mother Lady Wu, Gao changed into white clothes (to show fear) and submitted petitions against the waste of money in building the temple, but Emperor Daizong did not heed his advice.
Later, while the general Guo Ziyi
Guo Ziyi
Guo Ziyi , formally Prince Zhongwu of Fenyang , was a general during the Tang Dynasty who ended the An Shi Rebellion, and participated in expeditions against the peoples of Huihe and Tubo...
was serving as the military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Shuofang
Shuofang
Shuofang was a fort built in the land of nomadic horse hasbandry tribes at the dawn of the Chinese written history. According to Bamboo Annals, Shuofang was built by the Emperor Di Yi of Shang state on the third year of his reign in 1098 BC in the midst of the Kun Barbarians territory in the...
Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
), he invited Gao to serve on his staff as a scribe. In 778
778
Year 778 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 778 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* August 15 – Battle of Roncevaux Pass...
, Guo was angry with his deputy Zhang Tan (張曇), believing that Zhang disrespected him on account of the fact that he rose from the soldier ranks. Guo's associate Wu Yao (吳曜) thereafter made false accusations against Zhang, and Guo executed Zhang under the pretense that Zhang was encouraging soldiers to disobey orders — over Gao's objection. Guo thus demoted Gao to be the secretary general of Yishi County (猗氏, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
). (It was said, however, that when other staff members subsequently began to resign, Guo regretted both killing Zhang and demoting Gao.)
During Emperor Dezong's reign
After the general Li HuaiguangLi Huaiguang
Li Huaiguang was a leading general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, of Mohe extraction. He was credited with saving Emperor Daizong in the face of an attack by the rebel Zhu Ci in 783 but, dissatisfied with the lack of trust that Emperor Dezong displayed in him later, also rebelled, but his...
became the military governor of Binning Circuit (邠寧, headquartered in modern Xianyang) in 779
779
Year 779 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 779 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Offa of Mercia defeats Cynewulf of Wessex...
, during the reign of Emperor Daizong's son Emperor Dezong
Emperor Dezong of Tang
Emperor Dezong of Tang , personally name Li Kuo , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and the oldest son of his father Emperor Daizong. His reign of 26 years was the third longest in the Tang dynasty...
, he invited Gao Ying to serve as a secretary, and Gao was eventually promoted to be his assistant. When Li rebelled against Emperor Dezong (who was then also battling a rebellion by Zhu Ci
Zhu Ci
Zhu Ci was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He initially served as military governor of Lulong Circuit , but later became a general for the imperial government...
and who had been forced to flee to Liang Prefecture (梁州, in modern Hanzhong
Hanzhong
Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) in response to Li's rebellion) in 784
784
Year 784 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 784 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Japanese capital moves away from Nara,...
, Gao tried to get him to change his mind and again submit to Emperor Dezong, but Li refused. When Li gathered his troops at his base Hezhong (河中, in modern Yuncheng) and prepared to again attack west against the Tang general Hun Zhen
Hun Zhen
Hun Zhen , né Hun Jin , formally Prince Zhongwu of Xianning , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty of Tiele extraction...
, Gao and fellow staff member Li Yong spoke against it, and Gao further persuaded Li Huaiguang's son Li Wei (李琟) as well, and while Li Wei was fearful of the consequences of acting against imperial forces, he was also unable to persuade Li Huaiguang. Later in 784, after Zhu was destroyed by another imperial general, Li Sheng
Li Sheng
Li Sheng was a Chinese landscape artist. His brush painting Saying Farewell by the Lake Dianshan is popular in the west, as exemplified by its widespread availability.- See also :* Chinese painting in the Song and Yuan dynasties...
, Gao was able to get Li Huaiguang to agree to resubmit to Emperor Dezong. However, when Emperor Dezong's emissary Kong Chaofu (孔巢父) arrived at Hezhong, he angered Li Huaiguang and his soldiers by not immediately offering the command back to Li Huaiguang, and the soldiers, with Li Huaiguang's tacit approval, killed Kong and the eunuch Dan Shouying (啖守盈). Li Huaiguang thereafter continued to stand against imperial forces. In 785
785
Year 785 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The article denomination 785 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years...
, when Gao's colleague Lü Mingyue (呂鳴岳) secretly submitted to imperial forces and was discovered by Li Huaiguang, Li Huaiguang killed Lü and his family and arrested Gao and Li Yong when they revealed that, they, too, had been in communication with imperial forces, but as Li Huaiguang was unwilling to execute them as well, he kept them imprisoned. After Li Huaiguang, after defeats at the hands of the imperial general Ma Sui
Ma Sui
Ma Sui , courtesy name Xunmei , formally Prince Zhuangwu of Beiping , was a Chinese general who served during the Tang dynasty. He was known mostly for his battles against the rebel generals Li Lingyao , Tian Yue, Zhu Tao, and Li Huaiguang.- Background and early career :Ma Sui was born in 726,...
, committed suicide later in 785, Ma invited Gao and Li Yong to serve on his own staff.
Not long after that, Gao was recalled to Chang'an to serve as Zhuke Yuanwailang (主客員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, Libu). He later successively served as Xingbu Langzhong (刑部郎中), a supervisorial official at the ministry of justice (刑部, Xingbu), and then Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), where he served for nine years. He was then made deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Libu Shilang), and he was put in charge of the imperial examinations. It was said that at that time, the examinees often neglected their studies and spent their time on feasting and associating with officials to receive preferential treatment. Gao had long despised this trend, and after he became in charge of the imperial examinations, he refused the other officials' intercessions on part of the examinees, and it was said that within three years of Gao's becoming in charge of the examinations, the habits of the examinees had changed for the better. Gao later served as the minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing). Around the new year 804
804
Year 804 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Japanese monk Kukai visits China, from which he brings back texts of Shingon ....
, Gao was made Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, and given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor, along with Zheng Xunyu
Zheng Xunyu
Zheng Xunyu , courtesy name Yuanbo , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Dezong and Emperor Shunzong.- Background :...
. He was also given the honorific title Yinqing Guanglu Daifu (銀青光祿大夫).
During Emperor Shunzong's and Emperor Xianzong's reigns
After Emperor Dezong died in 805805
Year 805 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Byzantine Empire :* Emperor Nicephorus I of Byzantium suffers a major defeat against the Saracens at Crasus.- Asia :...
and was succeeded by his severely ill son Emperor Shunzong
Emperor Shunzong of Tang
Emperor Shunzong of Tang , personal name Li Song , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. He was created crown prince in 779 and became emperor in 805 after the death of his father Emperor Dezong, of whom he was the oldest son...
, Gao was made the minister of justice (刑部尚書, Xingbu Shangshu) and continued to serve as chancellor. When, later in the year, Emperor Shunzong passed the throne to his son Emperor Xianzong
Emperor Xianzong of Tang
Emperor Xianzong of Tang , personal name Li Chun , né Li Chun , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty...
, Gao was removed from his chancellor post but continued to serve as the minister of justice and acting minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu). In 806
806
Year 806 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Heizei succeeds Emperor Kammu as Emperor of Japan....
, he was made the prefect of Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan).
Later in 806, Gao was recalled to Chang'an to again serve as minister of worship, and soon he was made the chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu). Several months later, he was made the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu). Just after a month, he requested retirement, and Emperor Xianzong agreed, giving him the title of You Pushe (右僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng) before approving the retirement. Gao died in 811
811
Year 811 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Byzantine Empire :...
and was give posthumous honors and the posthumous name
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
Zhen (貞, meaning "clean").