Gao Shilian
Gao Shilian 高士廉 | |
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Born | 576 |
Died | February 14, 647 (aged 70–71) |
Other names |
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Occupation | Politician |
Spouse | Lady Xianyu |
Children |
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Parent |
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Relatives | Empress Zhangsun (niece) |
Gao Jian (576 – February 14, 647[1]), courtesy name Shilian, better known as Gao Shilian, formally Duke Wenxian of Shen (申文獻公), was a Chinese politician of the Tang dynasty. He was the uncle of Empress Zhangsun, Emperor Taizong's wife, and a trusted advisor to Emperor Taizong.
Background
Gao Shilian was born in 576, in the waning years of
During Sui Dynasty and Xiao Xi's restoration of Liang Dynasty
Gao Shilian was known for proper conduct in his youth, and he was studied in literature and history. He became a friend of the important officials Xue Daoheng (薛道衡) and Cui Zujun (崔祖濬), although he was much younger than they were. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, Gao became a junior official at the ministry of ceremonies. Meanwhile, his younger sister married the general Zhangsun Sheng (長孫晟), but after Zhangsun Sheng died in 609, Zhangsun Sheng's son, by a prior wife, Zhangsun Anye (長孫安業), expelled her and her two children—a son named Zhangsun Wuji and a daughter—from the Zhangsun household. She took her children to Gao Shilian's household, and Gao Shilian took them in and raised the children. In 613, it was by his decision that young Lady Zhangsun, then 12, married Li Shimin, the 14-year-old son of the general Li Yuan the Duke of Tang, as he was impressed by Li Shimin.
In 614, during the second campaign against Goguryeo by Emperor Wen's son Emperor Yang, the general Yang Xuangan rebelled, and one of Yang Xuangan's associates, the minister of defense Husi Zheng (斛斯政), fled to Goguryeo. As Gao was friendly with Husi, he was demoted and exiled to being the secretary general of Zhuyuan County (朱鳶, in modern northern Vietnam). As he did not want to subject his parents to the distant travel into the remote region, he left his wife Lady Xianyu to stay with his parents and went by himself. Further, in order to allow his sister to continue be able to live without him around, he sold his mansion and bought a smaller house, and then divided the remaining proceeds with his sister before departing for Zhuyuan.
In 617, with almost the entire Sui territory engulfed in agrarian rebellions against Emperor Yang's rule,
During Emperor Gaozu's reign
Li Yuan, who established
By 626, Li Shimin was locked in an intense rivalry with his older brother
During Emperor Taizong's reign
Later in 626, when Eastern
Later in 627, there was an incident in which Gao Shilian's deputy, Wang Gui, had written a secret petition to Emperor Taizong and, per protocol, submitted it first to Gao and requested that Gao attach it to his own submission to Emperor Taizong. Gao, however, held onto Wang's petition and did not submit it, and also did not inform Wang that he did so. When Emperor Taizong found out about this, he demoted Gao to the post of commandant at An Prefecture (安州, roughly modern Xiaogan, Hubei). Gao was later made the secretary general of Yi Prefecture (益州, roughly modern Chengdu, Sichuan), and as the titular commandant at Yi Prefecture was Emperor Taizong's young son Li Ke the Prince of Shu, Gao was effectively commandant. It was said that while serving at Yi Prefecture, Gao disabused the people of superstitions that led them not to attend to their parents when their parents were ill, improved irrigation, and encouraged learning.
In 631, Gao was recalled to the capital to serve as the minister of civil service affairs, and was created the greater title of Duke of Xu. One of his sons was also created a lesser duke. When Emperor Gaozu died in 635, Gao was in charge of building Emperor Gaozu's tomb, and was rewarded after the projet was completed.
In 637, as part of Emperor Taizong's scheme to bestow prefectures on his relatives and great generals and officials as their permanent domains, Gao's title was changed to Duke of Shen, and he was given the post of a prefectural prefect for his heirs to inherit. Soon, however, with many objections to the system, the strongest of which came from Zhangsun Wuji, Emperor Taizong cancelled the scheme, although Gao's title remained Duke of Shen.
Sometime before 638, Emperor Taizong, disgusted with the traditional noble clans of Cui, Lu, Li, and Zheng and believing that they were abusing their highly honored names, commissioned Gao, Wei Ting (韋挺), Linghu Defen, and Cen Wenben to compile a work later to be known as the Records of Clans (氏族志), with the intent of dividing the clans into nine classes based on their past contributions, good deeds, and ill deeds. In an initial draft that Gao submitted, he nevertheless ranked the branch of the Cui clan that the official Cui Min'gan (崔民幹) belonged to as the highest, a decision that Emperor Taizong rebuked, as he pointed out that Gao was merely again looking at tradition and not the recent contributions. He therefore personally intervened in revising the work, reducing Cui's clan to the third class. However, after the work was completed in 638, Emperor Taizong nevertheless rewarded Gao for compiling the work. In fall 638, he made Gao Pushe (僕射), a head of the important executive bureau of the government and also a post for a chancellor. In 641, when Emperor Taizong visited the eastern capital Luoyang, he left his crown prince Li Chengqian in charge of Chang'an, but had Gao serve as his assistant and effectively in charge. Later in 641, Gao and Fang drew rebuke from Emperor Taizong when they inquired of the deputy imperial architect, Dou Desu (竇德素) of imperial construction projects — which Emperor Taizong saw as an encroachment on his liberty. However, Wei pointed out that chancellors were supposed to be responsible for all affairs of state, and Emperor Taizong, realizing that he had erred, was humbled.
In 643, when Emperor Taizong commissioned the
In 644, when Emperor Taizong, at an imperial gathering, stated to his key officials their strengths and weaknesses, he spoke, with regard to Gao:
- Gao Shilian is well studied in both historical and current matters and has a clean heart. Even great disasters could not get him to lose his integrity. He never engaged in factionalism while in government. However, he had no fortitude to criticize and suggest to his superiors.
In 645, when Emperor Taizong attacked Goguryeo and left his crown prince Li Zhi (who replaced Li Chengqian in 643 after Li Chengqian was discovered to have plotted to overthrow Emperor Taizong) in charge of logistics at Ding Prefecture (定州, roughly modern Baoding, Hebei), Gao was left there as well to assist Li Zh, along with Liu Ji, Ma Zhou, Zhang Xingcheng, and Gao Jifu. When Li Zhi heard and decided important matters, he set up a seat for Gao next to him, but Gao declined the honor.
In spring 647, Gao was gravely ill. Emperor Taizong personally went to visit him. The next day, Gao died, and Emperor Taizong wanted to personally attend his wake, despite urgings by Fang not to, as Emperor Taizong was also himself recently ill. However, before Emperor Taizong could get to Gao's mansion, Zhangsun Wuji intercepted him and earnestly sought to stop him, lying down in the street before him to stop him. Emperor Taizong instead went up on the city walls to watch Gao's funeral procession in order to mourn. Gao was buried near the tomb of Empress Zhangsun (who died in 636), where Emperor Taizong would eventually be buried as well. By Gao's own will, no treasures were buried with him, only one set of clothes and some of Gao's own favorite books. Later, when Li Zhi became emperor after Emperor Taizong's death in 649 (as Emperor Gaozong), he ordered that Gao, along with Fang and Qutu Tong (屈突通), be worshipped at the same temple as Emperor Taizong.
Notes and references
- ^ 兩千年中西曆轉換
- ^ a b Gao Shilian's grandfather's and father's names are per the Book of Northern Qi, vol. 13 "北齊書 列傳 卷一至十". Archived from the original on 2006-02-18. Retrieved 2006-10-18.. Inexplicably, however, Gao Shilian's biography in the Old Book of Tang, while getting Gao Shilian's grandfather's and father's offices and title correct, were likely erroneous as to their names, rendering Gao Shilian's grandfather's name as 嶽 (also pronounced Yue) and father's name as Gao Li (高勵). See Old Book of Tang, vol. 65 "舊唐書 列傳 卷十一至二十". Archived from the original on 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2007-12-18.. As the official history of Northern Qi, Book of Northern Qi was written much nearer to their times, the Book of Northern Qi versions of their names are generally considered the correct ones. (The New Book of Tang used 岳 for Gao Shilian's grandfather's name, but also used Li for his father's name. See New Book of Tang, vol. 95 "唐書 列傳 第十一至二五". Archived from the original on 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2007-12-18..) The Zizhi Tongjian followed the Book of Northern Qi. See Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 166.
- ^ The 643 date was per the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang. See New Book of Tang, vol. 61 "唐書 表 第一至九". Archived from the original on 2007-12-26. Retrieved 2007-07-13.. Gao's own biography in the Old Book of Tang indicated that the date was 642. See Old Book of Tang, vol. 65. However, the 642 date was inconsistent with the chronicle of Emperor Taizong's reign in the Old Book of Tang itself. See Old Book of Tang, vol. 3.
- Old Book of Tang, vol. 65.[1]
- New Book of Tang, vol. 95.[2]
- Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 185, 189, 190, 191, 192, 195, 196, 197, 198.