Qin and Han · Ruler

Emperor Gaozu 高帝

Gao Di

First attested BC 209; died BC 195

Passages: 13
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Gaozu was a ruler.

Life and dates

Death

BC 195 高帝崩
From wounds
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 166

Attested activity

BC 205 to BC 202 漢王之還攻項籍
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passages 178, 185
BC 195 燕王盧綰反
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passages 158, 160, 166
BC 196 高帝從破布軍還
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 157
BC 209 to BC 206 高祖微時
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passages 175, 177

Places and affiliations

Polity Han 漢 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 178
At Chang'an 長安 · Relation Traveled to
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 157
At Pei 沛 · Relation Rose from
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 177

Works and attributed material

Edict · Author · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 161
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 160

Events and relationships

Returned from campaign
Medical · Wounded
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 157
Returned wounded
Military · Commander · With Qing Bu (布) · At Chang'an 長安
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 157
Sent army against rebel
Political · Sovereign · With Lu Wan (盧綰)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 158
Relation Enemy of · Person Yong Chi (雍齒)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 186
Relation Old companion of · Person Fan Kuai (樊噲) · Mode quotation Speaker Chen Ping (陳平)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 162
Relation Treated as elder brother · Person Wang Ling (王陵)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 175

Assessments and attributes

Assessment worthy-elder · Mode quotation Speaker Mother of Wang Ling (陵母)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 181

References in the histories

Search passages

History

13 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 56House of Chancellor Chen · 13 passages

高帝從破布軍還，病創，徐行至長安。 Emperor Gaozu returned from the campaign that defeated Qing Bu's army, suffering from his battle wounds. He traveled slowly back to Chang'an.

燕王盧綰反，上使樊噲以相國將兵攻之。 When Lu Wan, King of Yan, rebelled, the emperor sent Fan Kuai as Chancellor to lead an army against him.

高帝怒曰：「噲見吾病，乃冀我死也。」 Emperor Gaozu said in fury, "Fan Kuai sees that I am ill and hopes I will die."

二人既受詔，馳傳未至軍，行計之曰：「樊噲，帝之故人也，功多，且又乃呂后弟呂媭之夫，有親且貴，帝以忿怒故，欲斬之，則恐後悔。 The two men received the edict and rode the relay, but before reaching the army they conferred along the way. "Fan Kuai is an old companion of the emperor," they reasoned, "a man of great merit, and moreover the husband of Empress Lu's sister Lu Xu—he has both kinship and rank. The emperor wishes to behead him out of anger, but may well regret it later.

寧囚而致上，上自誅之。」 Better to arrest him and deliver him to the emperor, so the emperor can decide his fate himself."

平行聞高帝崩，平恐呂太后及呂媭讒怒，乃馳傳先去。 While on the road, Ping received word that Emperor Gaozu had died. Fearing that Empress Dowager Lu and Lu Xu would slander him in their anger, he raced ahead by relay.

王陵者，故沛人，始為縣豪，高祖微時，兄事陵。 Wang Ling was originally from Pei and had been a local strongman. In the days when Emperor Gaozu was still a commoner, he looked up to Ling as an elder brother.

及高祖起沛，入至咸陽，陵亦自聚黨數千人，居南陽，不肯從沛公。 When Emperor Gaozu rose from Pei and marched to Xianyang, Ling also gathered several thousand followers of his own and held Nanyang, refusing to join the Lord of Pei.

及漢王之還攻項籍，陵乃以兵屬漢。 Only when the King of Han returned to fight Xiang Ji did Ling bring his forces under Han's command.

陵母既私送使者，泣曰：「為老妾語陵，謹事漢王。 But Ling's mother, after secretly seeing the envoy off, wept and said, "Tell Ling for this old woman: serve the King of Han faithfully.

漢王，長者也，無以老妾故，持二心。 The King of Han is a worthy man. Do not waver on account of this old woman.

陵卒從漢王定天下。 Ling eventually followed the King of Han and helped pacify the realm.

以善雍齒，雍齒，高帝之仇，而陵本無意從高帝，以故晚封，為安國侯。 Because he had been friendly with Yong Chi—who was Emperor Gaozu's sworn enemy—and because he had originally had no intention of following Gaozu, he was enfeoffed late, receiving the title of Marquis of Anguo.