Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi (文宣帝)

Overview

Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi was the founding emperor of Northern Qi.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Gao Yang	高洋	Gao Yang
Posthumous name	Emperor Wenxuan	文宣
Temple name	Xianzu	顯祖
Alternate name	Wenxuan	文宣

Life and dates

Death

AD 559 天保十年十月
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 22
AD 559 to AD 560 及帝崩
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 119
AD 559 天保十年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 39
AD 559 文宣之崩
Died
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 84
AD 559 文宣皇帝崩
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 36, passage 78

Attested activity

AD 559 天保十年十月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 22
AD 550 天保元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 5, passages 1-2
AD 556 天保七年冬
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 11
AD 558 天保九年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 13
AD 550 to AD 559 北齊文宣帝自平州三道來侵
Directly stated · History of Liao 32, passage 121
AD 550 受禪之日
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 30, passage 151

Show 26 more source-backed claims

AD 550 to AD 559 天保
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 27, passage 52; Book of Northern Qi 31, passages 39, 50, 85; Book of Northern Qi 40, passage 79; Book of Northern Qi 50, passages 11, 39
AD 556 天保七年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 16
AD 558 天保九年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 21
AD 551 天保二年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 28, passage 30
AD 554 天保五年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 50, passage 11
AD 550 天保元年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 34
AD 555 天保六年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 57
AD 555 天保六年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 33, passage 16
AD 550 天保初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 28; Book of Northern Qi 25, passage 67
AD 559 天保十年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 71; Book of Northern Qi 30, passages 80, 211
AD 559 天保十年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 28, passages 138-139
AD 553 天保四年九月
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 63, passage 38
c. AD 559 天保末年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 98
AD 550 to AD 559 文宣
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 48, passage 39
AD 559 文宣之崩
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 84
AD 550 文宣受禪
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 47, passage 175
AD 550 to AD 559 文宣帝
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 223
AD 550 to AD 559 文宣幸晉陽
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 36, passage 77
AD 559 文宣皇帝崩
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 36, passage 78
AD 547 武定五年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 3, passage 29
AD 547 to AD 549 辛卯後
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 3, passage 157
AD 550 to AD 559 顯祖
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 46, passage 65
AD 550 to AD 559 顯祖受禪
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 48, passage 53
AD 550 to AD 559 顯祖時 / 天保
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 49, passage 19
AD 550 齊受禪
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 35, passage 36
AD 550 齊天保元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 38, passages 12, 15

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Sibling of Prince of Changshan (常山王)
brother 兄弟 · Full siblings
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 30, passage 79
Sibling of Emperor Xiaozhao (孝昭帝)
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings
brother 叔/兄 · Full siblings
younger brother by the same mother 母弟 · Full siblings · paternal line
Sources vary in certainty · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 1; Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 97; Book of Northern Qi 34, passages 111, 119
Sibling of Prince of Changgung (長廣王)
brother 叔/兄 · Full siblings
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 34, passages 111, 119
Child of Lou Zhaojun (婁昭君)
conceived Wenxuan 孕文宣
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 38
Spouse of Daughter of Zhang Yanzhi
consort 妃 · Secondary marriage
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 35, passage 89
Parent of Crown Prince (太子)
crown prince 太子
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 30, passage 209
Sibling of Gao Cheng (高澄)
Duke of Taiyuan Yang 太原公洋 · Full siblings · paternal line
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Sources vary in certainty · Book of Northern Qi 3, passages 1, 29; Book of Northern Qi 30, passage 75; Book of Northern Qi 31, passages 81, 97
Spouse of Empress Wenxuan (文宣皇后)
empress 后 · Primary marriage
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 66
Spouse of Empress Li (李皇后)
empress 皇后 · Primary marriage
empress 皇後
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 1; Book of Northern Qi 48, passage 49
Spouse of Li Zu'e (李祖娥)
established the empress 立后 · Primary marriage
Primary marriage
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 69
Child of Gao Huan (高歡)
son 子
father 父
Yang 洋 · paternal line
Sources vary in certainty · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 1; Book of Northern Qi 30, passage 116; Book of Northern Qi 31, passages 79, 86; Book of Northern Qi 47, passage 175; Book of Northern Qi 3, passages 1, 29
Parent of Gao Yin (濟南王)
father 父
son 子
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 119; Book of Northern Qi 34, passages 85, 111
Parent of Emperor Fei (廢帝殷)
father 父
son 子
Sources vary in certainty · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 1; Book of Northern Qi 6, passages 39, 155
Child of Empress Dowager Lou (婁太后)
mother 母
Sources vary in certainty · Book of Northern Qi 3, passages 1, 29; Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 92; Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 157
Child of Empress Dowager Wuming (武明皇太后)
son 子
mother 母
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 1
Parent of Emperor Xiaozhao (孝昭帝)
son 子
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 47
Parent of Prince Zhan of Changguang (長廣王湛)
son 子
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 47
Parent of Gao Shaode (高紹德)
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 9, passages 73, 75

Kinship Role brothers · Count 2
Uncertain · Book of Northern Qi 30, passage 79

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Duke of Taiyuan 太原公
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 3, passage 29; Book of Northern Qi 49, passage 131
Arrested and imprisoned Tian’en’s faction, ordering their execution
Ordered executions · With Tian’en (天恩)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 31
Executed Gao Dezheng and gave his wealth to Guiyan
Executed · With Gao Dezheng (高德正)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 156
Struck Guiyan on the forehead with a horsewhip until blood covered his face
Punished · With Guiyan (歸彥)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 208
Received abdication
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 48, passage 53
As Emperor receiving Wei abdication 受魏禪
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passages 27, 56

Show 2 more source-backed claims

AD 550 魏武定八年五月 / 天保初
Event accepted abdication in midsummer after divination
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 49, passages 57, 61, 64-65
Emperor
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 31, passages 39, 85

Places and affiliations

Polity Northern Qi 北齊 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 223; Book of Northern Qi 30, passage 151; Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 84
AD 558 天保九年
At Jinyang 晉陽 · Relation Sojourned at
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 13
At Golden Phoenix Terrace 金鳳台 · Relation Visited
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 19

Learning and skills

c. AD 559 天保末年
Belief Buddhism 內法 · Relation Adherent of
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 98

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Quote false · About crown prince has Han temperament; wish to depose and install Prince of Taiyuan · With Emperor Fei (廢帝殷), Prince of Taiyuan (太原王)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 8
Speech · Speaker · Quote true · About faulted Xing Shao for naming Yin/Zhengdao · With Xing Shao (邢卲)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 60
Speech · Speaker · Quote true · About refused name change: It is Heaven · With Xing Shao (邢卲)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 62
Speech · Speaker · Quote true · About told Xiaozhao to seize throne but not kill Fei · With Emperor Xiaozhao (孝昭帝), Emperor Fei (廢帝殷)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 63
Praised Sihao’s fierce bravery against the Rouran and renamed him
Praise · Speaker
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 105
Letter · Author · Addressed to Cui Xuan (崔暹)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 30, passages 74-75

Show 9 more source-backed claims

Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Cui Ang (崔昂)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 30, passages 207-208, 212
Judgment · Speaker · Direct quotation · Topic Song Jingye fit to teach emperors
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 49, passage 56
Speech · Speaker · With Yang Yin (楊愔) · Mode quotation Speaker Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi (文宣帝)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 35, passage 36
Speech · Speaker · With Wang Xin (王昕)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 39
Speech · Speaker · With Empress Dowager Lou (婁太后)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 40, passages 85, 88
Speech · Speaker · With Yuan Shao (元韶) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 28, passage 139
Speech · Speaker · With Zhang Yao (張耀)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 25, passage 74
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 57; Book of Northern Qi 28, passage 136
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 30, passages 176-177, 210; Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 92

Events and relationships

Appointed heir
AD 550 to AD 559 文宣帝 · Political · Authority · With Fuhu (伏護)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 223
Beat Xiaozhao with sword ring
Violence · Actor · With Emperor Xiaozhao (孝昭帝)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 35
Captured over one hundred thousand
AD 550 to AD 559 北齊文宣帝自平州三道來侵 · Military · Invader · At Ping prefecture 平州
Directly stated · History of Liao 32, passage 121
Dressed as woman
Personal · Humiliator · With Yuan Shao (元韶)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 28, passage 136
Executed
AD 547 to AD 549 辛卯後 · Legal · Punisher · With Lan Jing (蘭京)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 3, passage 157
Flogged and threatened
Punishment · Authority · With Emperor Xiaozhao (孝昭帝)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 31, passages 115, 117

Show 9 more source-backed claims

Had Wenlüe imprisoned
Legal · Authority
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 48, passage 39
Permitted Yuanhai to retreat to Mount Linlu and later recalled him
Personal · Patron · With Gao Yuanhai (高元海)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 43
Personally campaigned against the Khitan
Military · Participant
Directly stated · History of Liao 63, passage 38
Received abdication from Wei
AD 550 受禪之日 · Political · Accession
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 30, passage 151
Slaughtered Yuan clan
AD 559 天保十年 · Political · Instigator
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 28, passages 141-142, 144
Struck crown prince with riding crop
Personal · Authority · With Emperor Fei (廢帝殷)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 21
Violated Empress Yuan and humiliated Gao women
AD 555 天保六年 · Personal · Perpetrator · With Empress Yuan of Wenxiang (元氏)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 9, passages 57-59
Visited Jinyang sweet dew omen
AD 550 to AD 559 文宣幸晉陽 · Ritual · Sovereign · At Jinyang 晉陽
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 36, passage 77
Threatened execution · Authority · With Wang Hong (王紘)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 25, passages 195, 197

Assessments and attributes

Assessment fell into madness · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 57
Assessment later gave himself over to wine and cruelty · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 157
Item two stone horns 二石角 · Relation Bestowed · With Guiyan (歸彥)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passages 205-206

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 28, passage 1

References in the histories

Search passages

History

182 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 3Volume 3 Annals 3: Emperor Wenxiang · 2 passages

Open chapter

壬寅，魏帝詔太原公洋攝理軍國，遣中使敦喻。 On renyin day the emperor issued an edict that Duke of Taiyuan Gao Yang administer military and state affairs and sent a palace envoy to urge him earnestly.

時太原公洋在城東雙堂，入而討賊，臠割京等，皆漆其頭。 At the time Duke of Taiyuan Gao Yang was at the Twin Hall east of the city; he entered and punished the traitors, dismembering Jing and the rest and lacquering their heads.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 5Volume 5 Annals 5: Emperor Fei · 11 passages

Open chapter

廢帝殷，字正道，文宣帝之長子也，母曰李皇后。 Emperor Fei, whose personal name was Yin and style name Zhengdao, was the eldest son of Emperor Wenxuan. His mother was Empress Li.

文宣每言太子得漢家性質，不似我，欲廢之，立太原王。 Emperor Wenxuan often said the crown prince had inherited Han Chinese ways and was nothing like himself; he wanted to depose him and set up the Prince of Taiyuan instead.

七年冬，文宣召朝臣文學者及禮學官於宮宴會，令以經義相質，親自臨聽。 In the winter of the seventh year, Emperor Wenxuan summoned literary officials and ritual specialists to a palace banquet, had them debate passages from the classics, and listened in person.

九年，文宣在晉陽，太子監國，集諸儒講《孝經》。 In the ninth year, while Emperor Wenxuan was at Jinyang, the crown prince acted as regent, gathered the scholars, and expounded the Classic of Filial Piety.

後文宣登金鳳台，召太子使手刃囚。 Later Emperor Wenxuan went up to the Golden Phoenix Terrace, called the crown prince, and ordered him to execute a prisoner with his own blade.

文宣怒，親以馬鞭撞太子三下，由是氣悸語吃，精神時復昏擾。 Emperor Wenxuan flew into a rage and personally struck the crown prince three times with his riding crop. From that time on the prince suffered heart palpitations and a stammer, and his mind would sometimes grow confused.

十年十月，文宣崩。 In the tenth month of the tenth year, Emperor Wenxuan died.

以常山王地親望重，內外畏服，加以文宣初崩之日，太后本欲立之，故愔等並懷猜忌。 Prince Yan of Changshan was a close kinsman with formidable prestige, feared and obeyed at court and beyond. Since the empress dowager had originally wanted to enthrone him when Emperor Wenxuan died, Yang Yin and the others all suspected him.

王薨後，孝昭不豫，見文宣爲祟。 After the prince died, Emperor Xiaozhao fell ill and saw Emperor Wenxuan haunting him as an angry spirit.

初，文宣命邢卲制帝名殷，字正道，帝從而尤之曰：「殷家弟及，『正』字一止，吾身後兒不得也。」 Earlier, Emperor Wenxuan had ordered Xing Shao to devise Yin as the emperor's personal name and Zhengdao as his style. Wenxuan later faulted him for it: "In the house of Yin, brothers succeeded one another, and the character 正 contains a single 'stop.' After I am gone, my son will not have it."

文宣不許曰：「天也。」 Wenxuan refused, saying, "It is Heaven."

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 6Volume 6 Annals 6: Emperor Xiaozhao · 21 passages

Open chapter

孝昭皇帝演，字延安，神武皇帝第六子，文宣皇帝之母弟也。 Emperor Xiaozhao, whose personal name was Yan and style name Yan'an, was the sixth son of Emperor Shenwu and the full younger brother of Emperor Wenxuan.

七年，從文宣還鄴。 In the seventh year he returned to Ye with Emperor Wenxuan.

文宣以尚書奏事，多有異同，令帝與朝臣先論定得失，然後敷奏。 Because memorials from the Secretariat often conflicted, Emperor Wenxuan had the prince and the ministers debate each matter's merits first, and only then bring the decision forward.

帝長於政術，剖斷咸盡其理，文宣歎重之。 The prince had a gift for statecraft; every ruling he handed down went to the heart of the matter, and Emperor Wenxuan marveled at him.

時文宣溺於遊宴，帝憂憤表於神色。 By then Emperor Wenxuan was lost to feasting and pleasure, and the prince's distress and anger showed in his every look.

文宣覺之，謂帝曰：「但令汝在，我何為不縱樂？」 Emperor Wenxuan noticed and said to him, "With you here, why should I not enjoy myself?"

文宣亦大悲，抵杯於地曰：「汝以此嫌我，自今敢進酒者，斬之！」 Emperor Wenxuan was stricken too. He smashed his cup on the floor and cried, "So this is how you see me! From today on, whoever dares set wine before me shall be executed!"

帝不從，因間極言，遂逢大怒。 He would not listen. Seizing a moment alone with Emperor Wenxuan, he spoke with all his force—and provoked a terrible rage.

順成后本魏朝宗室，文宣欲帝離之，陰為帝廣求淑媛，望移其寵。 Empress Shuncheng came from the Wei imperial clan. Emperor Wenxuan wanted the prince to turn from her and secretly searched out worthy beauties for him, hoping to draw his heart elsewhere.

文宣乃立帝於前，以刀環擬脅召被帝罰者，臨以白刃，求帝之短，咸無所陳，方見解釋。 Emperor Wenxuan made the prince stand before him, brandishing the ring of his sword as a threat. He called in those the prince had punished, put bare blades to their throats, and demanded his faults—but none had any charge to bring, and only then was the prince released.

後賜帝魏時宮人，醒而忘之，謂帝擅取，遂以刀環亂築，因此致困。 Later Emperor Wenxuan gave the prince palace women left from Wei times. When he sobered, he forgot the gift, accused the prince of taking them without leave, and beat him savagely with the sword ring until the prince collapsed from his injuries.

皇太后日夜啼泣，文宣不知所為。 The Empress Dowager wept day and night, and Emperor Wenxuan did not know what to do.

先是禁友王晞，乃捨之，令侍帝。 Wang Xi, his friend, had earlier been placed under restriction; now Emperor Wenxuan freed him and set him to wait on the prince.

及文宣崩，帝居禁中護喪事，幼主即位，乃即朝班。 When Emperor Wenxuan died, Xiaozhao remained in the palace to oversee the funeral. Once the young ruler took the throne, he entered the court ranks.

時庭中及兩廊下衛士二千餘人皆被甲待詔，武衛娥永樂武力絕綸，又被文宣重遇，撫刃思效。 More than two thousand guards in the courtyard and along both wings of the hall stood armored, awaiting command. E Yongle of the Military Guard was a fighter without equal, and Emperor Wenxuan had greatly favored him; he gripped his blade, ready to give his life.

顯祖文宣皇帝廟宜奏《文正》之樂，舞《光大》之舞。 The temple of Emperor Wenxuan should use the hymn "Correct Civil Virtue" and the dance "Great Radiance."

庚申，詔以故太師尉景、故太師竇泰、故太師太原王婁昭、故太宰章武王厙狄幹、故太尉段榮、故太師万俟普、故司徒蔡儁、故太師高乾、故司徒莫多婁貸文、故太保劉貴、故太保封祖裔、故廣州刺史王懷十二人配饗太祖廟庭，故太師清河王岳、故太宰安德王韓軌、故太宰扶風王可朱渾道元、故太師高昂、故大司馬劉豐、故太師万俟受洛干、故太尉慕容紹宗七人配饗世宗廟庭，故太尉河東王潘相樂、故司空薛脩義、故太傅破六韓常三人配饗顯祖廟庭。 On the gengshen day, an edict ordered twelve deceased ministers to receive associated sacrifice in the Founding Emperor's temple, including Wei Jing, Dou Tai, Lou Zhao, She Digan, Duan Rong, Wan Sipo, Cai Jun, Gao Gan, Moduo Lou Daiwen, Liu Gui, Feng Zuyi, and Wang Huai; seven others in Emperor Wenxiang's temple, including Princes Yue, Han Gui, and Kezhuhun Daoyuan, Liu Feng, Wan Sipo Shouluogan, and Murong Shaozong; and three more in Emperor Wenxuan's temple—Pan Xiangle, Xue Xiuyi, and Poliuhan Chang.

對曰：「陛下昔見文宣以馬鞭撻人，常以為非，而今行之，非妄言耶？」 He replied, "Your Majesty once saw Emperor Wenxuan lash people with a riding crop and always condemned it; yet now you do the same—is that not saying one thing and doing another?"

時有尚書令史姓趙，於鄴見文宣從楊愔、燕子獻等西行，言相與復讐。 A clerk in the Secretariat surnamed Zhao, while at Ye, saw a vision of Emperor Wenxuan leading Yang Yin, Yan Zixian, and others westward, saying they had come to take revenge.

文宣因循鴻業，內外葉從，自朝及野，群心屬望，東魏之地，舉國樂推，曾未期月，遂登宸極。 Emperor Wenxuan inherited this great enterprise; court and country fell into step, and from the capital to the provinces all looked to him. Throughout Eastern Wei the people rallied to his cause, and within a month he had taken the throne.

文宣崩後，大革前弊。 After Emperor Wenxuan's death he undertook sweeping reforms of earlier abuses.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 9Volume 9 Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 5 passages

Open chapter

文宣將受魏禪，后固執不許，帝所以中止。 When Gao Yang was about to receive the Wei abdication, the empress firmly refused to permit it, and the emperor therefore desisted.

孕文宣則夢大龍，首尾屬天地，張口動目，勢狀驚人； when she conceived Gao Yang she dreamed of a great dragon whose head and tail joined heaven and earth, mouth open and eyes moving, its aspect terrifying;

文宣受禪，尊為文襄皇后，居靜德宮。 When Gao Yang received the abdication, she was honored as Empress of Wenxiang and dwelt in Jingde Palace.

及天保六年，文宣漸致昏狂，乃移居于高陽之宅，而取其府庫，曰：「吾兄昔奸我婦，我今須報。」 By the sixth year of Tianbao, Gao Yang gradually fell into madness; he then moved her to a residence at Gaoyang and seized her storehouses, saying, "My elder brother once violated my wife — now I must repay him."

文宣皇后李氏，諱祖娥，趙郡李希宗女也。 Empress Li of Wenxuan, whose personal name was Zu'e, was the daughter of Li Xizong of Zhao Commandery.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 14Volume 14 Biographies 6: Guangping Gongcheng; Yangzhou Gong Yongle; Di Zhangbi; Prince of Xiangle, Xiang Guo; Prince of Shangluo, Si Zong; Zi Yuanhai; Di Sihao; Prince of Pingqin, Guiyan; Prince Pu of Wuxing; Changle, Governor of Lingshan; Sizi Fuhu · 11 passages

Open chapter

文宣並收掩付獄，天恩黨十餘人皆棄市，長弼鞭一百。 Gao Yang arrested and imprisoned them all; more than ten of Tian'en's followers were executed in the marketplace, and Changbi was flogged one hundred strokes.

文宣許之。 Gao Yang granted his request.

文宣天保末年敬信內法，乃至宗廟不血食，皆元海所謀。 In the last years of Tianbao, Gao Yang revered and believed in the inner Buddhist law, even to the point that the ancestral temple had no blood offerings — all was Yuanhai's counsel.

及文宣受命，為左衛大將軍。 When Wenxuan took the throne, Sihao was made grand general of the Left Guard.

本名思孝，天保五年，討蠕蠕，文宣悅其驍勇，謂曰：「爾擊賊如鶻入鴉群，宜思好事。」 His original name was Sixiao. In the fifth year of Tianbao, on campaign against the Rouran, Wenxuan delighted in his fierce bravery and said, "You strike the enemy like a goshawk among crows — think on deeds worthy of that gift."

贈司徒，諡曰文宣。 He was posthumously made minister over the masses, posthumous name Wenxuan.

妻魏上黨王元天穆女也，貌不美而甚驕妒，數忿爭，密啟文宣求離，事寢不報。 His wife was a daughter of Yuan Tianmu, Prince of Shangdang of Wei. She was not beautiful and was extremely arrogant and jealous; after repeated angry quarrels, Guiyan secretly petitioned Wenxuan for a separation, but the matter was shelved without reply.

文宣誅高德正，金寶財貨悉以賜之。 When Wenxuan executed Gao Dezheng, he gave Guiyan all of Gao's gold, jewels, wealth, and property.

文宣入庫，賜從臣兵器，特以二石角與歸彥。 Wenxuan entered the armory to distribute weapons among his followers and specially gave the two stone horns to Guiyan.

文宣嘗見之，怒，使以馬鞭擊其額，血被面，曰：「爾反時當以此骨嚇漢。」 Wenxuan once saw it and grew angry. He had Guiyan struck on the brow with a horsewhip until blood covered his face, saying, "When you rebel you should use this bone to frighten the Han."

子懿，卒於武平鎮將，無子，文宣帝以靈山從父兄齊州刺史建國子伏護為靈山後。 His son Yi died as commander of the Wuping garrison without heirs; Emperor Wenxuan appointed Fuhu — son of Jianguo, Governor of Qi Province and Lingshan's elder paternal cousin — to carry on Lingshan's line.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 25Volume 25 Biographies 17: Zhang Zuan; Zhang Liang; Zhang Yao; Zhang Qi; Xu Yuan; Wang Jun; Wang Hong · 6 passages

Open chapter

顯祖嗣事，遷相府掾。 When Gao Yang succeeded to power he was moved to headquarters staff.

顯祖曾因近出，令耀居守。 Gao Yang once went out on a short trip and left Yao to hold the palace.

至顯祖卽阼之後，起罷州還闕，雖歷位九卿、侍中，常以本官監兵馬，出內驅使，居腹心之寄，與二張相亞。 After Gao Yang took the throne Qi left the provinces and returned to court. Though he held ranks of the nine ministers and palace attendant, he always kept his original post supervising troops, going in and out at command, trusted at the heart of power — second only to the two Zhangs.

顯祖以遠勳舊，特用為領軍府長史，累遷東徐州刺史，入為太中大夫。 Because Yuan was an old meritorious servant, Gao Yang specially made him Chief Clerk of the Headquarters of the General Who Commands the Army. He rose repeatedly to Inspector of East Xu Province and entered the capital as Grand Master of the Palace.

久之，顯祖為儀同開府，引為城局參軍。 After a long while, when Gao Yang was equal in insignia with an opening office, he was brought in as clerk of the city bureau.

天保初，加寧遠將軍，頗為顯祖所知待。 At the beginning of Tianbao he was made general who pacifies the distant and was much known and favored by Gao Yang.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 27Volume 27 Biographies 19: Moqi Pu; Liu Feng; Poliuhan Chang; Jin Zuo; Wei Zican; · 1 passage

Open chapter

頻從顯祖討山胡、茹茹，累有戰功。 He repeatedly followed Gao Yang in campaigns against the Shanhu and Ruru and won repeated battle merit.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 28Volume 28 Biographies 20: Yuan Tan (Eastern Wei); Yuan Bin; Yuan Xiaoyou; Yuan Huiye; Yuan Bi; Yuan Shao (Eastern Wei) · 4 passages

Open chapter

二年，從文宣討契丹還，至白狼河，以罪賜死。 In the second year, returning from campaigning against the Khitan with Gao Yang, at the Bailang River he was ordered to die for his crime.

文宣聞而殺之，亦斬臨淮公孝友。 Gao Yang heard and had him killed; he also beheaded Duke of Linhuai Xiaoyou.

文宣帝剃韶鬚髯，加以粉黛，衣婦人服以自隨曰：「我以彭城為嬪御。」 Gao Yang shaved Shao's beard, painted his face, dressed him in women's clothes and kept him at his side, saying, "I take Prince of Pengcheng as my consort."

文宣謂韶曰：「漢光武何故中興？」 Gao Yang asked Shao, "Why did Emperor Guangwu of Han restore the dynasty?"

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 30Volume 30 Biographies 22: Cui Xian; Gao Dezheng; Cui Ang · 45 passages

Open chapter

顯祖初嗣霸業，司馬子如等挾舊怨，言暹罪重，謂宜罰之。 When Gao Yang first succeeded to the hegemony, Sima Ziru and others, nursing old grudges, said Xian's crimes were heavy and that he ought to be punished.

顯祖從之。 Gao Yang followed this.

帝乃令都督陳山提等搜暹家，甚貧匱，唯得高祖、世宗與暹書千餘紙，多論軍中大事。 Gao Yang then had Commander Chen Shanti and others search Xian's house—it was very poor; only a thousand-odd pages of letters from Gao Huan and Gao Cheng to Xian, mostly discussing great military affairs.

帝嗟賞之。 Gao Yang sighed in admiration.

帝謂羣臣曰：「崔太常清正，天下無雙，卿等不及。」 Gao Yang said to the assembled ministers, "Grand Minister of Ceremonial Cui is pure and upright, without peer under heaven—you do not equal him."