Founding Emperor Gaozu (高祖)

Overview

The translated histories identify Founding Emperor Gaozu as a ruler. This record brings together 10 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Founding Emperor Gaozu	高祖	Gāozǔ
Title	Founding Emperor	高祖
Temple name	Gaozu	高祖	Gāozǔ

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · liangshu:044:s0056

Roles

Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太清三年 · Western Year: AD 549
Strongly inferred · liangshu:044:s0186

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 大同十年 · Western Year: AD 544
Explicit · liangshu:044:s0056
Source Date: Text: 太清 · Western Year: AD 549
Explicit event contextual date · liangshu:044:s0112

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Parent of Heir Apparent Taizong (太宗)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Emperor Shizu (世祖)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father

Places and affiliations

Polity: Liang / 梁 · Relation: belonged-to
Explicit · liangshu:044:s0001

Learning and skills

Belief: Buddhism / 釋教 · Relation: adherent-of
Explicit · liangshu:044:s0112

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Heir Apparent Taizong (太宗) · Quoted: true
Explicit · liangshu:044:s0061
Kind: vow · Role: speaker · Quoted: true
Explicit · liangshu:044:s0112

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: Dalin and Dalian bearing lovable, comfort in old age · Provenance: Mode: named-speech · Speaker Person Id: Founding Emperor Gaozu (高祖) · About Person Ids: Xiao Dalin (蕭大臨), Xiao Dalian (蕭大連)
Explicit · liangshu:044:s0061

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Liang, Chapter 44Volume 44: Eleven Princes of Taizong; Two Princes of Shizu · 10 passages

Open chapter

十年，高祖幸朱方，大連與兄大臨並從。 In the tenth year the Founding Emperor visited Zhufang; Dalian and his brother Dalin both followed.

高祖問曰：「汝等習騎不？」 The Founding Emperor asked, "Have you practiced riding?"

敕各給馬試之，大連兄弟據鞍往還，各得馳驟之節，高祖大悅，卽賜所乘馬。 He ordered each given a horse; the brothers mounted and circled, each showing the rhythm of the gallop; the Founding Emperor was greatly pleased and gave them the horses they rode.

高祖佗日謂太宗曰：「昨見大臨、大連，風韻可愛，足以慰吾年老。」 Another day the Founding Emperor said to Taizong, "Yesterday seeing Dalin and Dalian—their bearing is lovable and enough to comfort me in my old age."

少聰警，美姿儀，特爲高祖所愛。 From youth clever and handsome, he was especially loved by the Founding Emperor.

年七歲，高祖嘗問讀何書，對曰「學《詩》」。 At seven the Founding Emperor asked what book he read; he answered, "Studying the Odes."

因命諷誦，音韻清雅，高祖因賜王羲之書一卷。 Ordered to recite, his tones were clear and elegant, and the Founding Emperor gave him one scroll of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy.

初，侯景圍京城，高祖素歸心釋教，每發誓願，恒云：「若有衆生應受諸苦，悉衍身代當。」 When Hou Jing besieged the capital, the Founding Emperor had long turned to Buddhism; whenever he vowed he said, "If living beings should suffer every pain, let it all pass to my body in their stead."

及高祖崩，大昕奉慰太宗，嗚咽不能自勝。 When Gaozu died, Daxin offered consolation to Taizong, sobbing so hard he could not control himself.

會高祖欲見諸王長子，世祖遣方等入侍，方等欣然升舟，冀免憂辱。 When the Founding Emperor wished to see princes' eldest sons, Shizu sent Fang Deng to attend; he gladly boarded the boat, hoping to escape worry and disgrace.