Gai Yu (蓋寓) | 24 Histories

Overview

Gai Yu was an official and General.

Life and dates

Death

AD 905 天祐二年三月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 175

Attested activity

AD 905 天祐二年三月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passages 173, 175
AD 895 既平王行瑜
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passages 168-169
AD 883 to AD 895 武皇鎮撫太原
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passages 163, 166

Career and standing

Grand Preceptor 太師
AD 923 莊宗即位 · Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 176

Places and affiliations

Polity Hedong 河東 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 164

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Martial Emperor (武皇)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passages 169-170

Events and relationships

Fell gravely ill; the Martial Emperor visited daily and personally sent medicine
AD 905 天祐二年三月 · Medical · Patient · With Martial Emperor (武皇)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 173
When the Martial Emperor raged, Yu feigned to join the anger and thereby saved officers
Political · Adviser · With Martial Emperor (武皇)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 165

Assessments and attributes

AD 883 to AD 895 武皇鎮撫太原
Assessment most trusted intimate from the Taiyuan years; envoys sought him after the Martial Emperor · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 166
Assessment only Yu enjoyed full trust, read his mood, and served as closest adviser · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 164
Assessment quick-witted, shrewd, full of stratagems, skilled at reading his lord's mind · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 163
Item rare delicacies from land and sea / New Year offerings 珍膳 / 年獻 · Relation Provided to lord
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 174

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 55Volume 55 Book of Later Tang 31: Biographies 7: Kang Junli, Xue Zhiqin, Shi Jiantang, Li Chengsi, Shi Yan, Gai Yu, Yi Guang, Li Chengxun, Shi Jingrong · 11 passages

Open chapter

寓性通黠，多智數，善揣人主情。 Yu was quick-witted and shrewd, full of stratagems, and skilled at reading his lord's mind.

武皇性嚴急，左右難事，無委遇者，小有違忤，即置於法，惟寓承顏希旨，規其趨向，婉辭順意，以盡參裨。 The Martial Emperor was stern and exacting. Those around him found him hard to serve, and none enjoyed his full trust. The slightest offense brought punishment. Only Yu read his mood, anticipated his wishes, and with gentle words guided him, serving as his closest adviser.

武皇或暴怒將吏，事將不測，寓欲救止，必佯佐其怒以責之，武皇怡然釋之。 When the Martial Emperor flew into a rage against an officer and the man's fate hung in the balance, Yu would feign to join the anger and reproach the victim, and the Martial Emperor would calmly relent.

有所諫諍，必征近事以為喻，自武皇鎮撫太原，最推親信，中外將吏，無不景附，朝廷藩鄰，信使結托，先及武皇，次入寓門； When he remonstrated, he always cited recent events as examples. From the time the Martial Emperor secured Taiyuan, Yu was his most trusted intimate. Generals within and without looked to him with admiration. Envoys from court and neighboring commands sought him out—first the Martial Emperor, then Yu's door;

既總軍中大柄，其名振主，梁祖亦使奸人離間，暴揚於天下，言蓋寓已代李，聞者寒心，武皇略無疑間。 and once he held the army's greatest authority, his name overshadowed even his lord's. The Founder of Liang sent agents to spread rumors through the realm that Gai Yu had already replaced Li Keyong. Men who heard it were chilled with fear, yet the Martial Emperor scarcely doubted him.

武皇意未決，寓白曰：「車駕自石門還京，寢未安席，比為行瑜兄弟驚駭乘輿，今京師未寧，奸宄流議，大王移兵渡渭，必恐復動宸情。 The Martial Emperor hesitated. Yu said, "Since the emperor returned from Shimen to the capital, he has not yet rested secure on his throne. Wang Xingyu and his brothers have just terrified the court. The capital is not yet settled, and malicious talk circulates. If you cross the Wei with your army, you will surely alarm the throne again.

武皇笑曰：「蓋寓尚阻吾入覲，況天下人哉！」 The Martial Emperor laughed and said, "Even Gai Yu blocks my going to court—how much more would the realm!"

天祐二年三月，寓病篤，武皇日幸其第，手賜藥餌。 In the third month of the second year of Tianyou Yu fell gravely ill. The Martial Emperor visited his house daily and personally sent him medicine.

初，寓家每事珍膳，窮極海陸，精於府饌，武皇非寓家年獻不食，每幸寓第，其往如歸，恩寵之洽，時我與比； Yu's household prepared delicacies from land and sea, cuisine fit for the palace. The Martial Emperor would eat no New Year's offering except from Yu's kitchen. Whenever he visited Yu's house he came as to his own home. None at the time could compare in favor;

及其卒也，哭之彌慟。 and when Yu died he wept all the more bitterly.

莊宗即位，追贈太師。 When Emperor Zhuangzong took the throne he posthumously honored Yu as Grand Preceptor.