Gao Mai (高勱) | 24 Histories

Overview

Gao Mai was a Royal Family Member, Official, and General.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Jingde	敬德	Jingde

Life and dates

Death

AD 581 to AD 600 開皇中
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 221

Age

7
Reckoning Sui · Context when he inherited Prince of Qinghe
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 37
14
Reckoning Sui · Context when made prefect of Qingzhou
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 38

Attested activity

AD 577 及後主為周師所敗
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 42, 52-53
AD 550 to AD 559 天保年間
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 13, passages 196, 198
AD 560 to AD 572 斛律明月雅敬之
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 40
AD 577 死亡之際
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 287
AD 550 to AD 559 為齊顯祖所愛
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 36
AD 581 to AD 600 開皇中
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 221

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Gao Yue (高岳)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 195
Child of Gao Yue (高嶽)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 35

Key source chapters

Origins and identity

Lineage son of Gao Yue, Prince of Qinghe 清河王嶽之子
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 35

Career and standing

Governor of Qing Province 青州刺史
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 198
Palace Attendant 侍中
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 41
prefect of Qingzhou 青州刺史
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 38
Right Vice Director of the Secretariat 尚書右僕射
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 41
Appointed
Labels Guard General 武衛將軍, Commandant of the Capital Garrison 領軍, Minister of Sacrifices 祠部尚書, Opener of a Government Office Equal in Protocol to the Three Ducal Ministers 開府儀同三司
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 201
Opener of a Government Office 開府
AD 577 齊亡入周 · Granted · Polity Northern Zhou 周
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 219

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Held in succession
Labels Governor of Yang Province 楊州刺史, Governor of Chu Province 楚州刺史, Governor of Guang Province 光州刺史, Governor of Tao Province 洮州刺史 · Polity Sui 隋
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 220
commander of the Palace Guard 領軍大將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 38
general of the Right Guard 右衛將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 38
Kaifu Yitong Sansi 開府儀同三司
Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 38
minister of sacrifices 祠部尚書
Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 38
Transferred
Labels Palace Attendant 侍中, Right Vice Director of the Masters of Writing 尚書右僕射, Field Headquarters Vice Director at Shuo Province 朔州行臺僕射
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 203
Prince of Le'an 樂安王
Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 38
Prince of Qinghe 清河王
Inherited
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 37
Prince of Le'an 樂安王
Re enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 202
Prince of Le'an 樂安王
Changed fief
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 38
Prince of Qinghe 清河王
Inherited
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 37
Entered
AD 577 為周軍所得 · Captivity
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 52

Places and affiliations

Northern Qi 北齊
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 198
Northern Zhou 北周
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 219
Sui 隋
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 220
Polity Northern Qi 齊 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 35-36, 287
At Tiao in Bohai 渤海蓚
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 35

Works and attributed material

AD 577 勱發言流涕
Speech · Speaker · With Emperor Wu of Zhou (武帝) · Paraphrased
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 54
AD 577 及後主為周師所敗
Speech · Speaker · With Liu Wenshu (劉文殊) · Direct quotation
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 46-47
AD 577 既至鄴
Advice · Speaker · With Later Ruler of Qi (後主) · Direct quotation · At Ye 鄴
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 49-50
Memorial · Author · With Gao Wei (高緯)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passages 214, 217
Speech · Speaker · With Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi (文宣帝)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 199

Events and relationships

Campaigned under
Military · Deputy · With Hulu Guang (斛律光)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 40
Captured by Zhou
AD 577 為周軍所得 · Military · Rearguard commander
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 52
Escorted empress dowager via Tumen Road
Military · Escort commander · With Empress Hu (胡皇后)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 204
Escorted empress dowager
AD 577 及後主為周師所敗 · Escort · Escort · With Empress Dowager of Qi (太后) · At Ye 鄴
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 42
Faced Qi fall with unbroken spirit and condemned wicked ministers
AD 577 死亡之際 · Political · Minister
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 287
Nearly executed
AD 577 及後主為周師所敗 · Legal · Would be executioner · With Gou Ziyi (茍子溢)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 43

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Proposed hostage families in Three Platforms
Political · Adviser · With Gao Wei (高緯)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passages 214, 217
Released
Legal · Official · With Gou Ziyi (茍子溢)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 44
Relation Deputy of · Person Hulu Guang (斛律光)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 40
Relation Favorite of · Person Emperor Xianzu of Qi (齊顯祖)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 36
Relation Marriage connected to · Person Liu Wenshu (劉文殊)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 13, passage 212

Assessments and attributes

Assessment spoke of Qi's fall through tears; Emperor Wu's expression softened · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 54
Assessment stern spirit at Qi's fall; left a remaining blessing for his house · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 287
Assessment upright, capable, and widely esteemed · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 39
clever, of fine bearing, renowned for kindness and filial piety as a child
Character
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 36

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 35

References in the histories

Search passages

History

21 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 13Volume 13 Biographies 5: Gao Chen; Gao Rui (Northern Qi); Gao Yue (Northern Qi); Gao Mai · 9 passages

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趙郡王琛子叡清河王岳子勱 Prince Chen of Zhao Commandery (Gao Chen); his son Rui (Gao Rui); Prince Yue of Qinghe (Gao Yue); his son Mai (Gao Mai)

子勱嗣。 His son Gao Mai succeeded him.

勱，字敬德，夙智早成，為顯祖所愛。 Gao Mai, courtesy name Jingde, was precocious from youth and loved by Gao Yang.

勱流涕對曰：「臣以蒙幼，濫叨拔擢，雖竭庸短，懼忝先政。」 Mai answered through tears, "I have been rashly promoted while still young; though I exhaust my limited powers, I fear disgracing my predecessor's governance."

後主晉州敗，太后從土門道還京師，敕勱統領兵馬，侍衛太后。 When Houzhu was defeated at Jin Province, the Empress Dowager returned to the capital by the Tumen Road; an edict put Mai in overall command of troops to escort her.

勱收儀同三司茍子溢徇軍，欲行大戮。 Mai seized Gou Ziyi, an official of equal-in-rank third rank, paraded him before the army, and meant to execute him on the spot.

劉文殊竊謂勱曰：「子溢之徒，言成禍福，何容如此，豈不慮後生毀謗耶？」 Liu Wenshu whispered to Mai, "Men like Ziyi can make or break us with a word — how can you treat them so? Will you not fear what men will say afterward?"

勱攘袂語文殊曰：「自獻武皇帝以來，撫養士卒，委政親賢，用武行師，未有折衂。 Mai rolled up his sleeves and told Wenshu, "Since Gao Huan, we have nurtured soldiers, entrusted rule to kin and worthies, and taken the field — never once were we broken.

勱因奏後主曰：「今所翻叛，多是貴人，至於卒伍，猶未離貳。 Mai therefore memorialized Houzhu: "Those who have turned are mostly nobles; among the common ranks many have not yet gone over.

Book of Sui, Chapter 55Volume 55 Biographies 20: Du Yan, Gao Mai, Er Zhu Chang, Zhou Yao, Du Gukai, Qi Fuhui, Zhang Wei, He Hong, Houmo Chenying · 12 passages

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高勱高勱，字敬德，渤海蓚人也，齊太尉、清河王嶽之子也。 Gao Mai, courtesy name Jingde, was from Tiao in Bohai, the son of Qi Grand Marshal and Prince of Qinghe Gao Yue.

年七歲，襲爵清河王。 At seven he inherited the title Prince of Qinghe.

十四為青州刺史，曆右衛將軍、領軍大將軍、祠部尚書、開府儀同三司，改封樂安王。 At fourteen he was made prefect of Qingzhou and later held posts as general of the Right Guard, commander of the Palace Guard, minister of sacrifices, and Kaifu Yitong Sansi, eventually being enfeoffed as Prince of Le'an.

及後主為周師所敗，勱奉太后歸鄴。 When the Later Ruler was routed by Zhou forces, Mai escorted the empress dowager back to Ye.

時宦官放縱，儀同苟子溢尤稱寵倖，勱將斬之以徇。 Eunuchs were running wild at court; Yitong Gou Ziyi was a particular favorite, and Mai was on the point of executing him as an example.

太后救之，乃釋。 The empress dowager intervened and Mai let him go.

劉文殊竊謂勱曰：「子溢之徒，言成禍福，何得如此！」 Liu Wenshu whispered to Mai, "Men like Ziyi can make or break you with a word—how can you go so far!"

勱攘袂曰：「今者西寇日侵，朝貴多叛，正由此輩弄權，致使衣冠解體。 Mai flung up his sleeves and said, "The western foe advances daily and great families are defecting—because men like these abuse power and have torn the court apart.

既至鄴，勱勸後主：「五品已上家累，悉置三台之上，因脅之曰：'若戰不捷，則燒之。 Once in Ye, Mai urged the Later Ruler: "Gather the families of every official of the fifth rank and above on the Three Platforms and tell them, 'If we do not win, we burn them.

勱恆後殿，為周軍所得。 Mai always commanded the rearguard and was captured by Zhou forces.

勱發言流涕，悲不自勝，帝亦為之改容。 Mai spoke through tears, overcome with grief, and the emperor's expression softened in sympathy.

高勱死亡之際，志氣懍然，疾彼奸邪，致茲餘慶。 Gao Mai faced Qi's fall with unbroken spirit, condemned its wicked ministers, and left his house a legacy of honor.