Gaozu (高祖) | 24 Histories

Overview

Gaozu was a ruler.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	High Emperor	高皇帝

Life and dates

Death

BC 195 四月，高祖崩
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 109

Attested activity

BC 200 七年冬
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 22
BC 195 四月，高祖崩
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 109
BC 207 沛公引兵擊陽城
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 4

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Empress Lü (呂后)
empress 后 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 99
Child of Grand Supreme Emperor (太上皇)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 64
Parent of Emperor Wen (孝文)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 155

Places and affiliations

Polity Han · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 5

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passages 106, 127, 139-141

Events and relationships

Encircled at Baideng
BC 200 七年冬 · Military · Commander
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 29
Relation Close friend of · Person Lu Wan (盧綰)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 65

References in the histories

Search passages

History

54 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 93Biographies of Han Xin (King of Han) and Lu Wan · 54 passages

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沛公引兵擊陽城，使張良以韓司徒降下韓故地，得信，以為韓將，將其兵從沛公入武關。 The Lord of Pei led his forces to attack Yangcheng and dispatched Zhang Liang, serving as the Minister of Education of Han, to secure the surrender of the former Han territories. There he obtained Han Xin's services, appointed him as a general of Han, and had him lead his troops to follow the Lord of Pei through the Wu Pass.

沛公立為漢王，韓信從入漢中，乃說漢王曰：「項王王諸將近地，而王獨遠居此，此左遷也。 When the Lord of Pei was established as King of Han, Han Xin followed him into Hanzhong. He counseled the King of Han, saying: 'The King of Xiang has enfeoffed all his other generals with territories close at hand, yet Your Majesty alone has been banished to this remote place. This is a demotion.

漢王還定三秦，乃許信為韓王，先拜信為韓太尉，將兵略韓地。 When the King of Han returned to conquer the Three Qin kingdoms, he promised to make Han Xin the King of Han. First, he appointed Xin as Grand Commandant of Han and sent him to lead troops to take the Han territories.

漢王至河南，韓信急擊韓王昌陽城。 When the King of Han arrived at Henan, Han Xin launched a swift attack on King Chang of Han at Yangcheng.

昌降，漢王乃立韓信為韓王，常將韓兵從。 Chang surrendered, and the King of Han thereupon established Han Xin as King of Han. Xin regularly led the Han troops in the king's service.

三年，漢王出滎陽，韓王信、周苛等守滎陽。 In the third year, when the King of Han left Xingyang, Han Xin the King of Han, along with Zhou Ke and others, was left to defend Xingyang.

明年春，上以韓信材武，所王北近鞏、洛，南迫宛、葉，東有淮陽，皆天下勁兵處，乃詔徙韓王信王太原以北，備御胡，都晉陽。 The following spring, the Emperor, noting that Han Xin was a man of martial talent and that his kingdom lay close to Gong and Luoyang in the north, bordered Wan and Ye in the south, and included Huaiyang in the east—all strategic positions for the empire's most formidable troops—issued a decree transferring the King of Han to rule north of Taiyuan, charged with defending against the Hu nomads, with his capital at Jinyang.

上許之，信乃徙治馬邑。 The Emperor granted his request, and Xin moved his seat of government to Mayi.

七年冬，上自往擊，破信軍銅鞮，斬其將王喜。 In the winter of the seventh year, the Emperor personally led a campaign against him, defeating Xin's army at Tongdi and beheading his general Wang Xi.

匈奴常敗走，漢乘勝追北，聞冒頓居代（上）谷，高皇帝居晉陽，使人視冒頓，還報曰「可擊」。 The Xiongnu suffered defeat after defeat and retreated. Han pressed its advantage and pursued northward. Hearing that Modu was encamped in the Dai Valley, the High Emperor, based at Jinyang, sent scouts to assess his forces. They returned and reported: 'He can be attacked.'

上遂至平城。 The Emperor then advanced to Pingcheng.

上出白登，匈奴騎圍上，上乃使人厚遺閼氏。 The Emperor rode out to Baideng, where the Xiongnu cavalry surrounded him. He then sent an envoy to present lavish gifts to the Chanyu's consort.

護軍中尉陳平言上曰：「胡者全兵，請令彊弩傅兩矢外向，徐行出圍。」 Chen Ping, the Commandant of the Guard, advised the Emperor: 'The Xiongnu still have their forces intact around us. I suggest we order our strongest crossbowmen to load two bolts apiece, facing outward, and march slowly out of the encirclement.'

盧綰者，豐人也，與高祖同里。 Lu Wan was a native of Feng and came from the same village as the High Ancestor.

盧綰親與高祖太上皇相愛，及生男，高祖、盧綰同日生，里中持羊酒賀兩家。 Lu Wan's parents were close friends with the High Ancestor's father, the Grand Supreme Emperor. When both families had sons, the High Ancestor and Lu Wan were born on the same day, and the villagers brought lamb and wine to congratulate both households.

及高祖、盧綰壯，俱學書，又相愛也。 When the High Ancestor and Lu Wan came of age, they studied together and grew fond of each other.

高祖為布衣時，有吏事辟匿，盧綰常隨出入上下。 When the High Ancestor was still a commoner and had to go into hiding over legal troubles, Lu Wan always accompanied him wherever he went.

及高祖初起沛，盧綰以客從，入漢中為將軍，常侍中。 When the High Ancestor first rose in revolt at Pei, Lu Wan followed as a retainer. He entered Hanzhong, was made a general, and attended constantly at court.

從東擊項籍，以太尉常從，出入臥內，衣被飲食賞賜，群臣莫敢望，雖蕭曹等，特以事見禮，至其親幸，莫及盧綰。 He followed the eastward campaign against Xiang Ji, serving as Grand Commandant and constantly at the Emperor's side, even entering the private chambers. In clothing, bedding, food, drink, and gifts bestowed, no minister dared aspire to his level. Even Xiao He and Cao Shen were only accorded respect on account of their official duties—when it came to intimate favor, none could match Lu Wan.

漢五年冬，以破項籍，乃使盧綰別將，與劉賈擊臨江王共尉，破之。 In the winter of the fifth year of the Han dynasty, after the defeat of Xiang Ji, the Emperor dispatched Lu Wan to command a separate force. Together with Liu Jia, he attacked and defeated Gong Wei, the King of Linjiang.

高祖已定天下，諸侯非劉氏而王者七人。 After the High Ancestor had settled the realm, there were seven men who held the title of king yet were not of the Liu surname.

及虜臧荼，乃下詔諸將相列侯，擇群臣有功者以為燕王。 After Zang Tu's capture, the Emperor issued a decree to his generals, ministers, and marquises, directing them to select a meritorious minister to serve as King of Yan.

群臣知上欲王盧綰，皆言曰：「太尉長安侯盧綰常從平定天下，功最多，可王燕。」 The ministers, knowing the Emperor wished to make Lu Wan king, all declared: 'The Grand Commandant, the Marquis of Chang'an, Lu Wan, has followed the Emperor throughout the pacification of the realm and has the greatest merit. He should be made King of Yan.'

詔許之。 The Emperor issued an edict granting the request.

漢十一年秋，陳豨反代地，高祖如邯鄲擊豨兵，燕王綰亦擊其東北。 In the autumn of the eleventh year, Chen Xi rebelled in the territory of Dai. The High Ancestor marched to Handan to attack Chen Xi's forces, and the King of Yan, Wan, also struck at his northeastern flank.

漢十二年，東擊黥布，豨常將兵居代，漢使樊噲擊斬豨。 In the twelfth year, while the Emperor campaigned east against Qing Bu, Chen Xi continued to hold Dai with his forces. Han sent Fan Kuai to attack and behead Chen Xi.

高祖使使召盧綰，綰稱病。 The High Ancestor sent a messenger to summon Lu Wan, but Wan pleaded illness.

上又使辟陽侯審食其、御史大夫趙堯往迎燕王，因驗問左右。 The Emperor then sent the Marquis of Biyang, Shen Shiqi, and the Grand Censor Zhao Yao to receive the King of Yan and to investigate and interrogate his attendants.

今上病，屬任呂后。 Now the Emperor is ill and has entrusted affairs of state to Empress Lu.

語頗泄，辟陽侯聞之，歸具報上，上益怒。 Word of this leaked out. The Marquis of Biyang heard the report, returned to court, and relayed everything to the Emperor. The Emperor's anger only deepened.

於是上曰：「盧綰果反矣！」 At this, the Emperor declared: 'Lu Wan has indeed rebelled!'

燕王綰悉將其宮人家屬騎數千居長城下，侯伺，幸上病愈，自入謝。 The King of Yan gathered all his palace women and family members, along with several thousand horsemen, and camped below the Great Wall, watching and waiting, hoping that the Emperor would recover so he could go in person to beg forgiveness.

四月，高祖崩，盧綰遂將其眾亡入匈奴，匈奴以為東胡盧王。 In the fourth month, the High Ancestor died. Lu Wan then led his followers across the border into Xiongnu territory. The Xiongnu made him King Lu of the Eastern Hu.

高祖竟崩，不得見。 The High Ancestor was already dead, and so they never met him.

及高祖七年冬，韓王信反，入匈奴，上至平城還，乃封豨為列侯，以趙相國將監趙、代邊兵，邊兵皆屬焉。 In the winter of the High Ancestor's seventh year, after Han Xin the King of Han rebelled and fled to the Xiongnu and the Emperor had gone to Pingcheng and returned, Chen Xi was enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed Chancellor of Zhao with command over the border troops of Zhao and Dai. All the border forces were placed under his authority.

豨還之代，周昌乃求入見。 When Chen Xi returned to Dai, Zhou Chang sought an audience with the Emperor.

見上，具言豨賓客盛甚，擅兵於外數歲，恐有變。 He had an audience with the Emperor and reported in full that Chen Xi's retinue was enormously large, that he had held military command far from the capital for several years, and that he feared trouble was brewing.

上乃令人覆案豨客居代者財物諸不法事，多連引豨。 The Emperor then ordered an investigation into the finances and illegal activities of Chen Xi's retainers residing in Dai. Many of the cases implicated Chen Xi.

及高祖十年七月，太上皇崩，使人召豨，豨稱病甚。 In the seventh month of the tenth year, the Grand Supreme Emperor died. A messenger was sent to summon Chen Xi, but he claimed he was gravely ill.

上聞，乃赦趙、代吏人為豨所詿誤劫略者，皆赦之。 When the Emperor heard the news, he pardoned all the officials and common people of Zhao and Dai who had been misled, deceived, or coerced by Chen Xi.

上自往，至邯鄲，喜曰：「豨不南據漳水，北守邯鄲，知其無能為也。」 The Emperor went in person, and upon reaching Handan said with satisfaction: 'Chen Xi failed to hold the Zhang River to the south or defend Handan to the north. I know now that he is incapable of accomplishing anything.'

上問曰：「守、尉反乎？」 The Emperor asked, 'Had the Governor and Commandant rebelled?'

上曰：「是力不足也。」 The Emperor said: 'Then they simply lacked the strength to resist.'

赦之，復以為常山守、尉。 The Emperor pardoned them and restored them as Governor and Commandant of Changshan.

上問周昌曰：「趙亦有壯士可令將者乎？」 The Emperor asked Zhou Chang: 'Does Zhao have any brave men who could serve as generals?'

四人謁，上謾罵曰：「豎子能為將乎？」 The four men came for an audience. The Emperor berated them, saying: 'Can rascals like you really serve as generals?'

上封之各千戶，以為將。 The Emperor granted each of them a thousand-household fief and made them generals.

上曰：「非若所知！ The Emperor said, 'You do not understand this!

於是上曰：「陳豨將誰？」 The Emperor then asked: 'Who are Chen Xi's generals?'

上曰：「吾知之矣。」 The Emperor said, 'I understand the matter now.'

十二月，上自擊東垣，東垣不下，卒罵上； In the twelfth month, the Emperor personally attacked Dongyuan. The city did not fall, and its soldiers hurled insults at the Emperor.

上還至洛陽。 The Emperor returned to Luoyang.

上曰：「代居常山北，趙乃從山南有之，遠。」 The Emperor said: 'Dai lies north of the Changshan Mountains, yet Zhao governs it from south of the range—too distant.'

高祖十二年冬，樊噲軍卒追斬豨於靈丘。 In the winter of the twelfth year, soldiers under Fan Kuai's command pursued and beheaded Chen Xi at Lingqiu.