Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Ruler

Gaozu 高祖

Attested AD 581 - AD 584

Passages: 9
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Gaozu was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 581 開皇元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 51, passages 82, 84, 96
AD 582 二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 51, passage 103
AD 584 四年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 51, passage 124
AD 582 後數月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 51, passage 123

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Princess Dayi (大義公主)
emperor's daughter 帝女 · Adoptive parentage · AD 584 四年
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passages 123-124, 126
Kin of Shetu (攝圖)
son-in-law 女婿 · AD 584 四年
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passages 126-127

Career and standing

newly ascended the throne 新立
AD 581 開皇元年
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passages 82, 84

Places and affiliations

Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passages 82, 84

Events and relationships

Repaired and garrisoned
AD 581 開皇元年 · Military · Ruler · At Great Wall / northern border 長城
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 84
Seated Dianjue envoy above Shetu envoy
AD 581 開皇元年 · Diplomatic · Ruler
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 100

Assessments and attributes

Assessment marveled and adopted every point of Sheng's counsel · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 98

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 82

References in the histories

Search passages

History

9 passages

Book of Sui, Chapter 51Volume 51 Biographies 16: Zhang Sunlan · 9 passages

至開皇元年，攝圖曰：「我周家親也，今隋公自立而不能制，複何面目見可賀敦乎」？ In the first year of Kaihuang (581), Shetu said, "I am kin to the house of Zhou, yet now the Duke of Sui has seized power and I cannot stop him; how can I face the khatun?"

高祖新立，由是大懼，修築長城，發兵屯北境，命陰壽鎮幽州，虞慶則鎮并州，屯兵數萬人以為之備。 The emperor had only just ascended the throne and was deeply alarmed; he repaired the Great Wall, posted troops along the northern border, placed Yin Shou at You Prefecture and Yu Qingze at Bing Prefecture, and stationed tens of thousands of men in readiness.

伏惟皇帝陛下當百王之末，膺千載之期，諸夏雖安，戎場尚梗，興師致討，未是其時，棄於度外，又複侵擾。 Your Majesty stands at the close of a long line of kings and has received the mandate of a new age; though the heartland is settled, the northern frontier remains troubled; to march in force is not yet timely, yet to ignore the tribes is only to invite fresh raids.

吉凶所系，伏願詳思。 Upon this good or ill fortune turns; I beg Your Majesty to weigh it with care.

上省表大悅，因召與語。 The emperor read the memorial with great delight and summoned him for a private audience.

上深嗟異，皆納用焉。 The emperor marveled and adopted every point.

可汗何不依附天子，連結達頭，相合為強，此萬全之計。 Why not submit to the Son of Heaven and join with Datou? Together you would be formidable—this is the sure course.

攝圖又遣使朝貢，公主自請改姓，乞為帝女，上許之。 Shetu again sent tribute to court; the princess asked to take the imperial surname and be adopted as the emperor's daughter, and the emperor agreed.

但可賀敦為帝女，則可汗是大隋女婿，奈何無禮，不敬婦公乎？」 But Kehedun is the emperor's daughter, which makes you the Great Sui's son-in-law—how can you be so rude as not to honor your father-in-law?"