Gaozu (高祖) | 24 Histories

Overview

Gaozu was a ruler.

PeriodThree Kingdoms and Six Dynasties

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 580 及為丞相
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 138
AD 575 to AD 580 時高祖為定州總管
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 133
AD 581 to AD 584 開皇初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 140
AD 581 高祖受禪
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 117, 139

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Empress Wenxian (文獻皇后)
empress 皇后 · Primary marriage
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 55, passage 133

Career and standing

chief minister 丞相
AD 580 及為丞相 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 138
regional commander of Dingzhou 定州總管
AD 575 to AD 580 時高祖為定州總管 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 133
AD 581 高祖受禪
Polity Sui 隋
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 117, 139

Places and affiliations

Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Founded
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 117, 139

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressed to Zhou Yao (周搖)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 145
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 140

Events and relationships

Summoned aging Zhou Yao and praised his three dynasty service
Audience · Sovereign
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 144-145
Relation Patron of · Person Zhou Yao (周搖)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 137-138, 140
Relation Patron of · Person Erzhu Chang (爾朱敞)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 117

Assessments and attributes

Assessment praised Zhou Yao for upholding the law · With Zhou Yao (周搖) · Mode named-person-judgment Source Person Id Gaozu (高祖)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 137

References in the histories

Search passages

History

8 passages

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 · 8 passages

Open chapter

高祖受禪，改封邊城郡公。 When Gaozu took the throne, Chang was re-enfeoffed as Duke of Biancheng.

時高祖為定州總管，文獻皇后自京師詣高祖，路經搖所，主禮甚薄。 Gaozu was then regional commander of Dingzhou; when Empress Wenxian traveled from the capital to visit him and passed through Yao's territory, Yao entertained her very sparingly.

高祖以其奉法，每嘉之。 Gaozu admired him for his strict adherence to the law.

及為丞相，徙封濟北郡公，尋拜豫州總管。 When Gaozu became chief minister, Yao was re-enfeoffed as Duke of Jibei and soon appointed regional commander of Yuzhou.

高祖受禪，複姓周氏。 When Gaozu took the throne, Yao resumed the surname Zhou.

開皇初，突厥寇邊，燕、薊多被其患，前總管李崇為虜所殺，上思所以鎮之，臨朝曰：「無以加周搖者。」 Early in Kaihuang the Turks raided the frontier; Yan and Ji suffered greatly, and the former commander Li Chong was killed. The emperor sought someone to secure the region and declared at court, "No one surpasses Zhou Yao for this."

初，自以年老，乞骸骨，上召之。 Having grown old, he had asked to retire; the emperor summoned him to court.

既引見，上勞之曰：「公積行累仁，曆仕三代，克終富貴，保茲遐壽，良足善也。」 When he was received in audience, the emperor said to him, "You have lived a life of accumulated virtue, served three dynasties, kept your wealth and rank to the end, and enjoyed a long life—this is admirable indeed."