Qin and Han · Grand Marshal and General of Chariots and Cavalry

Shi Gao 史高

Shǐ Gāo

Attested BC 74 - BC 43

Passages: 18
Chapters: 4
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Shi Gao as an aristocrat, courtier, general, and official. This record brings together 18 passages from 4 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Shi Gao	史高	Shǐ Gāo
Given	Gao	高	Gao
Given name	Gao	高
Title	Marquis of Leling	樂陵侯
Personal	Shi Gao	史高	Shi Gao
Personal name	Shi Gao	史高	Shi Gao

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0138, hanshu:101:s0022
Value: male
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0126

Roles

Aristocrat
Courtier
General
Official
Statesman

Life and dates

Death

Statement: died after retirement
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0132

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 宣帝至元帝時 · Western Interval: Start: BC 74 · End: BC 44
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:093:s0128, hanshu:093:s0132
Source Date: Text: 永光元年 · Western Year: BC 43
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0138
Source Date: Text: 甘露三年 · Western Year: BC 51
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:101:s0230, hanshu:101:s0231

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Parent of Shi Dan (史丹)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological
Parent of Elder Brother of Shi Dan (史丹兄)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological
Child of Shi Gong (史恭)
Kinship Term: son / 三子 · Parentage: biological

Career and standing

Label: General of Chariots and Cavalry / 車騎將軍 · Action: appointed
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0129
Label: Grand Marshal / 大司馬 · Action: appointed
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0129
Label: overseer of Masters of Writing affairs / 領尚書事 · Action: appointed
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0129
Label: palace attendant / 侍中 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0128
Office: Grand Marshal and General of Chariots and Cavalry / 大司馬車騎將軍 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0138
Title: Marquis of Leling / 樂陵侯 · Action: enfeoffed · Basis: exposed Huo Yu's rebellion
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0128
Title: Marquis An / 安侯 · Action: received-posthumously
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0132
Status: retired · Action: entered · Gifts: comfortable carriage, team of four horses, gold
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0131

Places and affiliations

Polity: Han · Relation: general-of
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0138

Events and relationships

Kind: regency · Action: assisted government for five years
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0131

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: was known for sober reliability and reached the Three Excellencies · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0084

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Han, Chapter 82Volume 71: Jun, Shu, Yu, Xue, Ping and Peng · 1 passage

後月餘，以歲惡民流，與丞相定國、大司馬車騎將軍史高俱乞骸骨，皆賜安車駟馬、黃金六十斤，罷。 A month later, citing a bad harvest and wandering refugees, he joined Chancellor Yu Dingguo and Grand Marshal Shi Gao in asking to retire; each received a comfortable carriage, four horses, sixty jin of gold, and was dismissed.

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 7 passages

及宣帝寢疾，選大臣可屬者，引外屬侍中樂陵侯史高、太子太傅望之、少傅周堪至禁中，拜高為大司馬車騎將軍，望之為前將軍光祿勳，堪為光祿大夫，皆受遺詔輔政，領尚書事。 When Emperor Xuan fell gravely ill, he chose ministers to whom he could entrust the realm, summoned his maternal kinsman Palace Attendant Yueling Marquis Shi Gao, crown-prince tutor Wangzhi, and junior tutor Zhou Kan to the inner palace, made Gao grand marshal and general of chariots and cavalry, Wangzhi forward general and superintendent of the household, and Kan grand master of the household; all received the deathbed edict to assist government and headed Secretariat affairs.

中書令弘恭、石顯久典樞機，明習文法，亦與車騎將軍高為表裡，論議常獨持故事，不從望之等。 Hong Gong and Shi Xian had long run the machinery of state, knew every clause of the code, and moved in lockstep with General Shi Gao, stonewalling Wangzhi with citations of old precedent.

望之以為中書政本，宜以賢明之選，自武帝游宴後庭，故用宦者，非國舊制，又違古不近刑人之義，白欲更置士人，由是大與高、恭、顯忤。 Wangzhi argued that the secretariat was the administrative heart and should be manned by scholars; since Emperor Wu's harem diversions, castrates had filled those desks—neither ancient practice nor wise policy—and he pressed to put gentlemen in their place, making bitter enemies of Gao, Gong, and Xian.

會稽鄭朋陰欲附望之，上疏言車騎將軍高遣客為奸利郡國，及言許、史子弟罪過。 Zheng Peng of Kuaiji curried favor by memorializing against General Shi Gao's clients for corruption in the provinces and against the Xu and Shi clans.

朋數稱述望之，短車騎將軍。 Peng kept praising Wangzhi and attacking General Shi Gao.

恭、顯令二人告望之等謀欲罷車騎將軍疏退許、史狀，候望之出休日，令朋、龍上之。 Hong Gong and Shi Xian had the two accuse Wangzhi and his allies of plotting to remove General Shi Gao and of memorializing to oust the Xu and Shi clans; they waited for Wangzhi's day off and had Peng and Long submit the charge.

恭、顯因使高言：「上新即位，未以德化聞於天下，而先驗師傅，既下九卿大夫獄，宜因決免。」 Hong Gong and Shi Xian then had Shi Gao speak, saying, "Your Majesty has just taken the throne and your transforming virtue is not yet known throughout the realm, yet you have first put your tutors on trial. Now that nine ministers and grandees sit in prison, you ought to dismiss them at once."

Book of Han, Chapter 93Volume 82: Wang Shang, Shi Dan and Fu Xi · 7 passages

及宣帝即尊位，恭已死，三子，高、曾、玄。 When Emperor Xuan took the throne, Gong was already dead, leaving three sons: Gao, Zeng, and Xuan.

高侍中，貴幸，以發舉反者大司馬霍禹功封樂陵侯。 Shi Gao served as palace attendant and enjoyed high favor; for exposing the rebel Grand Marshal Huo Yu he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yueling.

宣帝疾病，拜高爲大司馬、車騎將軍，領尚書事。 When Emperor Xuan fell ill, he appointed Shi Gao Grand Marshal and General of Chariots and Cavalry with oversight of the Masters of Writing.

高輔政五年，乞骸骨，賜安車駟馬、黃金，罷就第。 Shi Gao served as regent for five years, then asked to retire. He was given a comfortable carriage and team of four, gold, and permission to withdraw to his estate.

薨，謚曰安侯。 When he died he was posthumously titled Marquis An.

自元帝為太子時，丹以父高任為中庶子，侍從十餘年。 While Emperor Yuan was still crown prince, Shi Dan, through his father Shi Gao's standing, was appointed palace attendant to the heir and served at his side for more than a decade.

史丹父子相繼，高以重厚，位至三公。 Shi Dan and his father Shi Gao followed each other into high office; the father was famed for sober reliability, and both rose to the Three Excellencies.

Book of Han, Chapter 101Volume 89: Upright Officials · 3 passages

又樂陵侯史高以外屬舊恩侍中貴重，霸薦高可太尉。 Meanwhile Shi Gao, marquis of Leling, enjoyed influence at court as a maternal relative rewarded for past loyalty. Huang Ba nominated him for the vacant post of grand commandant.

侍中樂陵侯高帷幄近臣，朕之所自親，君何越職而舉之？」 Shi Gao is my own trusted attendant inside the palace. Why did you overreach your charge by recommending him?"

霸死後，樂陵侯高竟為大司馬。 After Huang Ba's death, Shi Gao, Marquis of Leling, eventually became grand marshal.