Background

Gao Cheng was born in 521, when his father Gao Huan was still a courier of documents between the Northern Wei capital Luoyang and the old capital Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong, Shanxi). His mother Lou Zhaojun was from a wealthy family, but Gao Huan's own household was poor. In 525, the ambitious Gao Huan joined the agrarian rebellion led by Du Luozhou (杜洛周) but subsequently became convinced that Du was not a successful leader, and sought to flee from Du's camp with his associates Wei Jing (尉景), Duan Rong (段榮), and Cai Jun (蔡雋). (Wei and Duan were also his brothers-in-law.) Lady Lou and her children (Gao Cheng and a daughter) fled as well, riding a cow. During this flight, Gao Cheng repeatedly fell off the cow, and Gao Huan considered killing him with an arrow, but Duan repeatedly saved him. The next known incident involving Gao Cheng was in 531, when Gao, then a Northern Wei general, rebelled against the members of Erzhu Rong's clan (who had dominated the political scene after they defeated Emperor Xiaozhuang in revenge of Emperor Xiaozhuang's killing of Erzhu Rong), and when an agrarian rebel leader, Gao Aocao (高敖曹), a very distant relative of Gao Huan's, refused to follow Gao Huan, Gao Huan sent Gao Cheng to visit Gao Aocao and showing respect due to the granduncle persuading Gao Aocao of Gao Huan's sincerity.

During Gao Huans lifetime

Gao Huan defeated the Erzhus in 532 and entered Luoyang victoriously, and he made Yuan Xiu the Prince of Pingyang emperor (as Emperor Xiaowu). As a result of Gao Huan's victory, the 11-year-old Gao Cheng received high ranking titles, even though he appeared to carry no actual responsibility by this point in either the imperial administration or his father's army. With his father having been created the Prince of Bohai, Gao Cheng, as his oldest son, also carried the title the Heir Apparent of Bohai.

In 534, Emperor Xiaowu, in a dispute with Gao Huan over the control of power, fled to the domain of the independent general Yuwen Tai, leading to a split of Northern Wei, as Gao Huan then made Yuan Shanjian the Heir Apparent of Qinghe emperor (as Emperor Xiaojing), and the areas under Gao Huan's control became known as Eastern Wei, and the areas under Yuwen's control became known as Western Wei. Gao Huan moved the Eastern Wei capital from Luoyang to Yecheng.

In 535, Gao Huan found out that Gao Cheng had been conducting an affair with Gao Huan's concubine Lady Zheng Dache (鄭大車). In anger, he caned Gao Cheng 100 times and put him under arrest, and he seriously considered making Gao You (高浟), his son by his concubine Lady Erzhu Ying'e (Erzhu Rong's daughter) heir apparent to replace Gao Cheng. Gao Cheng sought help from Gao Huan's friend Sima Ziru (司馬子如), who persuaded Gao Huan to change his mind by reminding him the contributions that Gao Cheng's mother Princess Lou had made, and also subsequently by forcing the witnesses to the affair between Gao Cheng and Lady Zheng to recant. Still, Princess Lou and Gao Cheng were forced to repeatedly bow and crawl on the ground to beg Gao Huan's forgiveness, and Gao Huan allowed Gao Cheng to remain heir apparent.

In 536, the 15-year-old Gao Cheng, who was then with his father at his military headquarters of Jinyang, requested permission to become in charge of the Eastern Wei imperial government at Yecheng. Gao Huan initially refused, but Gao Huan's assistant Sun Qian (孫搴) spoke on Gao Cheng's behalf, and finally, Gao Huan agreed. Gao Cheng soon arrived at Yecheng and took over the imperial administration. He became known as a harsh but capable enforcer of laws, in comparison to his father's policy of relaxed enforcement. He also abolished the seniority-based system of promotion that had caused the imperial administration to stagnate, seeking out capable individuals and promoting them quickly.

Around this time, Gao Cheng also married Emperor Xiaojing's sister the Princess Fengyi as his wife. In 540, she bore him a son, Gao Xiaowan (高孝琬). The emperor personally went to his mansion to congratulate him, and the officials all sent expensive gifts. (Gao Cheng initially declined, stating that Gao Xiaocheng was the emperor's nephew, and therefore the emperor should be congratulated first, but eventually did accept.)

In 543, the actions of Gao Cheng and his trusted assistant, Cui Xian (崔暹), would lead to the rebellion of the general Gao Zhongmi (高仲密). Gao Zhongmi had earlier married Cui's sister as his wife, but later abandoned her, and this led to hatred between Gao Zhongmi and Cui. Cui, therefore, found many reasons to pick fault with selections of officials that Gao Zhongmi had made, and Gao Cheng agreed with Cui. Further, on one occasion, when Gao Cheng saw Gao Zhongmi's new wife Li Changyi (李昌儀), he was stunned by her beauty and tried to rape her. Lady Li escaped and informed Gao Zhongmi about the incident. Therefore, when Gao Zhongmi became the governor of Northern Yu Province (北豫州, roughly modern Zhengzhou, Henan), he surrendered the capital of Northern Yu Province, the key garrison Hulao (虎牢), to Western Wei. (Gao Huan, blaming Cui for Gao Zhongmi's rebellion, initially wanted to kill Cui or at least to severely cane him. However, Gao Cheng, displaying the influence that he had on his father by this point, was able to persuade Gao Huan, through Gao Huan's assistant Chen Yuanda (陳元達), that punishing Cui would undermine Gao Cheng's authority, and therefore Gao Huan never did punish Cui.) In the ensuing battles over the control of the Hulao and Luoyang region, both Yuwen Tai and Gao Huan nearly died. After Eastern Wei forces finally captured Hulao later that year, and Lady Li was delivered to Yecheng, Gao Cheng made her one of his concubines.

In 544, Gao Huan, believing that the officials Sima Ziru, Sun Teng (孫騰), Gao Yue (高岳, Gao Huan's cousin), and Gao Longzhi (高隆之), were becoming too powerful and too corrupt, transferred major portions of those officials' responsibilities to Gao Cheng. Gao Cheng further showed off his authority by acting imperiously toward those officials. For example, when Sun once visited him and showed insufficient respect, he had his guards throw Sun on the ground and pound him with sword hilts. Gao Cheng also installed his assistant Cui Jishu (崔季舒, Cui Xian's uncle) as Emperor Xiaojing's secretary, to keep watch on Emperor Xiaojing.

Later in 544, Gao Cheng, wanting to stamp out corruption within the imperial administration, empowered Cui Xian and Song Youdao (宋遊道) to investigate high-level officials for corruption. Cui and Song each made several accusations against high-level officials, and Gao Cheng had, in particular, Sima Ziru stripped of all titles and offices, and Yuan Tan (元坦) the Prince of Xianyang stripped of his offices. In order to show that Cui, in particular, was empowered to carry out investigations, Gao Cheng had Cui intentionally show disrespect to himself in public with impunity, so that the officials would be even more apprehensive of Cui.

In late 546, Gao Huan became seriously ill, and he summoned Gao Cheng back to Jinyang to entrust the matters to him. At that time, Gao Cheng was apprehensive that the general Hou Jing, who commanded the provinces south of the Yellow River, would rebel, and Gao Huan left him a list of officials that he could trust, and specifically instructed him to make Murong Shaozong (慕容紹宗) the commander of the army against Hou if Hou rebelled. Gao Huan died in spring 547, but Gao Cheng, also pursuant to Gao Huan's instructions, did not announce Gao Huan's death in public; rather, he returned to Yecheng, pretending that Gao Huan was still alive.

As regent

Also in spring 547, Hou Jing, unsure whether Gao Huan was still alive but believing that Gao Huan had died, rebelled, first surrendering the 13 provinces he commanded to Western Wei, and then to Liang Dynasty. Gao Cheng initially sent Han Gui (韓軌) against Hou, and Han had some successes against Hou's forces but was forced to withdraw when Western Wei forces arrived, taking four of Hou's provinces in exchange for supporting Hou. Subsequently, Hou broke with Western Wei, and Western Wei forces withdrew. Meanwhile, Emperor Wu of Liang commissioned his nephew Xiao Yuanming the Marquess of Zhenyang with a large force to try to aid Hou. Gao Cheng, after finally revealing Gao Huan's death, put Murong Shaozong in charge of the army. He also made peace overtures to Hou, promising to keep him in command of the southern provinces if he would submit. Hou refused.

Meanwhile, Gao Cheng also had a threat from within. Gao Cheng, once Gao Huan died, began to show contempt for Emperor Xiaojing, and once, when Emperor Xiaojing rebuked him for public disrespect, Gao Cheng ordered Cui Jishu to punch Emperor Xiaojing three times. Emperor Xiaojing, fearful of what might come next, formed a conspiracy against Gao Cheng. In winter 547, the plot was discovered, and Gao Cheng put the emperor under arrest and executed his coconspirators.

Late in 547, Murong Shaozong crushed Xiao Yuanming's army at Hanshan (寒山, in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), capturing Xiao Yuanming. When Xiao Yuanming was delivered to Gao Cheng, Gao Cheng treated him with respect, intending to try to use Xiao Yuanming as a pawn against Hou. By spring 548, Murong Shaozong had crushed Hou's army as well, and Hou fled to Liang, seizing the Liang border city of Shouyang (壽陽, in modern Lu'an, Anhui) as his base of operations. Gao Cheng then began negotiating peace with Liang's Emperor Wu, intending to create instability in the relationship between Emperor Wu and Hou. Hou, eventually coming to believe that Emperor Wu would betray him and turn him over to Eastern Wu to exchange for Xiao Yuanming, rebelled in fall 548, eventually capturing the Liang capital Jiankang and holding Emperor Wu and then his successor Emperor Jianwen of Liang as puppets. Once Hou did so, he made an overture of peace to Gao Cheng, but Gao Cheng did not respond.

Meanwhile, Gao Cheng was trying to recapture the provinces that Western Wei had taken from Hou. Also in 548, he sent Gao Yue and Murong Shaozong to siege Changshe (長社, in modern Xuchang, Henan), but Changshe, defended by the Western Wei general Wang Sizheng (王思政), would not fall easily, and during the battle, Western Wei forces were able to kill Murong Shaozong and another major general, Liu Fengsheng (劉豐生). In summer 549, Gao Cheng himself commanded reinforcements and arrived at Changshe. He intensified the siege, and soon, Changshe fell, and he captured Wang, whom he treated with respect. After Changshe fell, Western Wei forces also withdrew from the three other provinces that they had captured, and Eastern Wei by this time had recaptured all of the lands that Hou had initially taken.

Death

Meanwhile, Gao Cheng was beginning to confer with his associates on how he could seize the throne. In fall 549, he was in a meeting with Chen Yuankang, Cui Jishu, and Yang Yin, discussing the procedure for doing so. One of the attending servants was Lan Jing (蘭京), a son of the Liang general Lan Qin (蘭欽), whom he had captured in battle and had repeatedly refused to release despite both Lan Qin's and Lan Jing's pleas to allow Lan Qin to ransom his son. During the meeting, Lan Jing delivered a meal to Gao Cheng and the others at the meeting. When Lan Jing stepped out, Gao Cheng made the comment, "Last night, I dreamed that this slave was using a sword to hit me. I should kill him." Lan Jing overheard the comment, and he reentered the room and killed Gao Cheng with a knife, despite Chen's attempts to protect Gao Cheng.

Personal information

• Father

　• Gao Huan, Prince Xianwu of Bohai

• Mother

　• Princess Lou Zhaojun

• Wives

　• Princess Yuan, sister of Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei, later honored as Empress Jing, mother of Prince Xiaowan

　• Princess Ruru (蠕蠕公主), daughter of Rouran's Chiliantoubingdoufa Khan Yujiulü Anagui, originally the second wife of Gao Huan, mother of a daughter

• Major Concubines

　• Yuan Yuyi (元玉儀), the Princess Langye

　• Yuan Jingyi (元靜儀), Yuan Yuyi's sister, also created princess

　• Lady Song, mother of Prince Xiaoyu

　• Lady Wang, mother of Prince Xiaoheng

　• Lady Chen, mother of Prince Yanzong

　• Lady Yan, mother of Prince Shaoxin

• Children

　• Gao Xiaowan (高孝瑜), Prince Kangshu of Henan (created 550, killed by Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi 563)

　• Gao Xiaoheng (高孝珩), the Prince of Guangning (created 560, d. 577)

　• Gao Xiaowan (高孝琬) (b. 541), the Prince of Hejian (created 550, died from injuries inflicted by Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi 566)

　• Gao Changgong (高長恭), Prince Wu of Lanling (created 560, poisoned by Gao Wei 573)

　• Gao Yanzong (高延宗), the Prince of Ande (created 555), self-declared emperor 576 (executed by Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou 577)

　• Gao Shaoxin (高紹信), the Prince of Yuyang (executed by Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou 577)

　• Princess Le'an

　• Two daughters, titles as princess and personal names unknown

Notes and references

• Book of Northern Qi, vols. 3 https://web.archive.org/web/20060218235617/http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/nch1.htm, 11 https://web.archive.org/web/20060218235634/http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/nch2.htm.

• History of Northern Dynasties, vol. 6 https://web.archive.org/web/20071011075317/http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/bs02.htm.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 155, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162.

生平

高澄是高歡與婁昭君所生的長子，生來就非常聰明，對政事有獨到見解，自幼深得父親喜愛和重用。北魏中興元年（531年），立為渤海王世子。10歲時曾獨自出馬為高歡招降高敖曹。11歲時以高歡特使的身份兩次去洛陽朝覲孝武帝元修。中興二年（532年），加侍中、開府儀同三司，尚孝靜帝妹馮翊公主，史書中讚嘆他神情俊爽，恍若成人。天平元年（534年），加使持節、尚書令、大行台、并州刺史。天平三年（536年），入輔朝政，加領左右、京畿大都督。朝臣們雖聽說高澄年輕老成，有風度、有見識，但總覺得他是個少年，心裡並不服氣。當看到他駕馭全局，有膽略、有氣魄，在朝堂上做宰相時聽斷如流，處理問題及時妥切，不由得個個心悅誠服。元象元年（538年），高澄兼任吏部尚書。

興和二年（540年），高澄加大將軍，領中書監，仍代理吏部尚書。北魏從崔亮開始挑選官員就論資排輩，不按才能選取。高澄廢除了這一個制度，開始根據才能名望挑選官員，親自寫書徵召各地有才學有名望的士子為朝廷效力。當時品德好、有本事的人，都得到了提拔重用，有的一時安排不了相應的位置，高澄就將他們召為賓客，在自己府中供養起來，有時間便與他們一起遊園娛樂賦詩，使這些人各得其所，各盡所長。

懲治貪污

自從河陰之變後，爾朱榮為了安定朝中人心，上奏濫封官爵。贈蔭一事，漸漸變得雜濫無章，平庸無能的官員動輒高官厚祿，被有識之士所非議。武定年間，高澄開始糾正其過失，使得追贈褒揚漸有章法。高澄推薦鐵面無私的崔暹為御史中尉，嚴厲打擊那些無法無天的貪官污吏，尤其是竊據高位的權貴，有許多人被繩之以法。官場風氣大有改觀，人心為之一振。興和三年（541年），高澄在麟趾閣和群臣編纂議定了律法《麟趾格》，並頒布天下。《麟趾格》是《北齊律》的藍本，又是隋唐律法的直接淵源，影響一直波及後世。

愛重賢才

在高澄的主持下，朝廷將治國的政策書于榜上，公開張貼在街頭，供天下百姓自由評論，發表意見。對那些提出建議或批評時事的人，都給予優厚的待遇，即使言過其實或言辭激烈，也予以寬容，不加罪責。由于百姓的稱讚，高澄的威望更加上升。在這段時期內，東魏與南方的梁朝關係比較和睦，雙方的使節往來頻繁。然而，為了顯示各自的「國威」，東魏與南朝梁的使節都竭力在言辭、才學方面爭鋒，常常出現熱烈辯論的場面。無論是梁使至鄴城（今河北臨漳），還是魏使至建康，都是如此，久而成為慣例。高澄則樂于此道，每當設宴招待梁使，高澄或者親自到場，或者派遣屬下與會。凡是東魏方面有所妙論、他都興奮異常，為之鼓掌助威。他也因此召攬了一大批文人學士．或羅致門下，以為賓客；或推薦給朝廷，出任各級官吏。

懸稱五銖

東魏興和三年（541年），有雀銜永安五銖置于高歡座前，高澄令百爐別鑄此錢，又稱「令公百爐」錢。北魏末年戰亂，導致經濟紊亂、貨幣貶值，民間私鑄大量假錢。高澄在武定初年開始改革這項弊政，令人前往全國各地，將鑄錢用的銅和原有的錢幣收集起來，重新鑄造。然而民間偷鑄假錢的情況仍然屢禁不絕。因此高澄在武定六年（548年）進行新的貨幣改革，改用懸秤五銖。

東魏武定六年（548年）所鑄永安五銖，號稱「重如其文」，是一種足重貨幣。它的鑄造是魏晉南北朝貨幣史上由亂到治的轉折點，是後世足重貨幣「開皇五銖」的先驅。為促進足重貨幣的流通，高澄還採取了強硬的手段，《魏書·食貨志》：「計百錢重一斤四兩二十銖，自余皆準此為數。其京邑二市、天下州鎮郡縣之市，各置二稱，懸于市門，私民所用之稱，皆準市稱以定輕重。」 由于武定六年永安五銖，曾被作為標尺，懸在市場的門上，以稱量入市貨幣的輕重。因此在錢幣學上，一般也將武定六年的永安五銖稱之為「懸稱五銖」。

大權在握

高歡在547年死後，高澄繼任大丞相，都督中外諸軍，坐鎮晉陽。美姿容，善言笑，氣度高華，聰明過人，愛士好賢，爽直義氣。但又傲慢氣盛，性格暴烈，情慾豪侈，任性恣睢。與高歡之妾原魏廣平王妃鄭大車通姦，高歡死後，其次妻柔然（蠕蠕）的公主，高澄按照柔然習俗，接收了繼母蠕蠕公主，並生下了一個女兒。親信崔季舒指稱薛置書的夫人元氏甚美，高澄把元氏騙到府中予以姦淫，元氏痛斥高澄是人面獸心。崔季舒將她移送廷尉府治罪，廷尉陸操以無罪釋之。

孝靜帝曾在打獵時騎馬疾馳，就被監衛都督烏那羅受工伐勸止，理由是高澄會不悅；孝靜帝不滿高澄掌權，在被高澄舉大酒杯敬酒時說「自古無不亡之國，朕活著有什麼意思」，高澄就怒罵道：「朕，朕，狗腳朕！」並令中書黃門郎崔季舒打了他三拳。孝靜帝不堪憂辱，詠謝靈運之詩：「韓亡子房奮，秦帝仲連恥。本自江海人，忠義動君子。」侍講大臣荀濟和尚書祠部郎中元瑾、長秋卿劉思逸、華山王元大器、淮南王元宣洪及濟北王元徽等商量，要想辦法除掉高澄，即在皇宮日夜挖掘通往城外的秘密通道。事機不密，被高澄得知，高澄馬上帶兵直闖進宮，直斥孝靜帝圖謀造反，雖然當時被孝靜帝駁斥得痛哭謝罪並一起痛飲到深夜，但僅三天後，高澄就把孝靜帝幽禁在含章堂，將荀濟等人在市場上烹殺。549年，高澄計劃奪取東魏政權，卻在鄴城（今河北臨漳鄴鎮一帶）被家中廚子蘭京暗殺刺死，享年僅29歲。

550年，其弟高洋正式稱帝，為北齊文宣帝。高洋追尊高澄為文襄皇帝，廟號世宗。

評價

《北史·齊本紀上第六》：「文襄嗣膺霸道，威略昭著。內除奸逆，外拓淮夷，擯斥貪殘，存情人物。而志在峻法，急于御下，于前王之德，有所未同。蓋天意人心，好生惡殺，雖吉凶報應，未皆影響。總而論之，積善多慶。」

家族

父母

• 神武帝高歡

• 武明皇后婁昭君

妻妾

• 文襄敬皇后

• 蠕蠕公主

• 宋氏

• 王氏

• 陳氏

• 燕氏

• 不詳，生高長恭

其他後宮

• 宮人李昌儀

• 瑯琊公主元玉儀

• 元靜儀，外婦，元玉儀的姐姐

子女

• 河南王高孝瑜，母親是宋氏

• 廣寧王高孝珩，母親是王氏

• 蘭陵王高長恭，母親不詳

• 河間王高孝琬，母親是文襄敬皇后

• 安德王高延宗，母親是陳氏

• 漁陽王高紹信，母親是燕氏

• 樂安公主，母親是文襄敬皇后

• 公主，母親文襄敬皇后

• 公主，母親蠕蠕公主

兄弟

• 二弟：高洋，北齊文宣帝，母為武明皇后

• 三弟：高浚，永安簡平王，母王氏

• 四弟：高淹，平陽靖翼王，母穆娘

• 五弟：高浟，彭城景思王，母大爾朱氏

• 六弟：高演，北齊孝昭帝，母為武明皇后

• 七弟：高渙，上黨剛肅王，母韓智輝

• 八弟：高淯，襄城景烈王，母為武明皇后

• 九弟：高湛，北齊武成帝，母為武明皇后

• 十弟：高湝，任城王，母小爾朱氏

• 十一弟：高湜，陽康穆王，母游氏

• 十二弟：高濟，博陵文簡王，母為武明皇后

• 十三弟：高凝，華山王，母大爾朱氏

• 十四弟：高潤，馮翊王，母鄭大車

• 十五弟：高洽，漢陽敬懷王，母馬氏

其中高洋、高演、高淯、高湛、高濟為同母兄弟，高浚、高淹、高浟、高渙、高湝、高湜、高凝、高潤、高洽為異母兄弟。