Gao Bainian
Encyclopedia
Gao Bainian (556–564) was a crown prince
of the Chinese
dynasty Northern Qi
.
Gao Bainian was born in 556. He was Emperor Xiaozhao
's second son, but was considered his proper heir because he was born of his wife Empress Yuan
. After he became emperor in 560, therefore, he created Gao Bainian crown prince. It was during Gao Bainian's tenure as crown prince that he married his wife Crown Princess Hulü, a daughter of the general Hulü Guang
.
In 561, Emperor Xiaozhao suffered severe injuries after falling off a horse. Believing himself to be near death, he decided that Gao Bainian was too young to take the throne, at age five, so he issued an edict giving the throne instead to his brother Gao Dan
the Prince of Changguang. In a letter to Gao Dan, Emperor Xiaozhao wrote, "Bainian is innocent. You can do anything with him, but please do not kill him!" He died later that day, and Gao Dan took the throne as Emperor Wucheng. Emperor Wucheng created Gao Bainian the Prince of Leling.
In 564, there were ominous astrological signs that suggested ill fortune for the emperor. Emperor Wucheng wanted to deflect the ill fortune onto Gao Bainian. The scholar Jia Dezhou (賈德冑) had been earlier commissioned to be Gao Bainian's teacher, and while Gao Bainian learned calligraphy
, he had once written several instances of the character chi (敕) -- a character that meant "imperial edict," and which only the emperor was supposed to use. Jia sealed the characters chi that Gao Bainian had written and submitted them to Emperor Wucheng. Emperor Wucheng summoned Gao Bainian to the palace, and Gao Bainian, believing that he was about to be killed, took off the jade pendant that he wore and gave it to Princess Hulü. Once in the palace, Emperor Wucheng ordered Gao Bainian to write the character chi, and the handwriting matched the chi characters that Jia submitted. Emperor Wucheng then had his guards batter Gao Bainian severely with sticks, and then drag him around Liangfeng Hall (涼風堂) and continue to batter him. His blood was everywhere, and he pled for his life, to no avail. Eventually, Emperor Wucheng had him beheaded and his body thrown into a pool, staining the pool red. Princess Hulü was so saddened by her husband's death that she refused to eat, and she died after a month of not eating. Later, during the reign of Emperor Wucheng's son Gao Wei
, a number of imperial halls were torn down and rebuilt. As one of the halls was torn down, a small body wearing an imperial prince robe was found, and it was thought to be Gao Bainian's.
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of the Chinese
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
.
Gao Bainian was born in 556. He was Emperor Xiaozhao
Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi
Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Yan , courtesy name Yan'an , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was generally considered a capable ruler, but ruled only less than two years before dying from injuries suffered from falling off a horse...
's second son, but was considered his proper heir because he was born of his wife Empress Yuan
Empress Yuan (Xiaozhao)
Empress Yuan was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi, known at times semi-formally as Empress Shuncheng...
. After he became emperor in 560, therefore, he created Gao Bainian crown prince. It was during Gao Bainian's tenure as crown prince that he married his wife Crown Princess Hulü, a daughter of the general Hulü Guang
Hulü Guang
Hulü Guang , courtesy name Mingyue , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. During the late years of the dynasty -- the reigns of Emperor Wucheng and Gao Wei, traditionally viewed as a period of corruption and debauchery when Northern Qi's once-powerful status was deteriorating -- Hulü...
.
In 561, Emperor Xiaozhao suffered severe injuries after falling off a horse. Believing himself to be near death, he decided that Gao Bainian was too young to take the throne, at age five, so he issued an edict giving the throne instead to his brother Gao Dan
Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi
Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Dan , nickname Buluoji , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. During his reign, he devoted much of his time to feasting and pleasure-seeking, neglecting the affairs of the state and causing Northern Qi's political system to degrade...
the Prince of Changguang. In a letter to Gao Dan, Emperor Xiaozhao wrote, "Bainian is innocent. You can do anything with him, but please do not kill him!" He died later that day, and Gao Dan took the throne as Emperor Wucheng. Emperor Wucheng created Gao Bainian the Prince of Leling.
In 564, there were ominous astrological signs that suggested ill fortune for the emperor. Emperor Wucheng wanted to deflect the ill fortune onto Gao Bainian. The scholar Jia Dezhou (賈德冑) had been earlier commissioned to be Gao Bainian's teacher, and while Gao Bainian learned calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
, he had once written several instances of the character chi (敕) -- a character that meant "imperial edict," and which only the emperor was supposed to use. Jia sealed the characters chi that Gao Bainian had written and submitted them to Emperor Wucheng. Emperor Wucheng summoned Gao Bainian to the palace, and Gao Bainian, believing that he was about to be killed, took off the jade pendant that he wore and gave it to Princess Hulü. Once in the palace, Emperor Wucheng ordered Gao Bainian to write the character chi, and the handwriting matched the chi characters that Jia submitted. Emperor Wucheng then had his guards batter Gao Bainian severely with sticks, and then drag him around Liangfeng Hall (涼風堂) and continue to batter him. His blood was everywhere, and he pled for his life, to no avail. Eventually, Emperor Wucheng had him beheaded and his body thrown into a pool, staining the pool red. Princess Hulü was so saddened by her husband's death that she refused to eat, and she died after a month of not eating. Later, during the reign of Emperor Wucheng's son Gao Wei
Gao Wei
Gao Wei , often known in history as Houzhu of Northern Qi , courtesy name Rengang , sometimes referred to by his later Northern Zhou-created title of Duke of Wen , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi...
, a number of imperial halls were torn down and rebuilt. As one of the halls was torn down, a small body wearing an imperial prince robe was found, and it was thought to be Gao Bainian's.