This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Zhao Gao" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR(April 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Zhao Gao
趙高
Imperial Chancellor (丞相)
In office 208 BC (208 BC) – 207 BC (207 BC)
Monarch
Qin Er Shi
Preceded by
Li Si
Prefect of the Gentlemen of the Palace (郎中令)
In office 209 BC (209 BC) – 208 BC (208 BC)
Monarch
Qin Er Shi
Prefect of the Office for Imperial Carriages (中車府令)
In office ? (?) – 209 BC (209 BC)
Monarch
Qin Shi Huang / Qin Er Shi
Personal details
Born
Unknown
Died
207 BC
Occupation
Eunuch, politician
Zhao Gao
Traditional Chinese
趙高
Simplified Chinese
赵高
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Zhào Gāo
In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhao.
Zhao Gao (died c.October 207 BC[1]) was a Chinese eunuch and politician.[2] He was an official of the Qin dynasty of China. Allegedly a eunuch, he served as a close aide to all three rulers of the Qin dynasty – Qin Shi Huang, Qin Er Shi and Ziying – and was regarded as having played an instrumental role in the downfall of the dynasty.
Zhao Gao started his career under Qin Shi Huang as Prefect of the Office for Imperial Carriages (中車府令), an official in charge of managing the palace horse-drawn carriages. During this period of time, he also served as an attendant to Huhai, Qin Shi Huang's youngest son, and tutored him in the laws of the Qin Empire. In 210 BC, after Qin Shi Huang died in Shaqiu (沙丘; south of present-day Dapingtai Village, Guangzong County, Hebei), Zhao Gao and Li Si, the Chancellor, secretly changed the emperor's final edict, which named Fusu, the crown prince, the heir to the throne. In the falsified edict, Fusu was ordered to commit suicide while Huhai was named the new emperor. After Huhai was enthroned as Qin Er Shi, he promoted Zhao Gao to Prefect of the Gentlemen of the Palace (郎中令), an official post whose duties included managing the daily activities in the imperial palace. Zhao Gao, who was highly trusted by Qin Er Shi, instigated the emperor to exterminate his own siblings to consolidate power, and used the opportunity to eliminate his political opponents such as Meng Tian and Meng Yi. He also framed Li Si for treason and had Li Si and his entire family executed, after which he replaced Li Si as Chancellor and monopolised state power. In 207 BC, when rebellions broke out in the lands east of Hangu Pass, Zhao Gao became worried that Qin Er Shi would blame him, so he launched a coup in Wangyi Palace (望夷宮; in Xianyang, near present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi) and assassinated the emperor. Following Qin Er Shi's death, Zhao Gao installed Ziying, Fusu's son (allegedly; there is no firm consensus on what Ziying's relationship to the Qin royal family really is), on the throne. Ziying sent Han Tan (韓談), a eunuch, to assassinate Zhao Gao.
^ Vol.8 of Zizhi Tongjian indicate that Zhao Gao intended to make Ziying of Qin emperor in the 9th month of the 3rd year of Huhai's reign. The month corresponds to 16 Oct to 13 Nov 207 BCE in the proleptic Julian calendar. Since Zhao Gao was killed during the course of this event, his death date should be in c.Oct 207 BCE.
^Wang, Qingxiang (1994). "Chinese Calligraphy". In Wu Dingbo; Murphy, Patrick D. (eds.). Handbook of Chinese Popular Culture. Greenwood Press. p. 311. ISBN 0-313-27808-3. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
ZhaoGao (died c.October 207 BC) was a Chinese eunuch and politician. He was an official of the Qin dynasty of China. Allegedly a eunuch, he served as...
207 BC. The son of Qin Shi Huang, he was put on the throne by Li Si and ZhaoGao, circumventing his brother Fusu, who had been the designated heir. Upon...
二世三年，赵高杀二世后，立二世之兄子公子婴为秦王。 In the third year of [Qin] Er Shi (207 BCE), ZhaoGao, after killing [Qin] Er Shi, installed [Qin] Er Shi's elder brother's son...
Tian. Meng Tian's brother, a senior minister, had once punished ZhaoGao. Li Si and ZhaoGao forged a letter from Qin Shi Huang commanding Fusu and General...
aftermath, ZhaoGao convinced the new emperor to install his followers in official positions. When his power base was secure enough, ZhaoGao betrayed Li...
Emperor, Fusu's youngest brother, Huhai, together with high officials ZhaoGao and Li Si, forged his father's decree to rename Huhai as the successor...
Meng Yi and his brother were executed by Qin Er Shi on the urging of ZhaoGao. Meng Yi's ancestors were from the Qi state of the Warring States period...
company of a eunuch instead. Has Your Majesty forgotten the incident about ZhaoGao?" The emperor laughed and got out of bed to meet his subjects. Emperor...
GaoZhao (高肇) (before 469 - 515), courtesy name Shouwen (首文), was a high-ranking official of the Xianbei-led Northern Wei dynasty of China. He was a maternal...
her. Gao Yun Xiang as Xu Xianxiu [Elder Princess Prince Consort] Gao Xiang's husband, the Minister of War. Zhang Jing as Imperial Concubine ZhaoGao Yan's...
Philetaerus, 4th/3rd century BCE: founder of the Kingdom of Pergamon ZhaoGao, died 210 BCE: favourite of Qin Shi Huang who plotted against Li Si. Sima...
Wajijiwa Entertainment. The group consisted of seven members: Curley Gao, Zhao Yue, Wang Yijin, Chen Zhuoxuan, Nene/Zheng Naixin, Sally/Liu Xiening,...
type. Qin Er Shi, Emperor of China's Qin Empire – dominated by his eunuch ZhaoGao Emperor Xian of Han of China – dominated by the warlord Dong Zhuo, his...
Sima Xin to Xianyang to ask for reinforcements and supplies. The eunuch ZhaoGao deceived the Qin emperor Qin Er Shi and falsely accused Zhang Han of military...
imperial court. However, the eunuch ZhaoGao deceived the emperor and the emperor dismissed Zhang Han's request. ZhaoGao even sent assassins to kill Sima...
reinforcements. However, the eunuch ZhaoGao deceived Qin Er Shi and the emperor refused to send aid. Sima Xin escaped from ZhaoGao's assassins along the return...
Global Information