Gao Gong

Gao Gong
46th Senior Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty
In office
1571–1572
Monarch Longqing Emperor
Wanli Emperor
Preceded by Li Chunfang
Succeeded by Zhang Juzheng
Personal details
Born 1512
Died 1578 (aged 66)

Gao Gong (Chinese: 高拱; pinyin: Gāo Gǒng; Wade–Giles: Kao Kung; 1512–1578) courtesy name Suqing (肅卿), art name Zhongxuan (中玄), was a Chinese politician of the Ming dynasty.

Gao was born in Xinzheng, Henan. He became jinshi in 1541, then held a post at Hanlin Academy. Since 1552, he served as tutor to the then heir apparent, later Longqing Emperor for nine years, which made the emperor trusted him extremely. He successively served as Vice Minister of Rites, Vice Minister of Personnel, Minister of Rites. In 1566, he was promoted to the Grand Secretariat of Wenyuan Chamber with recommendation from Xu Jie. Since Longqing Emperor enthroned，the higher status catalyzed a sudden escalation of antagonism between Gao and Xu. Impeached by several censors, he was forced to retire in 1567. Zhang Juzheng did his utmost to persuade the emperor to recall Gao for political reasons. Thus, Gao backed to Beijing in 1569. He replaced Li Chunfang, the former Senior Grand Secretary who was defeated in the political struggle, by the death of the emperor. Zhang was hostile to him afterwards. The eunuchs in the Directorate of Ceremonial headed by Feng Bao brooked no weakening of their power by Gao. Hence, an alignment among Zhang and Feng erected to marginalize Gao. They criticized Gao before Empress Dowager Xiaoding. Gao had to retire and return hometown once again. He finished the memoir Bingta yiyan (病榻遺言) [The last words left on my sickbed] in his later years. In 1578, Gao died at home.[1]

Although Gao's term was quite brief, he made great efforts with Zhang to subsume Altan Khan's Tumed into the tributary system. Consequently, he was granted the Grand Preceptor as the posthumous title in 1602.

Notes

  1. ↑ Encyclopedia of China, Vol. 7 (2nd edition, 中国大百科全书（第二版）第7册). Encyclopedia of China Publishing House. 2009. p. 292. ISBN 978-7-500-07958-3.

References

  • Mote, Twitchett (2007). The Cambridge History of China, Volume 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644, Part 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-24332-2.
  • Twitchett, Mote, Denis, Frederick W. (1998). The Cambridge History of China, Volume 8: The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644, Part 2. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-24333-9.
Political offices
Preceded by
Li Chunfang		 Senior Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty
1571 – 1572		 Succeeded by
Zhang Juzheng
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