Gao Lishi
Gao Lishi (Chinese: 高力士; pinyin: Gāo Lìshì) (684 – c.May 762[1]), born Feng Yuanyi (馮元一), noble title Duke of Qi (齊國公), was a Chinese eunuch and politician of the Tang dynasty and the Wu Zhou dynasty, becoming particularly powerful during Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's reign.
In 698, a local official, Li Qianli (李千里), submitted two young eunuchs to Wu Zetian, who had by that point taken the throne as Empress regnant as tribute; one was Lishi (who had not yet taken the name of Gao at this point), and one was named Jin'gang (金剛).
As he was careful, he was put in charge of announcing imperial edicts, and was eventually promoted to be Gongwei Cheng (宮闈丞), a highly ranked eunuch.
As of 713, it was said that five of the seven chancellors at the time -- Dou Huaizhen, Cen Xi, Xiao Zhizhong, Cui Shi, and Lu Xiangxian, and three of the four generals of the Forbidden Troops at the time—Chang Yuankai, Li Ci, and Li Qin—were recommended by her (although Lu was not considered a follower of hers).
It was further said that they discussed, with the lady-in-waiting Yuan to poison the gastrodia elata that Emperor Xuanzong routinely took as an aphrodisiac.
On July 29,[3] Emperor Xuanzong had Wang Maozhong take 300 soldiers to the imperial guard camp to behead Chang and Li Ci.
As a result of Gao's participation in this action against Princess Taiping and her party, Emperor Xuanzong awarded him by making him a general of the imperial guards, as well as the acting head of the eunuch bureau (內侍省, Neishi Sheng).
[4] He also had the commander (jiedushi) of Lingnan Circuit locate his birth mother Lady Mai and send her to the capital Chang'an, so that he could support her.
When Lady Mai died, the general Cheng Boxian (程伯獻) and the official Feng Shaozheng (馮紹正), who had sworn to be brothers with Gao Lishi, both mourned her deeply.
However, it was said that while Gao was powerful, he was careful and modest, and therefore continuously drew trust from Emperor Xuanzong.
Among officials and generals who ingratiated him and had him help their advancements were Yuwen Rong, Li Linfu, Li Shizhi, Gai Jiayun (蓋嘉運), Wei Jian (韋堅), Yang Shenjin (楊慎矜), Wang Hong (王鉷), Yang Guozhong, An Lushan, An Sishun, and Gao Xianzhi.
Li Linfu knew that he, in his more advanced age (he was 49 as of 736), tired of the rotation, and therefore expended effort to build up food supplies within the Guanzhong region, centered around Chang'an.
What do you think?Gao, who did not trust Li Linfu, responded: Since ancient times, it was customary for the Son of Heaven to visit places throughout the realm.
If his authority is established, who would dare to oppose him?Emperor Xuanzong was displeased, and Gao bowed and stated, "I am insane.
By 748, he was given the very high general rank of Piaoqi Da Jiangjun (驃騎大將軍) and was also awarded the title of Duke of Bohai.
Later that year, when Emperor Xuanzong, seeing that Geshu Han, the commander of Longyou Circuit (隴右, headquartered in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai), had poor relations with An Lushan, then the commander of Fanyang Circuit (范陽, headquartered in modern Beijing) and An Sishun (whose uncle was An Lushan's stepfather), then the commander of Shuofang Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia), and wanted to improve relations between these three key border troop commanders, he summoned all three to the capital and had Gao host a feast for the three of them, trying to get them to resolve their unpleasantries.
By 754, Yang Guozhong, who was then chancellor, was beginning to repeatedly accuse An Lushan of plotting rebellion, claiming that if Emperor Xuanzong summoned An to the capital, An would surely not come.
When An was set to return to Fanyang, Emperor Xuanzong had Gao hold a feast for An to send him off.
After the feast, Gao observed to Emperor Xuanzong that An was somewhat displeased, perhaps because he had found out that he was originally set to be made chancellor but was not.
Yang Guozhong, however, was hiding the truth from Emperor Xuanzong and declaring that there had been numerous victories.
I do not worry about them.Gao responded, however, as he saw trouble brewing: I heard that we were suffering repeated losses in Yunnan, and the border generals are wielding too much power.
How can you have no worries?Emperor Xuanzong began to be concerned, but took no decisive action, instead stating, "Do not speak further.
Gao responded, "Since Your Imperial Majesty trusted all power to the chancellors, the rewards and punishments are out of hand, and the yin and yang are out of alignment.
Meanwhile, Yang Guozhong repeatedly tried to provoke An into rebelling, including arresting and executing staff members at An's mansion in Chang'an.
On July 15,[6] Emperor Xuanzong's train reached Mawei Station (馬嵬驛, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi).
Meanwhile, emissaries of the Tibetan Empire, who had followed Emperor Xuanzong south, were meeting with Yang Guozhong and complaining that they were also not fed.
Chen publicly urged him to put Consort Yang to death—which Emperor Xuanzong initially declined.
Gao Lishi accompanied Emperor Xuanzong back to the capital, and was rewarded with the honorific title Kaifu Yitong Sansi (開府儀同三司).
Gao and Chen Xuanli attended to him, as did Emperor Xuanzong's younger sister Li Chiying (李持盈) the Princess Yuzhen, the lady in waiting Ru Xianyuan (如仙媛), and the eunuchs Wang Cheng'en (王承恩) and Wei Yue (魏悅).
In Gao's case, he was exiled to Wu Prefecture (巫州, roughly modern Huaihua, Hunan).
