[6] Gao Ying himself was said to understand the Spring and Autumn Annals at age eight and already capable of writing, such that he was praised by the Confucian scholars.
[4] When the Anshi Rebellion erupted, and the rebel Yan forces captured the capital Chang'an, Gao Ying's father Gao Boxiang (高伯祥) was serving as the sheriff of nearby Haozhi County (好畤, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi) and tried to resist, but was captured by Yan forces.
[7] Gao Ying later passed the imperial examinations and was selected in the special class of those with great talents or unusual deeds.
Guo thus demoted Gao to be the secretary general of Yishi County (猗氏, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi).
(It was said, however, that when other staff members subsequently began to resign, Guo regretted both killing Zhang and demoting Gao.
[14] Not long after that, Gao was recalled to Chang'an to serve as Zhuke Yuanwailang (主客員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, Libu).
He was then made deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Libu Shilang), and he was put in charge of the imperial examinations.
[4] Later in 806, Gao was recalled to Chang'an to again serve as minister of worship, and soon he was made the chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu).