Gao Gan

Historical Record

Gao Gan, styled Yuancai, was a nephew of Yuan Shao. His father Gao Gong once served as Administrator of Shu Commandery, and his grandfather Gao Ci was a Colonel-Director of Retainers. His family background was illustrious; Xie Cheng's *Book of the Later Han* describes him as having grand and far-reaching aspirations and being outstanding in both civil and martial talents^[1]. At the height of his power, Yuan Shao appointed Gao Gan as Governor of Bing Province^[2].

In the ninth year of Jian'an (204 CE), after Cao Cao took Ye, Gao Gan once surrendered and was appointed by Cao Cao as Inspector of Bing Province^[3]. However, when Cao Cao led his army on a campaign against the Wuhuan, Gao Gan seized the chance to rebel in Bing Province, detaining the Administrator of Shangdang and leading troops to hold the mouth of Huguan^[3]. Cao Cao dispatched generals such as Yue Jin and Li Dian to attack him, and Gao Gan retreated to hold the city of Huguan^[3].

In the spring, the first month of the eleventh year of Jian'an (206 CE), Cao Cao personally led his army on a campaign against Gao Gan. When Gao Gan learned that Cao Cao had come in person, he left his subordinate general to continue holding the city while he himself fled into Xiongnu territory to seek aid from the Chanyu, but did not obtain the Chanyu's support^[3]. Cao Cao besieged Huguan for as long as three months and at last took the city^[3]. With nowhere to turn, Gao Gan fled toward Jing Province. However, in the pursuit by the Commandant of Shangluo, Wang Yan, Gao Gan was at last captured and beheaded^[3].

It is worth noting that Gao Gan's elder cousin (or paternal uncle) Gao Rou, at Yuan Shao's summons, once brought his whole clan to follow him. After Cao Cao pacified the Yuan clan, Gao Rou was appointed Prefect of Jian, and was later recruited as Aide of the Granary Bureau of the Chancellor on account of his fair handling of affairs^[4]. After Gao Gan's rebellion, Gao Rou took the initiative to confess his guilt to Cao Cao; Cao Cao wished to take the chance to execute him, but because Gao Rou, in the post of Clerk Who Investigates Treachery, applied the law fittingly so that no cases lay backlogged in the prisons, he was in the end spared^[4].

In the Novel

In the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Gao Gan's image revolves mainly around his identity as Yuan Shao's nephew and Governor of Bing Province, with emphasis on his rebellion against Cao Cao and his eventual end. In the novel, after the Battle of Guandu between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, Gao Gan once led fifty thousand Bing Province troops to Jizhou to reinforce Yuan Shao, fighting alongside the forces of Yuan Xi and Yuan Tan^[5]. This differs from the historical sequence, in which Gao Gan surrendered to Cao Cao only after Cao Cao took Ye, and then rebelled.

The novel's depiction of Gao Gan's rebellion is more dramatic. After Cao Cao pacified Hebei, Gao Gan engaged in attack and defense with generals such as Yue Jin, Li Dian and Zhang Yan at Huguan Pass in Bing Province. Cao Cao personally led a great army there and adopted Xun You's "feigned surrender stratagem"^[6]. Gao Gan fell for Cao Cao's scheme and dispatched the two Lü to lead troops in a feigned surrender; as a result, Cao Cao set an ambush, and Gao Gan's army was badly defeated. Gao Gan hastily withdrew to the city of Huguan, only to find that Huguan had already been taken by Yue Jin and Li Dian^[7].

With nowhere to turn, Gao Gan fled to the Xiongnu to seek help. The novel describes in detail the scene of his seeking aid from the Worthy Prince of the Left of the northern tribes; but the Worthy Prince of the Left refused Gao Gan and rebuked him for trying to sow discord between himself and Cao Cao^[7]. This episode is dispatched in the histories with the single phrase "the Chanyu did not receive him," whereas the novel enriches Gao Gan's plight through dialogue and detail. In the end, on his way to take refuge with Liu Biao, Gao Gan was killed at Shanglu by the Commandant Wang Yan, and his head was presented to Cao Cao, for which Wang Yan was enfeoffed as a full Marquis^[7]. The novel's depiction of the details of Wang Yan killing Gao Gan is also more specific than the histories.

Key Relationships

* Yuan Shao (kin_of): Gao Gan was Yuan Shao's nephew, and was appointed Governor of Bing Province on account of this kinship^[2]. In the novel, Gao Gan also led troops to reinforce Yuan Shao against Cao Cao^[5].
* Cao Cao (betrayed_by): Gao Gan once surrendered to Cao Cao and was appointed Inspector of Bing Province, but later rebelled while Cao Cao was campaigning against the Wuhuan^[3]. Cao Cao ultimately campaigned in person and put down Gao Gan's rebellion.
* Yuan Shao's Faction (senior_official): As Yuan Shao's nephew and Governor of Bing Province, Gao Gan was one of the important members of Yuan Shao's faction^[2].
* Cao Wei (enemy_of): Gao Gan's rebellion made him an enemy of Cao Cao's regime, and he was ultimately put down and killed by Cao Cao^[3].
* The Xiongnu Chanyu / Worthy Prince of the Left (sought_aid_from): After his rebellion failed, Gao Gan fled to the Xiongnu to seek aid, but failed in both history and the novel^[3],^[7].
* Wang Yan (killed_by): The Commandant of Shangluo, Wang Yan, ultimately captured and killed the fugitive Gao Gan^[3]. In the novel, Wang Yan was enfeoffed as a full Marquis for killing Gao Gan^[7].
* Gao Rou (kin_of): Gao Gan's elder cousin (or paternal uncle), who served Cao Wei after Cao Cao pacified the Yuan clan^[4].

Signature Scenes

* Appointed Governor of Bing Province: Yuan Shao appointed his nephew Gao Gan as Governor of Bing Province; this was the starting point of Gao Gan's political career and a reflection of his standing and status^[2].
* The Bing Province Rebellion: Gao Gan seized the chance, while Cao Cao was campaigning against the Wuhuan, to raise troops in rebellion in Bing Province, detaining the Administrator of Shangdang and holding the mouth of Huguan—this was the core event of his rebellion against Cao Cao^[3].
* The Attack and Defense of Huguan: Cao Cao dispatched generals such as Yue Jin and Li Dian to attack Huguan, then campaigned in person, besieging it for three months before taking it, displaying both Gao Gan's resistance and Cao Cao's resolve^[3]. In the novel, this battle adds the episode of Xun You's "feigned surrender stratagem" and Gao Gan falling for the scheme, making it more dramatic^[6].
* Refused When Seeking Aid from the Xiongnu: Gao Gan fled into Xiongnu territory and sought rescue from the Chanyu, but did not obtain support^[3]. In the novel, the Worthy Prince of the Left expressly refused Gao Gan's request and rebuked his intent, making this scene more vivid^[7].
* Killed at Shangluo: On his way fleeing toward Jing Province, Gao Gan was captured and beheaded by the Commandant of Shangluo, Wang Yan, marking the end of his political life^[3]. In the novel, Wang Yan was enfeoffed as a full Marquis for killing Gao Gan, emphasizing the importance of this event^[7].
* Reinforcements of Yuan Shao's Faction (unique to the novel): After the Battle of Guandu, Gao Gan, together with Yuan Xi and Yuan Tan, led troops to reinforce Yuan Shao, displaying the unity of the Yuan family in the novel (though it ultimately failed)^[5].