Gao Rou

Historical Record

Gao Rou, styled Wenhui, was a native of Chenliu. At the end of the Han, when the realm fell into great disorder and heroes rose up everywhere, Gao Rou foresaw that Chenliu would become a battleground beset on all sides, and that although Cao Cao held Yanzhou, his ambition lay in the four quarters and he was no lord to hold it long. He judged that Zhang Miao, who had first gained his ambition in Chenliu, was likely to cause upheaval, and so he urged his fellow townsmen to flee the danger; but because he was young, the others paid him no heed. Gao Rou's elder cousin Gao Gan (by one account, paternal uncle), a nephew of Yuan Shao, then summoned Gao Rou from Hebei, and Gao Rou led his whole clan to follow him. After Gao Gan died in the western region, the roads being perilous and bandits rampant, Gao Rou nonetheless braved repeated dangers to go to Shu to fetch the coffin, laboring through three years before he returned. ^c:4308

After Cao Cao pacified the Yuan clan, he appointed Gao Rou as Chief of Jian. Before Gao Rou took up the post, the county, having long heard of his name, saw several corrupt clerks resign of their own accord. But Gao Rou instructed them, saying: "Of old, when Bing Ji governed, he tolerated even the faults of his clerks—how much more these clerks, who have committed no dereliction toward me!" and he recalled them. These clerks, moved by his kindness, all strove to become fine officials. Not long after Gao Gan surrendered to Cao, he again rebelled in Bing Province, and Gao Rou therefore went over to Cao Cao of his own accord. Cao Cao wished to take the opportunity to kill Gao Rou, and so appointed him Order-Clerk for Detecting Treachery, intending to observe his conduct. Gao Rou handled the law fittingly, with no cases left pending in the prisons, and Cao Cao then recruited him as an aide of the Chancellor's Granary Section. According to the Spring and Autumn of the Wei House, Gao Rou not only handled the law fairly but was tireless day and night, once falling asleep clutching his documents. Cao Cao, touring incognito by night, saw Gao Rou thus and was moved to pity; he took off his own fur garment to cover him before leaving, and from then on gave Gao Rou important employment. ^c:4309

When Cao Cao wished to send Zhong Yao and others to campaign against Zhang Lu, Gao Rou remonstrated, holding that a large-scale expedition at that time would make Han Sui and Ma Chao suspect it was aimed at them and so incite them to rebel. He advised first pacifying and winning over the Three Adjuncts of Guanzhong; once the Three Adjuncts were settled, Hanzhong could be subdued by mere proclamation. As it turned out, after Zhong Yao entered the passes, Han Sui and Ma Chao did indeed rebel, confirming Gao Rou's foresight. ^c:4309

At the founding of the state of Wei, Gao Rou served as Gentleman of the Masters of Writing, and was later transferred to be the Chancellor's Aide of the Justice Section. Cao Cao had once issued an order that when soldiers on campaign deserted, their wives and children were to be investigated. When Song Jin and other musicians deserted at Hefei, the officials in charge memorialized to put to death his mother, wife, and two younger brothers. Gao Rou submitted a memorial, saying that although the soldiers' desertion was indeed hateful, there were among them those who repented. He held that their wives and children should be treated with leniency: first, this would keep the enemy from believing the deserters' families had been killed; second, it would entice them to a wish to return. If the old law's heavy punishment were applied, it would only make the serving troops fear being implicated over one man's desertion and so desert one after another. Cao Cao approved upon hearing this, and stopped the killing of Song Jin's mother and brothers, so that very many were spared. ^c:6800

After Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, ascended the throne, Gao Rou was appointed Attendant Imperial Secretary for Editing Texts, granted the rank of Marquis Within the Passes, and later additionally made Executor of the Law for Editing Texts. At that time slanderous and seditious talk was common among the people, and Cao Pi deeply detested it; whoever spoke seditious words was sure to be killed, and informers were rewarded. Gao Rou submitted a memorial, holding that this left those who erred no road to reform and would foster a custom of false accusation, and was not the way to quell treachery and reduce litigation. He proposed abolishing the law of rewarding informers against seditious slander, so as to manifest the Heaven-and-Father benevolence of nurturing all things. Cao Pi at first did not comply, and the custom of false accusation grew worse; only later did he issue an edict: "Whoever dares accuse another of slander shall himself be punished with the crime of which he accused him." This custom then ceased. ^c:6801 In the fourth year of Huangchu, Gao Rou was promoted to Commandant of Justice. Cao Pi, out of an old grudge, wished to bend the law to put to death Bao Xun, the Executor of the Law for Editing Texts, but Gao Rou stubbornly refused to obey the edict. Cao Pi was furious and summoned Gao Rou to the terrace, sending a messenger to the Commandant of Justice's office to interrogate and execute Bao Xun; only after Bao Xun was dead did he send Gao Rou back to his office. ^c:4310

After Emperor Ming, Cao Rui, ascended the throne, Gao Rou was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yanshou Village. He submitted a memorial proposing the revival of Confucian learning, holding that the Erudites should be treated according to the excellence of their learning and conduct and given posts out of the ordinary order, so as to honor and promote the way of moral instruction and encourage scholars. The Emperor Ming adopted his advice. ^c:4311 Gao Rou held office for twenty-three years; he was transferred to be Grand Master of Ceremonies, and within ten days promoted to Minister of Works, and later moved to Minister over the Masses. ^c:4312

In the tenth year of Zhengshi, the Grand Tutor Sima Yi memorialized to remove Cao Shuang from office, and the Empress Dowager issued an edict summoning Gao Rou to act with the staff of authority as Acting General-in-Chief, going to occupy Cao Shuang's camp. Sima Yi said to Gao Rou: "You are my Zhou Bo." After Cao Shuang was executed, Gao Rou was advanced in enfeoffment to Marquis of Wansui Village. When the Duke of Gaogui Township, Cao Mao, ascended the throne, Gao Rou was advanced in enfeoffment to Marquis of Anguo and transferred to be Grand Commandant. When the Duke of Changdao Township, Cao Huan, ascended the throne, his fief was increased to four thousand households together with the former, and two of his sons were enfeoffed as village marquises before and after. In the fourth year of Jingyuan, Gao Rou died at the advanced age of ninety, with the posthumous title Marquis Yuan. His grandson Gao Hun inherited the title. During the Xianxi era, when the Jin court established the five ranks of nobility, because Gao Rou and others were meritorious officials of the former dynasty, Gao Hun was reassigned as Viscount of Changlu. ^c:4312

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Gao Rou's image centers mainly on his role when Sima Yi launched the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs. The novel describes how Sima Yi, learning that the Cao Shuang brothers and their trusted aides had accompanied the Wei sovereign Cao Fang out of the city to visit the tombs and hunt, was overjoyed and at once went to the secretariat, ordering the Minister over the Masses Gao Rou to take up the staff of authority and act as General-in-Chief, occupying Cao Shuang's camp first. ^c:6803

In the novel, this action of Gao Rou's was a key step in Sima Yi's coup plan—namely, swiftly taking control of Cao Shuang's military forces. The novel does not describe in detail Gao Rou's state of mind before and after the coup or his dialogue with Sima Yi, but directly presents the scene of his receiving the order and carrying out the task. This basically accords with the historical record that Gao Rou was summoned by edict of the Empress Dowager to act with the staff of authority as Acting General-in-Chief and occupy Cao Shuang's camp, but the novel attributes the issuing of this order directly to Sima Yi rather than the Empress Dowager, a slight simplification. ^c:6803 In the novel, Gao Rou's appearance is more that of an executor of Sima Yi's successful coup than, as in the histories, a court grandee with a far richer career in office and independent judgment.

Key Relationships

* Bao Xun: While serving as Commandant of Justice, Gao Rou, heedless of Cao Pi's wrath, stubbornly held to his view and refused to bend the law to put Bao Xun to death. Bao Xun was in the end still killed by Cao Pi, but Gao Rou's persistence embodied his character of handling the law fittingly and not pandering to the ruler's anger. ^c:4310
* Gao Jing: After Gao Rou's elder cousin Gao Gan (by one account, paternal uncle) died in the western region, Gao Rou, heedless of the perils, traveled far to Shu to fetch the coffin, laboring through three years before he returned, showing his deep feeling for his kin. ^c:4308
* Gao Gan: Gao Rou's elder cousin (or paternal uncle), a nephew of Yuan Shao. Gao Rou once followed Gao Gan in joining Yuan Shao; later, when Gao Gan surrendered to Cao and then rebelled, Gao Rou went over to Cao Cao of his own accord. ^c:4308
* Cao Wei (Cao Cao, Cao Pi, Cao Rui, Cao Fang, Cao Mao, Cao Huan): Gao Rou served the Cao Wei regime all his life, through several sovereigns. He was once Cao Cao's aide of the Granary Section, valued by Cao Cao for handling the law fairly and being tireless day and night. ^c:4309 Under Cao Pi, he served as Attendant Imperial Secretary for Editing Texts and Commandant of Justice, remonstrating frankly many times and upholding the law. ^c:6801 Under Cao Rui, he was enfeoffed as a marquis and proposed reviving Confucian learning. ^c:4311 In the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs, he was ordered to occupy Cao Shuang's camp, and later rose to Grand Commandant, dying at the advanced age of ninety. ^c:4312
* Sima Yi: In the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs, Sima Yi ordered (unique to the novel) or the Empress Dowager summoned by edict (in the histories) Gao Rou to act with the staff of authority as Acting General-in-Chief and occupy Cao Shuang's camp, a key link in the success of the coup. ^{c:6803 c:4312}

Iconic Scenes

* Braving danger to fetch Gao Gan's coffin: Gao Gan died in the western region, the roads being perilous and bandits rampant, yet Gao Rou braved his life to travel far to Shu to fetch the coffin, laboring through three years before he returned. This embodies not only his loyalty and righteousness toward his kin but also his firm and unyielding character. ^c:4308
* Falling asleep clutching documents and being covered by Cao Cao's fur garment: While serving as the Chancellor's aide of the Granary Section, Gao Rou handled the law fairly and was tireless day and night, even falling asleep clutching his documents. When Cao Cao discovered this on a night tour, he was moved to pity and took off his own fur garment to cover Gao Rou. This detail vividly portrays Gao Rou's diligence and Cao Cao's high regard for him. ^c:4309
* Remonstrating against Cao Cao's campaign on Zhang Lu: When Cao Cao wished to send Zhong Yao and others to campaign against Zhang Lu, Gao Rou raised an objection, holding that sending troops at that time risked inciting Han Sui and Ma Chao to rebel. Events proved Gao Rou's judgment correct, showing his outstanding political foresight and strategic vision. ^c:4309
* Strongly remonstrating with Cao Pi to abolish the law of rewarding informers against seditious slander: Under Cao Pi, in response to slanderous and seditious talk among the people, Gao Rou remonstrated frankly, pointing out the ills of the law of rewarding informers, and finally moved Cao Pi to issue an edict abolishing this law, embodying his spirit of loyalty, integrity, love of the people, and upholding of the law. ^c:6801
* Not pandering to the ruler's anger, holding firm in Bao Xun's case: When Cao Pi wished to bend the law to put Bao Xun to death, Gao Rou, as Commandant of Justice, did not fear the ruler's wrath and stubbornly refused to obey the edict. Although Bao Xun was in the end still killed, this conduct of Gao Rou's manifested his upright character of handling the law fittingly and holding to principle. ^c:4310
* Occupying Cao Shuang's camp in the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs: When Sima Yi launched the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs, Gao Rou was appointed by Sima Yi (unique to the novel) or the Empress Dowager (in the histories) to act with the staff of authority as Acting General-in-Chief, leading troops to occupy Cao Shuang's camp, becoming one of the key links in the success of the coup. ^{c:6803 c:4312}