| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 嬴高, 嬴高, Yíng Gāo |
| Other name | Doanh Cao |
| INFORMATION | |
| Birth Place | Xianyang, State of Qin (秦国咸阳; Hàm Dương, nước Tần) |
| Died | 209 BC |
| Death Reason | Voluntary martyrdom to protect his clan |
| FAMILY | |
| Father | |
| Relatives | |
| CAREER | |
| Allegiance | Qin Dynasty |
Prince Gao of Qin (公子高, Công tử Cao; d. 209 BC), was an imperial prince of the Qin Dynasty, son of the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang and brother of Crown Prince Fusu (Fusu) and the Second Emperor Huhai (Huhai).
During the reign of terror orchestrated by Huhai and treacherous eunuch Zhao Gao, royal princes were systematically arrested and executed alongside their entire households on fabricated charges. Prince Gao initially contemplated fleeing the empire, but realized with acute horror that fleeing would result in the collective execution of his mother, wife, children, and retainers.
In an extraordinary display of heart-wrenching filial ingenuity, Prince Gao submitted a formal memorial to Huhai: ‘When our late father the Emperor was alive, he showered me with limitless favor. Now he has departed this world, and I cannot bear to live while he lies alone in his tomb. I beg Your Majesty’s permission to be buried alive alongside our late father at Mount Li to fulfill my filial duty as a son.’ Overjoyed that a dangerous prince was eliminating himself voluntarily, Huhai and Zhao Gao granted his request, praised his sublime virtue, and rewarded his family with 100,000 copper coins. By voluntarily embracing death in Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum, Prince Gao successfully preserved his lineage and clan from the butchery that annihilated all other Qin princes.
Role in History (Shiji)
Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji, vol. 87, Biography of Li Si): “Prince Gao knew he could not escape; he petitioned to accompany the First Emperor in the tomb. Huhai was overjoyed, saying: ‘This is true filial piety!’ He granted Prince Gao’s family one hundred thousand cash, and Prince Gao walked into the mausoleum.”
Prince Gao of Qin — Historical & Literary Timeline
Qin Dynasty
Imperial Prince
Born in Xianyang to Qin Shi Huang; admired for classical filial devotion.
210 BC
The Shaqiu Terror
Witnesses the execution of Fusu and the systematic slaughter of his royal siblings.
209 BC
The Sacrificial Petition
Petitions Huhai to be buried alongside Qin Shi Huang at Mount Li to protect his clan.
209 BC
Entering the Tomb
Enters the First Emperor’s mausoleum; saves his immediate family from Zhao Gao’s executioners.
Key Relationships
Family
- Father Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇, Tần Thủy Hoàng – First Emperor): Emperor whom Prince Gao accompanied in death at Mount Li.
- Fratricidal Brother Huhai (胡亥, Hồ Hợi – Qin Er Shi): Brother whose executioners Prince Gao outwitted through self-sacrifice.
- Brothers Fusu, Prince Jianglü: Royal brothers murdered in Zhao Gao’s purges.
- Descendants Lineage of Prince Gao: Spared from execution due to Prince Gao’s sacrificial bargain.
Friends
- Clan Retainers Household of Prince Gao: Protected by their master’s ultimate sacrifice.
Enemies
- Scheming Eunuch Zhao Gao (赵高, Triệu Cao): Mastermind of the royal purges, delighted by Prince Gao’s petition.
- Imperial Chancellor Li Si (李斯): Witnessed the destruction of the imperial clan.
Other
- Mausoleum Engineers Builders of Mount Li Tomb: Sealed Prince Gao within the imperial chambers.
In Shiji
The Ultimate Sacrificial Wisdom
"Prince Gao said: 'If I flee, my clan dies in shame; if I enter my father's grave, my children live in honor.' Thus he chose darkness that his bloodline might see the dawn."
Historical Context
Prince Gao is remembered in Chinese history as a tragic paragon of tactical self-sacrifice, trading his own agonizing death to shield his children from total annihilation.
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