In the Central Plains at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a well-known heavy armored unit called the Trap Camp.
The commander of the trapped camp, Gao Shun, was innocent, majestic, and good at governing the army. Therefore, when the trapped camp goes out to fight, it is always "to put the crowd in order, and every battle must be conquered."
Victory in every battle is by no means touted.
For example, when Gao Shun attacked Xiahou Huan, he won a battle, and the defeated Xiahou Huan lost an eye and was jokingly called "Blind Xiahou"; for example, Gao Shun defeated Liu Bei, who was helped by Yu and Zhang Fei.
However, it is such a famous general, but he has never been ambitious. Although Gao Shun made many military achievements, Lü Bu refused to trust him; although Gao Shun had good character and talent, Cao Cao did not say a word and put him to death.
What mistake did Gao Shun, a generation of famous generals, make?
Above_ Gao Shun (?) –February 7, 199), was a general under Lü Bu's account at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty
I. Gao Shun's Faction: The "Alternative" among Military Generals
Lü Bu's military group, because its main members are mostly from the Hezhou clan (such as Zhang Liao, Zhang Yang, etc.), this military organization is also called the "Hezhou Army".
Hezhou is a "remote place" in the eyes of the Zhongyuan Shi clan, and the local military generals are "accustomed to Yifeng", so the military generals in the hezhou army are always "debauched" and often act "frivolous and rude".
And because of the influence of the geographical environment, and the state military generals are good at riding and shooting. As the "boss" of the group, Lü Bu's riding and shooting skills can be first-class in the world, and even Chen Shou, who calls him "light and cunning", has to admit that Lü Bu has the courage of a "flying general" in that year.
In addition, the military generals of the state also had the habit of drinking. Although Lü Bu had issued a "prohibition order", his generals could not help but close their own doors and secretly brew wine to drink.
A general named Hou Cheng, because of a moment of excitement, took out the fine wine he had stolen from his home and offered it to Lü Bu, but was beaten by the latter (see Pei Songzhi's note quoting "Spring and Autumn in Kyushu").
Being rough, good at riding and shooting, and good at drinking can be described as the three characteristics of the military generals. But the strange thing is that What Gao Shun did was exactly the opposite of them.
Above_ Jizhou, Hezhou
According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu's biography, quoted in the Chronicle of heroes:
"Shun is innocent and majestic, does not drink alcohol, and is not subject to bequeathed."
Gao Shun was innocent, did not drink alcohol, and did not covet small profits, which was in stark contrast to the military generals of Hezhou.
Not only that, but even the trapped camp of his commander, such a typical heavy infantry, was not the cavalry that the military generals of the state were good at.
It can be seen that Gao Shun is an "alternative" in the state army. If you think about it, there is another person in the Hezhou Army, similar to Gao Shun's "sketch", he is Chen Gong.
Chen Gong actually had some "holdings", but it was not surprising that the people were local celebrities in Yanzhou, and it was not surprising that they had such a wind and bone; but why was Gao Shun, a military general, also a "Qingliu celebrity" style?
Above_ Chen Gong (?) –February 7, 199), zigongtai
2. Gao Shun's birth: Son of Chen Liu Gao
Gao Shun's deeds are scattered in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the Chronicle of Heroes, and the Book of later Han. None of these historical materials mention Gao Shun's past, so it is "impossible to examine its end".
However, in the "Taiping Imperial Records" quoted in the "Old Biography of Chen Liuqi", there is a trace of Gao Shun again. There are not many records here, only a few words:
"Gao Shun, the word filial piety, Dun Hou Shaohua."
The point is not what is recorded in it, but the original source of Gao Shun's historical material, which is the "Old Biography of Chen Liuqi", which is a book similar to the chronicle of local figures.
Similarly, there are the "Xiangyang Qi Old Record" and the "Yizhou Qi Old Biography". When Pei Songzhi quoted the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, he quoted many historical materials from it, such as Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Liu Ba, Xiang Lang and other Jingshu talents, all of whom were on the list.
Gao Shunneng's inclusion in the Old Biography of Chen Liuqi illustrates a problem: he was most likely from Chen Liu County, Yanzhou. Combined with the habit of not recording such books, Gao Shun was not only born in Chen Liu County, but also should be a local celebrity.
This inference is very consistent with Gao Shun's aforementioned style of "having innocence for people".
Sima Yi (179 – 7 September 251)
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the famous scholars were either well-versed in scripture and confucianism; or they were born in the Hao clan, and there were many high-ranking officials in the family.
Coincidentally, Chen Liuyuan County really has a Gao clan, which is a famous and tycoon in the state.
Yuan Shao's nephew, Shi Gaogan of the Late Han Dynasty and the Governor of The State, and Gao Rou, a famous minister of Cao Wei who supported Sima Yi in launching the Gaopingling Rebellion, were all members of the Chen Liu Gao clan.
If Gao Shun also comes from this family, then many of his problems will be solved.
Above_ Lü Bu (?) -198), the word Fengxian
Third, the mystery of Gao Shun: three problems to solve
The first question is: How did Gao Shun become Lü Bu's general?
From the timeline, the first intersection of Gao Shun and Lü Bu is most likely in the first year of Xingping (194). In this year, Zhang Mi, Zhang Chao, Chen Gong and others took advantage of Cao Cao's outing to welcome Lü Bu into Yanzhou.
Zhang Mi was Chen Liu Taishou and Gao Shun was a local celebrity, and he naturally had the opportunity to join the Lü Bu group with Zhang Mi and Chen Gong. After Zhang Mi's defeat, Gao Shun and Chen Gong and others did not leave, but became the only remaining Yanzhou shi clan in the Lü Bu clique.
Chen Palace was highly valued by Lü Bu, and with the "township party" relationship with Chen Palace, Gao Shun, although he did not have much contact with other Liangzhou warriors, was able to barely gain a foothold under Lü Bu.
Above_ Zhang Mi (?) –195), courtesy name Mengzhuo, was a native of Shouzhang, Dongping (present-day Dongping County, Shandong).
The second question is: Why does Lü Bu distrust Gao Shun?
"Bu knows his loyalty, but he can't use it." After the cloth was reversed from Hao Meng, it was more smooth. Yi Wei continued to have relatives from the outside and inside, and the generals of Xi Daishun continued to follow. ”
Gao Shun had the talent of a general and was also very loyal, although Lü Bu also knew it, but he was still very wary of him, and also took away the military power in his hands. The reason for this is probably Gao Shun's identity.
Chen Liugao, who intermarried with the Yuan clan of Runan, was very close to each other. The high-ranking cadre mentioned earlier is Yuan Shao's nephew.
And between Lü Bu and Yuan Shao, there was a deep hatred. The men sent by Yuan Shao almost hacked Lü Bu to death on his bed. With Lü Bu's suspicious personality, how could he believe Gao Shun, who was "related to Yuan Shao"?
Above_ Yuan Shao(?) – June 28, 202), originally written in Chinese
The third question is: Why did Cao Cao kill Gao Shun and leave Zhang Liao behind?
Cao Cao's killing of Gao Shun was probably the same as Lü Bu's reason for not trusting Gao Shun.
After defeating Yuan Shao, Cao Cao had always been very jealous of yuan's yu party and some families close to yuan. Among them, the Chen Liugao clan and the Hongnong Yang clan were the key targets of Cao Cao's attack.
According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, Gao Rou Biography:
"The high cadres have surrendered, and they have rebelled against the state." Gentle self-return to Taizu, Taizu wants to be punished because of things. ”
Gao Rou was almost killed by Cao Cao because of his relationship with Yuan Shao, while Yang Xiu, who was also "Yuan's nephew", was directly killed by Cao Cao. Apparently, Gao Rou later supported Sima Yi in launching the Gaopingling coup d'état precisely because of Cao's successive years of suppression of Gao.
In this context, Gao Shun, who was born in the Gao clan of Chen Liu, inevitably became the object of Cao Cao's "cleaning".
Cao Cao (155–220)
In addition, although Gao Shun has a talent for governing the army, he is not irreplaceable. In other words, the reason why Gao Shun was not accepted by Cao Cao was also because Cao Ying's "inner volume" was too powerful.
On the strict and orderly management of the army, when it was forbidden to rectify the Qingzhou army, it had the style of the famous Western Han general Zhou Yafu; Lejin, who had been Cao Cao's "subordinate official" in the battle, was also a rare and powerful general; if we talk about innocence and majesty, there was also Li Dian, who was respected as a "senior in the army" and had the demeanor of a Confucian general.
Therefore, Gao Shun's talent, put into the Cao camp, is not much of a top-notch.
Above_ Zhang Liao (169-222), ziwen yuan
Zhang Liao, on the other hand, was not only accepted by Cao Cao, but also made a great achievement. The reason was that Zhang Liao, who had previously served as a cavalry lieutenant, could effectively make up for the gap in the field of cavalry in the Cao Wei regime.
In many subsequent wars, including Zhang Liao's famous battle, Wei Zhen Xiaoyaojin, who relied on the powerful surprise attack ability caused by cavalry, he turned the tide of the war several times and achieved final victory.
It was a pity that Gao Shun was unable to wrap the body of Ma Ge and return it, but he died under Lü Bu.
author:
Yingzhou Haike
Correction/Editing:
Lilith
References: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Taiping Imperial Records
The text was created by the History University Hall team, and the picture originated from the Internet and the copyright belongs to the original author