Song, Liao, and Jin · Grand Councilor

Taogu 討古

Tǎogǔ

First attested AD 951; died AD 982

Passages: 11
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

Taogu was a Grand Councilor.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Kuoning	括寧	Kuòníng

Life and dates

Death

AD 982 四年
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 51

Attested activity

AD 951 應歷初
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 84, passage 42
AD 982 四年
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 84, passage 51
AD 979 乾亨初
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 84, passage 45
AD 979 保寧末
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 84, passage 44

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Princess Pujin (樸謹公主)
married 尚 · Marriage
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 43
Kin of Xiao Gan (蕭幹)
nephew 侄
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 38

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Commander of the Southern Capital Palace Guard 南京侍衛親軍都指揮使
AD 979 乾亨初 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 50
Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Capital 南京統軍使
AD 979 保寧末 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 44
Grand Councilor 平章事
Held
Directly stated · History of Liao 67, passage 33
Pardoned then demoted
AD 979 乾亨初 · Demoted
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 50

Places and affiliations

Polity Id liao · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · History of Liao 67, passage 33
Polity Id liao · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 42

Works and attributed material

Edict · Addressee · Mode quotation
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 47

Events and relationships

Defeated
AD 979 乾亨初 · Military · Commander · Outcome Initial rout then victory
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passages 45, 49
Reported rebellion
Political · Informer · With Haisi (海思)
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 43

Assessments and attributes

Assessment worth beyond battlefield merit for exposing Haisi · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 73
loyal and unassuming
Character
Directly stated · History of Liao 84, passage 41

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

History of Liao, Chapter 67Volume 67 Tables 5: Families of Imperial Consorts · 1 passage

平章事討古。 Taogu, Grand Councilor.

History of Liao, Chapter 84Volume 84 Biographies 14: Yelu Sha, Yelu Mozhi, Xiao Gan, Yelu Shanbu, Yelu Haili · 10 passages

耶律沙耶律抹只蕭幹附:討古耶律善補耶律海裏 Yelu Sha, Yelu Mozhi, Xiao Gan, appended biography Taogu, Yelu Shanbu, and Yelu Haili

侄討古。 His nephew was Taogu.

討古 Taogu

討古，字括寧，性忠簡。 Taogu, whose courtesy name was Kuoning, was loyal and unassuming by nature.

會冀王敵烈、宣徽使海思謀反，討古與耶律阿列密告於上，上嘉其忠，詔尚樸謹公主。 When the Prince of Ji, Dilie, and the Xuanhui Commissioner Haisi conspired rebellion, Taogu and Yelu Alie reported them in secret; the emperor praised their loyalty and married Taogu to Princess Pujin.

乾亨初，宋侵燕，討古與北院大王奚底拒之，不克，軍潰。 Early in Qianheng, when the Song invaded Yan, Taogu and the Northern Chancellor Xidi tried to hold them off but failed and their army broke in rout.

討古等不敢復戰，退屯清河。 Taogu and his colleagues dared not give battle again and fell back to encamp at Qinghe.

討古懼。 Taogu was terrified.

頃之，援兵至，討古奮力以敗宋軍。 Before long reinforcements arrived, and Taogu fought with renewed vigor to rout the Song army.

若蕭幹、海裏拒察割之招，討古告海思之變，則不止有戰功而已。 As for Xiao Gan and Haili, who refused Chagai's enticements, and Taogu, who exposed Haisi's conspiracy—their worth lay in more than battlefield success alone.