Overview
Zhao Gao was a Qin chancellor and eunuch who killed the Second Emperor and installed Ziying.
PeriodQin and Han
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Attested activity
- BC 210 始皇三十七年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 34
- BC 210 to BC 207 秦二世Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 38, passage 309
- BC 210 秦時Directly stated · History of Yuan 204, passage 70
- BC 209 秦末Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 99, passage 162
- BC 210 to BC 207 赵高之变Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 76, passage 239
- BC 210 to BC 207 趙高Directly stated · New Book of Tang 178, passage 147
Show 1 more source-backed claim
- BC 210 to BC 207 趙高指鹿為馬Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 80
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
- Child of Mother of Zhao Gao (趙高之母)mother 母Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 23
- several brothers 昆弟數人Kinship Role brothers · Count 3 · Count Qualifier severalUncertain · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 23
Key source chapters
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 88 Biography of Meng Tian 13 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 1 Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 1 3 passages
- New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 68 Volume 68: Hereditary House of Min 2 passages
- Book of Later Han, Chapter 76 Volume 69: Biographies of Dou, He 1 passage
- Book of Liang, Chapter 38 Volume 38: Zhu Yi; He Chen 1 passage
Origins and identity
- distant kinsman of the Zhao royal house 诸赵疏远属Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 22
Career and standing
- Commander of the Central Chariot Bureau 中車府令AppointedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 24
- rank and office 官爵RestoredDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 28
- lowly for generations 世世卑贱LowbornDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 23
- grave crime 大罪Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 26
- pardoned 赦Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 28
- struck from the palace register 除其宦籍PunishedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 27
Show 1 more source-backed claim
- death sentence 罪死Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 27
Places and affiliations
- Polity Qin 秦 · Relation ServedStrongly inferred · Book of Later Han 76, passage 239; New Book of Tang 178, passage 147
- Polity Qin 秦 · Relation Served
Learning and skills
- Skill legal codes 獄法 · Level versedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 24
Works and attributed material
- Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Qin Ershi (秦二世)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passages 43-45
Events and relationships
- Cited as the type of deceitful favorite the ruler should dare to removePolitical · CourtierDirectly stated · New Book of Tang 178, passage 147
- ConspiredDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 36
- Pointed to deer as horseDirectly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 80
- Received sole trust from Er ShiPolitical · MinisterDirectly stated · Book of Liang 38, passage 309
- Zhao Gao coup (allusion)Political · InstigatorDirectly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 239
- Relation Client of · Person Qin Ershi (秦二世)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passages 25, 35
Show 4 more source-backed claims
- Relation Tutor of · Person Qin Ershi (秦二世)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 25
- Relation Rival of · Person Meng Tian (蒙恬)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 42
- Relation Associate of · Person Yan Le (閻樂)Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 38, passage 310
- Relation Rival of · Person Meng Yi (蒙毅)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passages 35, 43
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment exemplar of deceitful minister to be removed · Mode quotation Speaker Liu Fen (劉蕡)Directly stated · New Book of Tang 178, passage 147
- physically strong (彊力)PhysicalDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 24
Source notes
- Historicity historicalDirectly stated · New Book of Tang 178, passage 147; History of Yuan 204, passage 70
References in the histories
23 passages
No matching passages.