Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi

Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi ((北)齊武成帝) (537–569), personal name Gao Zhan (高湛 which can also romanized as Gao Dan), nickname Buluoji (步落稽), was an emperor of Northern Qi. In traditional Chinese historiography, he was presented as a minimally competent ruler who devoted much of his time to feasting and pleasure-seeking, neglecting the affairs of the state. The state was governed with assistance from his adviser He Shikai and other appointed administrators. In 565, he passed the throne to his young son Gao Wei, taking the title Taishang Huang (retired emperor), but continued to make key decisions. He died in 569, and the Northern Qi would fall in 577.

Gao Zhan was born in 537, as the fourth of six sons of Eastern Wei's paramount general Gao Huan and his wife Lou Zhaojun (and Gao Huan's ninth son overall). In 544, Gao Huan, in order to try to form an alliance with Rouran, took, as a wife for Gao Zhan, a daughter of Rouran's Khan Yujiulü Anluochen, who carried the title of Princess Linhe. At their public wedding ceremony, Gao Zhan was said to be appropriate in his actions despite his young age, surprising the guests. He was later created the Duke of Changguang. After the deaths of Gao Huan and Gao Zhan's oldest brother Gao Cheng, another brother Gao Yang became regent, and in 550, he had Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei yield the throne to him, ending Eastern Wei and establishing Northern Qi as its Emperor Wenxuan. Gao Zhan, as a younger brother to the emperor, was created the Prince of Changguang.

Emperor Wenxuan's reign was initially a diligent one, but eventually turned violent and degenerate. When he was drunk, he was accustomed to battering his brothers, including Gao Zhan, and two of his brothers, Gao Jun (高浚) the Prince of Yong'an and Gao Huan (高渙, note different character than their father) the Prince of Shangdang, were imprisoned and later killed cruelly. (It was said that Gao Zhan had a hand in their deaths, as Emperor Wenxuan considered releasing them around the year 559, but Gao Zhan, who had a hateful relationship with Gao Jun, told Emperor Wenxuan, "How can you let fierce tigers out of their cages?" Emperor Wenxuan agreed and had them killed.) During this period, Gao Zhan closely associated with He Shikai and Zu Ting, even calling them brothers—and both of them would eventually have key roles in his administration.

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