Gao Yun (Northern Wei)

Gao Yun (Chinese: 高允; 390–487), courtesy name Bogong (伯恭), formally Duke Wen of Xianyang (咸陽文公), was an official during the reigns of five emperors of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei.

Gao Yun was born in 390, while his home commandery of Bohai (勃海, roughly modern Cangzhou, Hebei) was under Later Yan rule, and his father Gao Tao (高韜) served as a low-level official in the administration of Later Yan's founding emperor Murong Chui. After Northern Wei's Emperor Daowu seized most of Later Yan territory in 397, he commissioned Gao Tao as an official, but Gao Tao soon died. Gao Yun took the caskets of his grandfather Gao Tai (高泰) and his father Gao Tao back to Bohai Commandery and, after giving his inheritance to his two younger brothers, briefly became a Buddhist monk with the name Fajing (法淨), but soon thereafter gave up the monastical lifestyle. He studied astronomy and astrology, as well as the Spring and Autumn Annals. He served as a commandery official as well.

In 430, when he was already 40, Gao Yun served on the staff of Emperor Taiwu's uncle Dugu Hunchao (獨孤渾超) the Prince of Yangping, and he became known for his honesty in judging criminal matters. In 431, he was summoned to the capital Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong, Shanxi), and he then served successively on the staffs of Emperor Taiwu's brothers Tuoba Fan (拓拔範) the Prince of Le'an and Tuoba Pi (拓拔丕) the Prince of Leping. It was after assisting Tuoba Pi in a campaign that he was created the Baron of Wenyang. Around 440, the powerful prime minister Cui Hao added Gao to his staff, as he began to compile a history of the Northern Wei state. It was also around this time that he had a debate about astrology with Cui, and while Cui, himself an astrology scholar, initially disagreed with Gao's opinions, he eventually came to accept Gao's opinions.

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