Gao Xianzhi

Gao Xianzhi
Gao Xianzhi
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	高仙芝
Simplified Chinese	高仙芝
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Gāo Xiānzhī
Wade–Giles	Kao Hsien-chih
Korean name
Hangul	고선지
Hanja	高仙芝
Revised Romanization
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization	Go Seon-ji
McCune–Reischauer	Ko Sŏn-ji

Gao Xianzhi, or Go Seonji, (died January 24, 756^[1]) was a Tang dynasty general of Goguryeo^[2] descent. He was known as a great commander during his lifetime. He is best known for taking part in a number of military expeditions to conquer the Western Regions, over the Pamir Mountains and reaching as far as the Talas River. In 751 he commanded the Tang forces during the Battle of Talas, fighting against the Abbasid Caliphate. The Tang defeat at the Talas River is considered to mark the end of both Tang western expansion and Abbasid eastern expansion.^[3]

Around the beginning of the year 756, Gao and fellow general Feng Changqing offended the powerful eunuch Bian Lingcheng (邊令誠) while defending the Tong Pass against the rebel An Lushan, who had rebelled in 755. Bian then accused Feng of cowardice and Gao of corruption, and both were executed.

^ Volume 217 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Gao was executed on the guimao day of the 12th month of the 14th year of the Tianbao era of Tang Xuanzong's reign. This corresponds to 24 Jan 756 in the Gregorian calendar.
^ "...The closest one that comes early in this period may be the Battle of Talas, when Muslim armies of the Abbasid dynasty defeated a Tang army under the Korean commander, Kao Sien-Chih, in 751; it is often said that these captives introduced Chinese techniques of paper manufacture into the Islamic world, but what is clearer is that the battle halted Chinese expansionism into Central Asia." The Oxford History of Historical Writing. Vol. 2. 400-1400, page 3.
^ Bo Yang, Outlines of the History of the Chinese (中國人史綱), vol. 2, p. 547.

[1] Volume 217 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Gao was executed on the guimao day of the 12th month of the 14th year of the Tianbao era of Tang Xuanzong's reign. This corresponds to 24 Jan 756 in the Gregorian calendar.

[2] "...The closest one that comes early in this period may be the Battle of Talas, when Muslim armies of the Abbasid dynasty defeated a Tang army under the Korean commander, Kao Sien-Chih, in 751; it is often said that these captives introduced Chinese techniques of paper manufacture into the Islamic world, but what is clearer is that the battle halted Chinese expansionism into Central Asia." The Oxford History of Historical Writing. Vol. 2. 400-1400, page 3.

[Outlines-3] Bo Yang, Outlines of the History of the Chinese (中國人史綱), vol. 2, p. 547.

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