Regent of Eastern Wei
Gao Cheng (Chinese: 高澄; 521 – 15 September 549[1]), courtesy name Zihui (子惠), formally Prince Wenxiang of Bohai (勃海文襄王), later further posthumously honored by Northern Qi as Emperor Wenxiang (文襄皇帝) with the temple name Shizong (世宗), was the paramount official of the Xianbei-led Chinese Eastern Wei dynasty, a branch successor state of the Northern Wei. He was Gao Huan's oldest son, and because his father wielded actual power during Emperor Xiaojing's reign, Gao Cheng also received increasingly great authority, and after his father's death in 547 took over the reign of the state. He was considered capable but frivolous and arrogant, as well as lacking in sexual discretion. In 549, he was assassinated by his servant Lan Jing (蘭京), and his younger brother Gao Yang took over the control over the Eastern Wei regime.
- ^ Gao Cheng's biography in Bei Qi Shu indicate that he was 29 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. Vol.162 of Zizhi Tongjian indicate that he died on the xin'mao day of the 8th month of the 3rd year of the Tai'qing era. Emperor Xiaojing's biography in Book of Wei gave the same date of death (with the year recorded as the 7th year of the Wu'ding era), and noted that Yuan Changren was made crown prince on the same day.
