Gao Huan

Also known as Zihe Liuhun

Gao Huan, courtesy name Heliuhun, traced his family to Tiao county in Bohai but grew up among the Xianbei at the frontier garrison of Huaishuo. After the Six Garrisons revolt he followed Du Luozhou and Ge Rong before joining Erzhu Rong; when Erzhu Rong was killed, Gao Huan rose at Xindu in 531, crushed the Erzhu at Hanling the next year and placed Emperor Xiaowu on the throne in Luoyang. When Xiaowu fled to Yuwen Tai in 534, Gao Huan enthroned Yuan Shanjian at Ye, creating the Eastern Wei, and ruled from Jinyang as grand chancellor. He fought the Western Wei repeatedly, losing badly at Shayuan and winning at Mangshan, and in 546 besieged Yubi for fifty days in vain. The Book of Northern Qi (Bei Qi shu) says that at a banquet he had Hulu Jin sing the Song of the Chile and joined in himself. He died at Jinyang in 547; when his son Gao Yang founded the Northern Qi he was honoured as emperor, later as Shenwu.