Gao Gan 高幹

Gao Gan was a man of Chenliu and the son of Yuan Shao's sister. When Gao Gan, who was in Hebei, called for him, his younger cousin Gao Rou took his entire clan and followed him. Records, Wei 6 §40Records, Wei 1 §93Records, Wei 24 §25

After Dong Zhuo went west into the Guanzhong region and Yuan Shao turned his army back to Yanjin, Yuan Shao, taking advantage of Han Fu's alarm, sent Gao Gan, Xun Chen of Yingchuan and others to persuade Han Fu. They told him that Gongsun Zan was coming south on the momentum of victory and General of Chariots and Cavalry Yuan was turning his army east, so the general was in danger, and urged him to hand Ji Province over to the Yuan family. Han Fu, who was timid, followed their plan. Records, Wei 6 §40–42

After defeating Gongsun Zan at Yijing, Yuan Shao placed his son Yuan Tan in Qing Province, Yuan Xi in You Province and his sister's son Gao Gan in Bing Province. Gao Gan, as Governor of Bing Province, memorialized to appoint Zhang Jian of Julu as Prefect of Leping, but Zhang Jian did not take up the post, and when he sought to make Chang Lin Chief Commandant of Cavalry, Chang Lin also declined. Records, Wei 6 §49Records, Wei 11 §100Records, Wei 23 §21

After Yuan Shao's death, when Yuan Shang was resisting Cao Cao at Liyang, Yuan Shang sent Guo Yuan, whom he had appointed Administrator of Hedong, Gao Gan, Inspector of Bing Province, and the Xiongnu chanyu to seize Pingyang and tried to ally with the commanders of the Guanzhong region. When the Colonel-Director of Retainers Zhong Yao sent Zhang Ji to persuade Ma Teng, Ma Teng gave his son Ma Chao more than 10,000 troops to attack Gao Gan and Guo Yuan together with Zhong Yao. Ma Chao's commander Pang De cut off Guo Yuan's head, and Gao Gan and the chanyu both surrendered. Records, Wei 15 §39–40Records, Shu 6 §26Records, Wei 18 §68

In the 9th year of Jian'an (204), when Cao Cao besieged Ye, Qian Zhao, who had gone to Shangdang to supervise Yuan Shang's grain supplies, urged Gao Gan to welcome Yuan Shang and join forces with him, since Bing Province was protected by mountains and rivers and had 50,000 armoured soldiers. Gao Gan not only failed to do so but secretly sought to harm Qian Zhao, and Qian Zhao slipped away by a byway and went to Cao Cao. When Ye fell, Gao Gan surrendered Bing Province, and Cao Cao kept him on as Inspector of Bing Province. Records, Wei 26 §45–46Records, Wei 6 §66Records, Wei 1 §93

Hearing that Cao Cao was attacking the Wuhuan, Gao Gan rebelled with Bing Province, seized the Administrator of Shangdang and raised troops to hold the mouth of the Hu Pass. When Yue Jin and Li Dian, sent by Cao Cao, attacked him, he withdrew to hold the city of the Hu Pass. At this time Wei Gu and Fan Xian of Hedong, while outwardly asking that the summoned Administrator Wang Yi be allowed to stay, were secretly plotting with Gao Gan, and Zhang Yan (張琰) also intended to raise troops in support. Gao Gan entered Huoze and together with Wei Gu and others attacked the new Administrator Du Ji, but could not defeat him. Gao Gan's younger cousin Gao Rou at this time returned to Cao Cao of his own accord. Records, Wei 1 §93Records, Wei 17 §23Records, Wei 16 §21 · 27–28Records, Wei 15 §71Records, Wei 24 §26

In the first month of spring in the 11th year of Jian'an (206), when Cao Cao came in person to attack Gao Gan, Gao Gan left the city to his commanders Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng and went to the Xiongnu to ask the chanyu for help, but the chanyu refused him. Cao Cao besieged the Hu Pass for three months and took it. Gao Gan tried to flee south to Jing Province with a few horsemen but was captured and beheaded by Wang Yan, Commandant of Shangluo. Later the edict enfeoffing Cao Cao as Duke of Wei recorded among his merits that Yuan Tan and Gao Gan had both had their heads displayed, and Liang Xi, who became Inspector of Bing Province, had to govern Bing Province in the aftermath of the disorder Gao Gan had caused. Records, Wei 1 §93–94 · 125Records, Wei 6 §69Records, Wei 15 §29