gangster, member of a criminal organization that systematically makes money from such activities as gambling, prostitution, narcotic trafficking, and industrial extortion. Although there exist throughout the world professional criminals that work with associates on a particular job or series of

History of film: Nontechnical effects of sound: Crime epics, or gangster films, such as Mervyn LeRoy’s Little Caesar (1931), William Wellman’s Public Enemy (1931), and Howard Hawks’s Scarface (1932), used sound to exploit urban slang and the audible pyrotechnics of the recently invented Thompson submachine gun. Subgenres of the gangster film were the prison film…

Ryan Gosling: Half Nelson, The Big Short, and La La Land: … and the period crime drama Gangster Squad (2013)—Gosling moved to the other side of the camera, writing and directing the modern dark fairy tale Lost River (2014), which was poorly received. He rebounded with a costarring role in the Oscar-winning ensemble comedy-drama The Big Short (2015), which he followed by…

Gangtok, city, capital of Sikkim state, northeastern India. It lies on a tributary of the Tista River in the southeast-central part of the state at an elevation of about 5,600 feet (1,700 metres). The city’s name means “Top of the Hill.” Gangtok rises over slopes extensively terraced in corn

Alia Bhatt: Critical and commercial success: …in the title role of Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), playing a sex worker turned social activist. The role won her the National Film Award for best actress. The same year she appeared in the blockbusters RRR and Brahmastra Part One: Shiva (“Weapon of Brahma”). In 2023 she starred in Rocky Aur…

copper processing: Mineral processing: …from the waste materials, or gangue. In cases where the next step is leaching (most frequently in the case of oxide ores), complete liberation of the copper minerals is not always necessary; the ore needs to be crushed and ground only to the extent required to expose the surface of…

Earth sciences: Surface water discharge: In 1869 Emile-Oscar Ganguillet and Rudolph Kutter developed a more generally applicable discharge equation following their studies of flow in Swiss mountain streams. Toward the end of the century, systematic studies of the discharge of streams had become common. In the United States the Geological Survey, following…

Kishore Kumar was a legendary Indian playback singer, composer, actor, and director. Celebrated for his uniquely expressive and versatile singing voice, Kumar recorded more than 2,500 songs in several Indian languages and sang for many of Bollywood’s top screen actors in a career spanning nearly

Aruna Asaf Ali was a leader of the Indian Independence Movement and an educator who played a role in politics after India gained freedom from British rule. Known as the “Grand Old Lady” of the Indian Independence Movement, she participated in the Salt March, also known as Salt Satyagraha, in 1930

Bollywood: Partnerships: Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar were the first popular jodi, or romantic pairing, on screen and were followed by subsequent jodis who captivated public imagination, among them Nargis and Raj Kapoor (Awaara, Shree 420), and Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham).

Sourav Ganguly is a former Indian international cricketer considered as one of the greatest one-day international (ODI) batters of all time. He was also a medium-paced bowler. He was a member of the “Fab Four” of Indian cricket, a list of incredibly successful Indian batters that included Sachin

Sourav Ganguly is a former Indian international cricketer considered as one of the greatest one-day international (ODI) batters of all time. He was also a medium-paced bowler. He was a member of the “Fab Four” of Indian cricket, a list of incredibly successful Indian batters that included Sachin

Peter I: The Northern War (1700–21): …took part in the naval battle of Gangut (Hanko, or Hangö) in 1714, the first major Russian victory at sea.

Gangwon, do (province), northeastern South Korea. It is bounded to the east by the East Sea (Sea of Japan), to the south by North Gyeongsang and North Chungcheong provinces, to the west by Gyeonggi province, and to the north by Gangwon province, North Korea. Prior to the division of the Korean

Ganioda’yo was a Seneca chief and prophet who founded the religious movement known as Gai’wiio (“Good Message”) among the Iroquois Indians of North America in the early 19th century. His name in the Seneca language meant “Handsome Lake.” Little is known of Ganioda’yo’s life before he became a

Indian mathematics: The Indian concept of ganita (Sanskrit: “computation”) was a form of knowledge whose mastery implied varied talents: a good memory, swift and accurate mental arithmetic, enough logical power to understand rules without requiring minute explanations, and a sort of numerical intuition that aided in the construction of new methods…

Mahavira: …bce]) and that he wrote Ganitasarasangraha (“Compendium of the Essence of Mathematics”) during the reign of Amoghavarsha (c. 814–878) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The work comprises more than 1,130 versified rules and examples divided in nine chapters: the first chapter for “terminology” and the rest for “mathematical procedures” such as…

Mahavira: …bce]) and that he wrote Ganitasarasangraha (“Compendium of the Essence of Mathematics”) during the reign of Amoghavarsha (c. 814–878) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The work comprises more than 1,130 versified rules and examples divided in nine chapters: the first chapter for “terminology” and the rest for “mathematical procedures” such as…

Ángel Ganivet y García was a Spanish essayist and novelist, considered a precursor of the Generation of ’98 because of his concern for the spiritual regeneration of his country. Fluent in five languages, he served with the Spanish consular service in Antwerp, Helsinki, and Riga. An anguished and

origins of agriculture: Southwest Asia: …animals, is found at the Ganj Dareh (Ganj Darreh) site in Iran between about 10,500 and 10,000 bp. This size change may simply reflect an increase in the ratio of female to male animals, as these species are sexually dimorphic and many pastoral peoples preferentially consume male animals in order…

origins of agriculture: Southwest Asia: …animals, is found at the Ganj Dareh (Ganj Darreh) site in Iran between about 10,500 and 10,000 bp. This size change may simply reflect an increase in the ratio of female to male animals, as these species are sexually dimorphic and many pastoral peoples preferentially consume male animals in order…

drug use: Types of cannabis preparations: …made from the pure resin, ghanja is prepared from the flowering tops, stems, leaves, and twigs, which have less resin and thus less potency. Ghanja is nevertheless one of the more potent forms of cannabis. It is prepared from specially cultivated plants in India and the flowering tops have a…

Gäncä, city, western Azerbaijan. It lies along the Gäncä River. The town was founded sometime in the 5th or 6th century, about 4 miles (6.5 km) east of the modern city. That town was destroyed by earthquake in 1139 and rebuilt on the present site. Gäncä became an important centre of trade, but in

Black horror: Notable Black horror films: • Ganja & Hess (1973) is a surreal, atmospheric vampire film that deals with themes of addiction and spirituality. After his assistant stabs him with an ancient dagger, anthropologist Dr. Hess Green (played by Jones) develops a craving for blood. Ganja & Hess was well received…

Genje carpet, floor covering handwoven in Azerbaijan in or near the city of Gäncä (also spelled Gendje or Gänjä; in the Soviet era it was named Kirovabad, and under Imperial Russia, Yelizavetpol). The carpets are characterized by simple, angular designs and saturated (intense) colours. Genje

Neẓāmī was the greatest romantic epic poet in Persian literature, who brought a colloquial and realistic style to the Persian epic. Little is known of Neẓāmī’s life. Orphaned at a young age, he spent his entire life in Ganja, leaving only once to meet the ruling prince. Although he enjoyed the

Japan: Beginning of the imperial state: …most important of these was Ganjin (Chinese: Jianzhen), who finally reached Nara in 753 on his sixth attempt and founded the Ritsu sect at Tōshōdai Temple.

Ganku was a Japanese painter of the late Tokugawa period who established the Kishi school of painting. A retainer of Prince Arisugawa in Kyōto and a holder of high rank, Ganku studied various styles of painting, including those of the Maruyama school, known for its realism, and of the Chinese

Ganlea megacanina, extinct primate species belonging to the family Amphipithecidae and known only from fossils dating to the late middle Eocene Epoch (approximately 38 million years ago) of central Myanmar (Burma). Current knowledge of the anatomy of Ganlea megacanina is limited to two partial

China: The struggle for central authority: …the bureaucracy, particularly after the Sweet Dew (Ganlu) coup of 835, which misfired and led to the deaths of several ministers and a number of other officials. But the apogee of the eunuchs’ power was brief, ending with the accession of Wuzong in 840. Wuzong and his minister, Li Deyu,…

gannet, any of three oceanic bird species within the family Sulidae (order Pelecaniformes or Suliformes). Closely related to the boobies and variously classified with them in the genus Sula or separated as Morus (or Moris), the gannets are the best known of the Sulidae. They are found in the

Gannett Co., Inc., one of the largest newspaper publishers in the United States, with interests in newspaper Web sites and television broadcasting as well. The company also publishes a number of newspapers and periodicals in the United Kingdom and Europe. It is headquartered in McLean, Va. The

Gannett Peak, mountain in the Wind River Range and the highest point (13,804 feet [4,207 metres]) in Wyoming, U.S. Located 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Lander on the crest of the Continental Divide, it rises from ice fields within the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Its northern face is draped by

Deborah Sampson was an American Revolutionary soldier and one of the earliest female lecturers in the country. After a childhood as an indentured servant, she worked as a school teacher for a few years. The venturesome Sampson decided to enter the Continental Army to participate in the American

Frank Ernest Gannett was an American publisher who established a major chain of daily newspapers in small and medium-sized U.S. cities. During his career, Gannett bought many newspapers and often merged them, creating one paper from two or more. Gannett was reared in rural upstate New York, where

Ganoderma, a genus of more than 300 species of wood-decaying fungi in the family Ganodermataceae (order Polyporales). Ganoderma are widely distributed shelflike or knoblike fungi that feed either as saprotrophs on dead wood or as parasites on the live wood of hardwood trees, conifers, or palms.

Polyporales: …undersurface of artist’s fungus (Fomes applanatus, or Ganoderma applanatum), which darkens when cut, has been used for etching.

fish: The skin: In ganoid scales the hard outer layer is different chemically and is called ganoin. Under this is a cosminelike layer and then a vascular bony layer. The thin, translucent bony scales of modern fishes, called cycloid and ctenoid (the latter distinguished by serrations at the edges),…

Eduard Gans was a major German jurist and, for a time, a potent force in the revival of studies of Jewish culture. The son of prosperous Jewish parents, Gans studied law in Berlin, Göttingen, and Heidelberg (Ph.D., 1820), where he became a disciple of the philosopher Hegel. In 1819, in

Joe Gans , known as the Old Master, was an American professional boxer who was perhaps the greatest fighter in the history of the lightweight division. Because he was black, he was compelled by boxing promoters to permit less-talented white fighters to last the scheduled number of rounds with him

the Shangri-Las: …twins Margie Ganser (byname of Marguerite Ganser; b. February 4, 1948, Queens—d. July 28, 1996, Valley Stream, New York) and Mary-Ann Ganser (b. February 4, 1948, Queens—d. March 14, 1970, Queens).

the Shangri-Las: …twins Margie Ganser (byname of Marguerite Ganser; b. February 4, 1948, Queens—d. July 28, 1996, Valley Stream, New York) and Mary-Ann Ganser (b. February 4, 1948, Queens—d. March 14, 1970, Queens).

the Shangri-Las: …Valley Stream, New York) and Mary-Ann Ganser (b. February 4, 1948, Queens—d. March 14, 1970, Queens).

Hōnen was a Buddhist priest and the founder of the Pure Land (Jōdo) Buddhist sect of Japan. He was seminal in establishing Pure Land pietism as one of the central forms of Buddhism in Japan. Introduced as a student monk to Pure Land doctrines brought from China by Tendai priests, he stressed

Gansu, sheng (province), north-central and northwestern China. It is bordered by Mongolia to the north, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the northeast, the Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia and the province of Shaanxi to the east, the provinces of Sichuan and Qinghai to the south and

Gansu: Agriculture: The fertile Hexi Corridor produces most of the province’s food crops, which include wheat, barley, millet, corn (maize), and tubers. The province is also a modest producer of sugar beets, rapeseed, soybeans, and a variety of fruits. Attempts have been made to increase agricultural output by transforming…

Eugene Gant, autobiographical character, an alienated young artist in Thomas Wolfe’s novels Look Homeward, Angel (1929) and Of Time and the River

Pedro de Gante was a Franciscan monk who founded the first school in New Spain (Mexico) and laid the foundations for future Indian education in the Spanish colonies. In 1523 Gante (Spanish for “Ghent”), then confessor to the emperor Charles V, went to New Spain, where he established a village

bridge: Christian Menn: …yet is the high, curving Ganter Bridge (1980), crossing a deep valley in the canton of Valais. The Ganter is both a cable-stayed and a prestressed cantilever girder bridge, with the highest column rising 148 meters (492 feet) and with a central span of 171 meters (571 feet). The form…

crane: …level; such cranes are called gantry, or goliath, cranes.

Benny Gantz is an Israeli security hawk who from October 2023 to June 2024 served on the war cabinet of Benjamin Netanyahu, his rival, during the Israel-Hamas War. When he joined Netanyahu’s government in the aftermath of the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, he was seen by many Israelis and

Benny Gantz is an Israeli security hawk who from October 2023 to June 2024 served on the war cabinet of Benjamin Netanyahu, his rival, during the Israel-Hamas War. When he joined Netanyahu’s government in the aftermath of the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, he was seen by many Israelis and

African architecture: Forest dwellings: …in the lakeside village of Ganvié in Benin. The buildings are constructed of mangrove poles, a material also used by coastal Swahili-speaking people in Kenya. In some coastal regions, such as that occupied by the Duala in Cameroon, houses are constructed of bamboo, though they are mud-plastered. Bamboo—which grows to…

Ganzhou, city, southern Jiangxi sheng (province), southeastern China. It is located on the Gan River and is a natural route centre at the confluence of the various river systems that branch off from the north-south route to Nanchang, the provincial capital. The city was first settled in Han times

Hebe, (from Greek hēbē, “young maturity,” or “bloom of youth”), daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and his wife Hera. In Homer this princess was a divine domestic, appearing most often as cupbearer to the gods. As the goddess of youth, she was generally worshiped along with her mother, of whom she

Ganymede, largest of Jupiter’s satellites and of all the satellites in the solar system. One of the Galilean moons, it was discovered by the Italian astronomer Galileo in 1610. It was probably also discovered independently that same year by the German astronomer Simon Marius, who named it after

Ganymede, in Greek legend, the son of Tros (or Laomedon), king of Troy. Because of his unusual beauty, he was carried off either by the gods or by Zeus, disguised as an eagle, or, according to a Cretan account, by Minos, to serve as cupbearer. In compensation, Zeus gave Ganymede’s father a stud of

Ganymede, in Greek legend, the son of Tros (or Laomedon), king of Troy. Because of his unusual beauty, he was carried off either by the gods or by Zeus, disguised as an eagle, or, according to a Cretan account, by Minos, to serve as cupbearer. In compensation, Zeus gave Ganymede’s father a stud of

Arsinoe IV: …escape with the aid of Ganymedes, her mentor, and joined the Egyptian army headed by Achillas. Following a feud between Ganymedes and the Egyptian commander, Arsinoe ordered Achillas executed. Ganymedes pressed Caesar’s forces hard and negotiated an exchange of Arsinoe for Ptolemy XIII, but the Romans, with reinforcements, defeated the…

Ganymede, in Greek legend, the son of Tros (or Laomedon), king of Troy. Because of his unusual beauty, he was carried off either by the gods or by Zeus, disguised as an eagle, or, according to a Cretan account, by Minos, to serve as cupbearer. In compensation, Zeus gave Ganymede’s father a stud of

Joan Ganz Cooney is an American television producer. Cooney worked as a journalist before becoming a producer at a public television station in New York City (1962–67). In 1968 she cofounded the Children’s Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop), producing such educational children’s programs as

Rudolph Ganz was a Swiss-born pianist, conductor, and composer who introduced works by contemporary composers such as Bartók, Ravel, and Vincent d’Indy and who revived little-played older works in the keyboard repertory. Ganz performed as a cellist at age 10 and as a pianist at 12. After study at

Ganzhou, city, southern Jiangxi sheng (province), southeastern China. It is located on the Gan River and is a natural route centre at the confluence of the various river systems that branch off from the north-south route to Nanchang, the provincial capital. The city was first settled in Han times

Sichuan: Constitutional framework: …headquarters at Ma’erkang (Barkam); the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, with its capital at Kangding; and the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, with its capital at Xichang. As a rule, the autonomous prefectures represent little more than a symbolic cultural indulgence of local minorities. The actual control of the units is exercised…

Gao, town, eastern Mali, western Africa. It is situated on the Niger River at the southern edge of the Sahara, about 200 miles (320 km) east-southeast of Timbuktu. The population consists chiefly of Songhai people. Gao, founded by fishermen in the 7th century, is one of the oldest trading centres

Government Accountability Office (GAO), agency of the U.S. federal government that reports to Congress and bills itself as independent and nonpartisan. Founded in 1921 as the General Accounting Office, it was renamed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2004. The name change was intended

Gao Gang was one of the early leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and one of the most important figures in the communist government established after 1949. His purge in 1954–55 was the biggest scandal in the Chinese communist movement from the mid-1930s to the 1960s. Gao joined the CCP in

Dream of the Red Chamber: …prepared by Cheng Weiyuan and Gao E. Uncertainty remains about the final 40 chapters of the book; they may have been forged by Gao, substantially written by Cao Zhan and simply discovered and put into final form by Cheng and Gao, or perhaps composed by an unknown author. The Story…

Songhai empire, great trading state of West Africa (flourished 15th–16th century), centred on the middle reaches of the Niger River in what is now central Mali and eventually extending west to the Atlantic coast and east into Niger and Nigeria. Though the Songhai people are said to have established

Gao Gang was one of the early leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and one of the most important figures in the communist government established after 1949. His purge in 1954–55 was the biggest scandal in the Chinese communist movement from the mid-1930s to the 1960s. Gao joined the CCP in

Chinese painting: Painting and printmaking: …bring back Japanese influence were Gao Jianfu, his brother Gao Qifeng, and Chen Shuren. Gao Jianfu studied art for four years in Japan, beginning in 1898; during a second trip there, he met Sun Yat-sen, and subsequently, in Guangzhou (Canton), he participated in the uprisings that paved the way for…

Charles Kao was a physicist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2009 for his discovery of how light can be transmitted through fibre-optic cables. He shared the prize with physicists Willard Boyle and George E. Smith, who won for their work in inventing the charge-coupled device (CCD).

Gao Ming was a Chinese poet and playwright whose sole surviving opera, Pipaji (The Lute), became the model for drama of the Ming dynasty. Quitting a frustrating official career under the Mongol regime in 1356, Gao found a new vocation in the theatre. As a southerner, he shunned the fashionable zaju

Gao Qipei was a technically innovative Chinese landscape painter who used his hands—palms, fingers, nails—in place of the traditional Chinese brush. Gao was precocious and gifted and served in an official capacity during the Qing period. His larger paintings for the Manchu court were somewhat more

Chinese literature: After the Cultural Revolution: …such as Wang Zengqi and Gao Xiaosheng—the latter’s short stories about Chen Huansheng, a simple and honest peasant, met with success—continued to write, while younger writers emerged: Wang Anyi; Mo Yan, who gained a literary reputation with his fanciful story Touming de hongluobo (1984; The Diaphanous Red Radish) and went…

Gao Xingjian is a Chinese émigré novelist, playwright, and critic who in 2000 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature “for an oeuvre of universal validity, bitter insights and linguistic ingenuity.” He is also renowned as a stage director and as an artist. Gao was educated in state schools and

Gao Ming was a Chinese poet and playwright whose sole surviving opera, Pipaji (The Lute), became the model for drama of the Ming dynasty. Quitting a frustrating official career under the Mongol regime in 1356, Gao found a new vocation in the theatre. As a southerner, he shunned the fashionable zaju

Turfan: …became the new state of Gaochang. In 640 western expeditions sent by the Tang dynasty (618–907) destroyed Gaochang’s power, although smaller polities existed there for several centuries after the Tang withdrew. The region was eventually taken in the 13th century by the Mongols, after which Turfan enjoyed a new commercial…

Hongwu was the Chinese emperor (reigned 1368–98) who founded the Ming dynasty that ruled China for nearly 300 years. During his reign, the Hongwu emperor instituted military, administrative, and educational reforms that centred power in the emperor. The future Hongwu emperor was born in 1328 as Zhu

Gaohou was the first woman ruler of China, wife of Gaozu, the first emperor (reigned 206–195 bc) of the Han dynasty (206 bc–ad 220). After Gaozu’s death, his and Gaohou’s young son, the emperor Huidi (reigned 195–188 bc), ascended the throne. Gaohou, whose ambition had spurred her husband’s rise to

erhu: …and shorter post is the gaohu, or nanhu. A larger, lower-pitched version of the erhu is called zhonghu. All three sizes are valuable members of the orchestra. See also jinghu, huqin.

Gaozu was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty (206 bc–ad 220), under which the Chinese imperial system assumed most of the characteristics that it was to retain until it was overthrown in 1911/12. He reigned from 206 to 195 bc. His wife, the empress Gaohou (reigned 188–180 bc), became

Nurhachi was a chieftain of the Jianzhou Juchen, a Manchurian tribe, and one of the founders of the Manchu, or Qing, dynasty. His first attack on China (1618) presaged his son Dorgon’s conquest of the Chinese empire. The Juchen (Chinese: Nüzhen, or Ruzhen) were a Tungus people who belonged to those

diversion: Forms of diversion: Jail diversion is an option frequently exercised by the arresting officer. In the case of a minor offense, a summons can be given, indicating a date and time for the accused to face the charges in court. A summons operates much like a traffic ticket.…

Yunnan: Relief and drainage: …from west to east, the Gaoligong, the Nu, and the Yun. Branching farther out from the Yun Range are some secondary ranges—the Wuliang and the Ailao in the south-central area and the Wumeng in the northeast.

gaon, the title accorded to the Jewish spiritual leaders and scholars who headed Talmudic academies that flourished, with lengthy interruptions, from the 7th to the 13th century in Babylonia and Palestine. The chief concern of the geonim was to interpret and develop Talmudic Law and to safeguard

Elijah ben Solomon was the gaon (“excellency”) of Vilna and the outstanding authority in Jewish religious and cultural life in 18th-century Lithuania. Born into a long line of scholars, Elijah traveled among the Jewish communities of Poland and Germany in 1740–45 and then settled in Vilna, which

circus: Acts of skill: Trapeze artist Tito Gaona first performed in 1964 at age 15 and—even blindfolded—flawlessly performed the triple somersault from bar to catcher. In 1982 Miguel Vasquez became the first person to do a quadruple somersault from bar to catcher in a public performance.

bullfighting: Act one: Among these passes are the gaonera, in which the cape is held behind the matador’s body, and the chicuelina, in which the bullfighter spins in against the bull’s charge; these maneuvers were invented, respectively, by the Mexican Rodolfo Gaona and by the Spaniard Manuel Jiménez, known as “Chicuelo.” The rebolera…

Gaoual, town, northwestern Guinea, West Africa, on the Fouta Djallon plateau. It lies at the point where the Koumba and Nomo rivers join to form the Tominé and is at the intersection of trade routes from Boké, Labé, Télimélé, and Koundara. It is the chief market town for cattle, peanuts

Kao-hsiung, special municipality (chih-hsia shih, or zhizia shi) and major international port in southwestern Taiwan. It is situated on the coast of the Taiwan Strait, its city centre about 25 miles (40 km) south-southeast from central T’ai-nan (Tainan) special municipality. The site has been

Zhaoqing, city, western Guangdong sheng (province), China. It lies on the north bank of the Xi River, 50 miles (80 km) west of the provincial capital of Guangzhou (Canton), just above the famous Lingyang Gorge, commanding the river route to Guangzhou. Zhaoqing is an ancient city. A county town was

Qianlong was the fourth emperor of the Qing (Manchu) dynasty (1644–1911/12) whose six-decade reign (1735–96) was one of the longest in Chinese history. He conducted a series of military campaigns that eliminated the Turk and Mongol threats to northeastern China (1755–60), enlarged his empire by

Gaozong temple name (miaohao) of the was the first emperor of the Nan (Southern) Song dynasty (1127–1279). He fled to South China when the nomadic Juchen tribesmen overran North China and captured Gaozong’s father, the abdicated Bei (Northern) Song emperor Huizong (reigned 1100–1125/26), and

Gaozong was the temple name (miaohao) of the third emperor of the Tang dynasty and husband of the empress Wuhou. During his 34-year reign (649–683) he expanded the Tang empire into Korea. In 649 Gaozong succeeded his father, the Taizong emperor. He continued his father’s foreign campaigns,

Wendi was the emperor who reigned from 581–604 and reunified and reorganized China after 300 years of instability, founding the Sui dynasty (581–618). He conquered southern China, which long had been divided into numerous small kingdoms, and he broke the power of the Turks in the northern part of

Gaozu was the founder and first emperor (618–626) of the Tang dynasty (618–907). Although Gaozu claimed to be of Chinese descent, his family was intermarried with nomadic tribes of North China. As an official of the Sui dynasty (581–618), Li Yuan was expected to suppress peasant revolts and prevent

Five Dynasties: …when one of its generals, Gaozu (personal name Shi Jingtang), overthrew his master with the aid of the Khitan, a seminomadic people of Inner Asia, and Gaozu established the Hou (Later) Jin dynasty. When Gaozu’s son attempted to halt his tribute payments to the Khitan in 946, they reinvaded North…

Five Dynasties: …also bore the name of Gaozu (personal name Liu Zhiyuan) founded the Hou (Later) Han dynasty and pushed the Khitan back into Inner Asia. But this regime lasted only four years before still another general usurped the throne, founding the Hou (Later) Zhou dynasty. Although progress toward a more stable…

Gaozu was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty (206 bc–ad 220), under which the Chinese imperial system assumed most of the characteristics that it was to retain until it was overthrown in 1911/12. He reigned from 206 to 195 bc. His wife, the empress Gaohou (reigned 188–180 bc), became