zh-tw:趙高 zh-cn:赵高 Zhao Gao 趙高 (died 210 BC) was the chief eunuch during the Qin Dynasty of China. He was the "arch-sinner" in the collapse of Qin Dynasty. Note that although he is called an eunuch, he was not castrated - he was born with sexual disability.
During the reign of Ying Zheng (Qin Shi Huangdi), Zhao was involved in the death of Marshal Meng Tian and his younger brother Meng Yi at the death of Qin Si HuangDi when Meng Tian was stationed at the northern border commanding more than 100,000 troops for the inconclusive Huns campaign. Meng was a reputable general and a faithful supporter of Ying Fu Su, the first son of Ying Zheng.
When Zhao was a minor official, he committed a crime which is supposed to get him executed. Meng Yi was the official in charge of giving out the sentences and he sentenced Zhao to death and removed him from the officials list as instructed by Shi Huangdi. Zhao was later pardoned by Shi Huangdi and returned to official status when Shi Huangdi recalled Zhao to be a man whom is good at his post.
After the sudden death of Ying Zheng at Shaqiu prefecture, Zhao and the Imperial Secretariat Li Si presuaded Ying Zheng's second son Ying Huhai to false the emperor's will. The fake decree forced Ying Fu Su to commit suicide and stripped the command of troops from Meng Tian. Due to the previous sentencing by Meng Yi, Zhao hated the Meng brothers and using the hands of the new emperor Ying HuHai, he forced Meng Tian to commit suicide and killed Meng Yi.
Zhao Gao soon outmaneuvered Li Si. He let Li Si go through "The Five Pains" which were indeed Li's invention, these consisted of having the victim's nose cut up, cutting of a hand and a foot, then the victim was castrated and finally cut in half in line with the waist. He also executed Li Si's family down to the third generation.
In 210 BC, there were rebels all over China. Zhao was afraid that Ying Huhai might order him to take the blame. Therefore Zhao forced Ying Huhai to commit suicide and replaced him by the murdered heir's son, Ying Ziying.
Ying Ziying soon killed Zhao and surrendered to Liu Bang. The Qin Dynasty collapsed, three years after the death of Ying Zheng, and less than twenty years after it was founded.
