Gao Gongzhi, styled Daomu, was a man of You County in Bohai during the Northern Wei Dynasty
Dao Mu was a close friend of Emperor Xiaozhuang of Wei, who had once served as an imperial advisor. When Xiaozhuang ascended the throne, he summoned Dao Mu to serve as a senior official in the Ministry of Personnel, granting him the title of General of Ning Shuo. Soon after, Dao Mu was appointed acting Minister of Personnel, and later that same year, he was promoted to Chief Secretary of the Grand Commandant, also overseeing the Imperial Secretariat.
When the rebel general Yuan Hao led his army to attack Northern Wei, advancing on the imperial capital at Hulao, the court officials panicked, with most urging Emperor Xiaozhuang to abandon Hulao and flee to the western passes.
Emperor Xiaozhuang of Wei hesitated, uncertain about what to do, and asked Gao Daomu for advice. Gao Daomu replied, "Due to years of war, the fields in Guanzhong are now barren, with broken walls and ruins everywhere—how could Your Majesty go there? I believe that although Yuan Hao appears formidable, there is nothing to fear. His forces are few and weak; the reason he could advance deep into our territory is simply that we lack a wise and brave commander. If Your Majesty leads the troops personally, offers generous rewards to recruit talent, and fights with your back to the river, with us giving our utmost effort, I am certain that defeating Yuan Hao is beyond doubt."
Pausing briefly, Dao Mu noted the grave expression on Emperor Xiaozhuang of Wei and continued, "Your Majesty, if you believe that a direct confrontation with Yuan Hao carries unpredictable risks—not a gamble befitting the Son of Heaven—then you might travel lightly northward, summon General Tian Mu and the Marquis of Longcheng, Erzhu Rong, to unite their forces at Xingyang. From there, we can form a pincer movement against Hulao. Within a fortnight, Yuan Hao will surely be defeated. Your Majesty, in my view, a truly foolproof strategy is no more than this."
Emperor Zhuang of Wei relaxed his brow and smiled, saying, "Minister Gao speaks the truth!"
That night, Emperor Xiaozhuang of Wei secretly took Gao Daomu north of Henei Commandery and ordered him to write dozens of imperial edicts by candlelight, posting them everywhere so the people would know the emperor's whereabouts.
Soon, both Erzhu Rong and Tianmu led their troops to the emperor's aid
Dao Mu said to Erzhu Rong, "Yuan Hao, with his limited forces, has seized the capital Luoyang overnight, forcing His Majesty into exile—an outrage shared by gods and men alike. General, you command a million troops and hold the mandate to act for the Son of Heaven. Divide your forces along the river, build rafts and boats, then cross directly to capture the rebels and restore the emperor to his throne. This is your moment for a great achievement!"
Erzhu Rong nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Dao Mu added, "As the saying goes, 'One day of leniency toward an enemy may bring disaster for generations.' If you withdraw your army to Jinyang now, giving Yuan Hao a chance to catch his breath, conscript troops across the land, and forge weapons, it would be like raising a viper into a serpent—by then, even regret will be too late!"
Erzhu Rong deeply agreed and said earnestly, "Sir Gao's eloquent analysis of the pros and cons has enlightened me. I should change my original decision and follow your advice!"
Thus, Erzhu Rong and Tianmu joined forces to repel Yuan Hao, and Emperor Zhuang of Wei returned to the capital Hulao.
At a victory banquet, Emperor Xiaozhuang of Wei jokingly said to Erzhu Rong, "Had we not followed Minister Gao's strategy earlier, the state would never have been stabilized. On my behalf, you should toast him until he's drunk." Erzhu Rong replied, "Your Majesty, when I was ordered to lead the northern campaign against the Rouran, Gao Daomu served as my army supervisor. In moments of crisis, he remained calm and decisive—this man is truly worthy of great responsibility!"
Emperor Zhuang of Wei appointed Gao Daomu as General of the Southern Expedition, Grand Master of the Golden and Purple Glorious Light, and concurrently Imperial Censor-in-Chief.
Later, the idiom "Raise a Viper to Become a Serpent" means raising a venomous snake, leaving future trouble. It describes indulging an enemy, who will bring disaster upon oneself.
Source: *Book of Wei*, "Biography of Gao Chong"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "养虺成蛇" came to describe raising a venomous snake, leaving future trouble. It describes indulging an enemy, who will bring disaster upon oneself.