 In 571, during the reign of his older brother Gao Wei, he tried to seize power and killed Gao Wei's trusted official He Shikai, but his uprising subsequently collapsed when he hesitated at taking further action.Later that year, Gao Wei put him to death.Gao Yan was born in 558, as the third son of Gao Zhan, then the Prince of Changguang under his brother Emperor Wenxuan, and the second son of Gao Zhan's wife Empress Hu.