During the Eastern Wei Dynasty (386-584), Gao Cheng was a politician, strategist and one of the founders of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Because he was the eldest son of Emperor Gao Huan, after his father's death in 547 he took over and became the paramount official of the Xianbei-led Chinese Eastern Wei dynasty. Compared with Gao Huan, Gao Cheng was incapable and frivolous. In 549, he was assassinated by his servant Lan Jing, after Lan overheard Gao foretelling that his slave would use his sword against him and he should strike preemptively. After his death, his younger brother Gao Yang took over the control over the Eastern Wei regime.

Gao Cheng's greatest contribution to the nascent Northern Qi Dynasty was to deal with the influence of the Houjing Rebellion. Before Gao Huan died, he anticipated that Hou Jing would betray them and he told Gao Cheng who could be trusted. As a result the latter made Murong Shaozong the commander of the army against Hou, clearing the way for the establishment of the Northern Qi Dynasty.