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Cao Cao

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Cao Cao



 
 
Cáo Cao (??; 155 – March 15, 220
220

EventsBy PlaceRoman Empire* The Goths invade Asia Minor and the Balkans.* An Indian delegation visits Roman emperor Elagabalus....
) was a warlord
Warlord

A warlord is a person with power who has military dictatorship over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority....
 and the penultimate Chancellor
Chancellor of China

The Chancellor , variously translated as Prime Minister, Premier or Chief Councillor, was a generic name given to the highest-ranking official in the imperial government in ancient China....
 of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during its final years in ancient China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty emperors....
 period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the Kingdom of Wei (also known as Cáo Wèi) and was posthumously titled Emperor Wu of Wei. Although often portrayed as a cruel and merciless tyrant, Cao Cao has also been praised as a brilliant ruler and military genius who treated his officers like his family.






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Cáo Cao (??; 155 – March 15, 220
220

EventsBy PlaceRoman Empire* The Goths invade Asia Minor and the Balkans.* An Indian delegation visits Roman emperor Elagabalus....
) was a warlord
Warlord

A warlord is a person with power who has military dictatorship over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority....
 and the penultimate Chancellor
Chancellor of China

The Chancellor , variously translated as Prime Minister, Premier or Chief Councillor, was a generic name given to the highest-ranking official in the imperial government in ancient China....
 of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during its final years in ancient China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty emperors....
 period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the Kingdom of Wei (also known as Cáo Wèi) and was posthumously titled Emperor Wu of Wei. Although often portrayed as a cruel and merciless tyrant, Cao Cao has also been praised as a brilliant ruler and military genius who treated his officers like his family. He was also skilled in poetry and the martial arts, and wrote many war journals.

Life


Early life

Cao Cao was born in the county of Qiao (?, present day Bozhou
Bozhou

})|-| Area| 8,394 km?|-| Population| More than 5.3 million|-| GDP'- Total'- Per Capita|  Renminbi?...
, Anhui
Anhui

Anhui is a province of China of the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny section in the north....
) in 155. His father Cao Song
Cao Song

Cao Song was the father of Cao Cao. Cao Cao normally began with the surname "Xiahou", but since Song fathered him, he was forced under his last name....
 was a foster son of Cao Teng
Cao Teng

Cao Teng was a eunuch who served the Han Dynasty in its later years. He served four Han emperors and achieved the highest possible rank for a court eunuch, Dachangqiu ....
, who in turn was one of the favorite eunuch
Eunuch

A eunuch is a castrated man, in particular one castrated early enough to have major hormonal consequences; the term usually refers to those castrated in order to perform a specific social function, as was common in many societies of the past....
s of Emperor Huan. Some historical records, including Biography of Cao Man, claim that Cao Song was originally surnamed Xiahou (thus making Cao Cao a cousin of Xiahou Dun
Xiahou Dun

Xiahou Dun was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father, Song, was adopted by the Cao family, so Dun and Cao share family relations....
 and Xiahou Yuan
Xiahou Yuan

Xiahou Yuan was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. Known for his decisiveness and cautiousness, Xiahou Yuan had emerged victorious in many campaigns and established a name for himself as one of the most prominent generals of the Cao Wei....
, two of his most prominent generals). In the fictionalized Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao's father was originally a Xiahou and was adopted into the Cao family.

Cao Cao was known for his craftiness as a young man. According to the Biography of Cao Man, Cao Cao's uncle often complained to Cao Song regarding Cao Cao's childhood indulgence in hunting and music with Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He occupied the northern territories of ancient China during the massive civil war towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era....
. To counter this, Cao Cao one day feigned a fit before his uncle, who hurriedly informed Cao Song. Cao Song rushed out to see his son, who then acted normally. When asked, Cao Cao replied, "I have never had such illness, but I lost the love of my uncle, and therefore he had deceived you." Henceforth, Cao Song ceased to believe the words of his brother regarding Cao Cao, and thus Cao Cao became even more blatant in his wayward pursuits.

At that time, there was a man living in Runan named Xu Shao
Xu Shao

Xu Shao , styled Zijiang , was a famous commentator during the Han Dynasty. He was born in Runan County.He later served Liu Yao of Yangzhou as an advisor....
 who was famed for his ability to evaluate one's potentials and talents. Cao Cao paid him a visit in hopes of receiving the evaluation that will earn him some reputation politically. Originally Xu Shao pondered and refused to make a statement; however, under persistent questioning, he finally said, "You would be a capable minister in peaceful times and an unscrupulous hero in chaotic times." Cao Cao took this as a compliment and was very pleased as it was recorded that he "laughs and leaves" after receiving said comment. It is worth noting that there are two other versions of the comment in other unofficial historical records: "capable minister in peaceful times, righteous hero in chaotic times" and "sinister foe in peaceful times, great hero in chaotic times."

At twenty, Cao Cao was recommended to be a district captain of Luoyang
Luoyang

Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast....
. Upon taking up the post, Cao Cao placed rows of multicolored staffs outside his office and ordered his deputies to flog those who violated the law, regardless of their status. An uncle of Jian Shuo
Jian Shuo

Jian Shuo was the leader of the Eunuch Faction of the Han Dynasty imperial court in China, along with Zhang Rang. He eventually became a leading member of the Ten Attendants, who became the most powerful Eunuchs during the time....
, one of the most powerful and influential eunuchs under Emperor Ling, was once caught walking in the city beyond the evening curfew hour by Cao Cao and given his fair share of flogging. This prompted Jian Shuo and other higher authorities to "promote" Cao Cao to another position outside the imperial capital (governor of Dunqiu County
Qingfeng County

Qingfeng County is under the administrative control of Puyang, Henan. In the Han Dynasty, Dunqiu County was located somewhere near this area, possibly to the southwest of the modern day county....
) to remove his management.

When the Yellow Turban Rebellion
Yellow Turban Rebellion

The Yellow Turban Rebellion, sometimes also translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a wikt:AD 184 peasant rebellion against Emperor Ling of Han....
 broke out in 184 Cao Cao was recalled to Luoyang and promoted to a captain of the cavalry and sent to Yingchuan
Yuzhou

Yuzhou is a county-level city in Xuchang, central Henan province in the People's Republic of China. It is the site of Yangzhai, the capital of the Han during the Warring States Period....
 to put down the rebels there. He was successful in his military exploits and was further promoted to Governor of Dong Commandery.

Alliance against Dong Zhuo

In 189, Emperor Ling died and was succeeded by his eldest son, though it was the empress dowager and the eunuchs who held true power. The two most powerful generals of that time, He Jin
He Jin

He Jin was the elder half-brother of Empress He , consort to Emperor Ling of Han China of the late Eastern Han Dynasty in China. He shared power with his sister as regents in 189, following the death of Emperor Ling....
 and Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He occupied the northern territories of ancient China during the massive civil war towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era....
, plotted to eliminate the clan of influential eunuchs. He Jin summoned Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He seized control of Luoyang in 189 after the capital fell into chaos following the death of Emperor Ling of Han China and a bloody clash between the powerful eunuch faction and the court officials....
, governor of Liangzhou, to lead his army into the capital Luoyang
Luoyang

Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast....
 to lay pressure on the empress dowager, despite numerous objections on account of Dong Zhuo's reputation and personality. Before Dong Zhuo arrived, however, He Jin was assassinated by the eunuchs and Luoyang fell into chaos as the supporters of Yuan Shao battled the army of Eunuchs. Dong Zhuo's elite army, assigned to him due to the importance of his position as safeguard of the border, easily rid the palace grounds of opposition. After he deposed the previous emperor, Dong Zhuo placed on the throne the puppet Emperor Xian. While Dong Zhuo did desire personal power with this opportunity, he did want to restore the Han Dynasty and resolve the political conflicts. From a previous encounter, he deemed that Emperor Xian was more capable than the original puppet Emperor.

After lying to Wang Yun
Wang Yun

Wang Yun was the Minister over the Masses under Emperor Xian of Han China during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. During Wang Yun's time, the emperors were mere puppets under the power of eunuch#Chinas and warlords....
 and others about assassinating Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao left Luoyang for Chenliu (??, southeast of present day Kaifeng
Kaifeng

Kaifeng , formerly known as Bianliang , Bianjing , Daliang , or simply Liang , is a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province of China, People's Republic of China....
, Henan
Henan

Henan , is a Province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-Chinese character abbreviation is ? , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty province that included parts of Henan....
, Cao Cao's home town), where he raised his own troops. The next year, regional warlords combined their forces under Yuan Shao against Dong Zhuo. Cao Cao joined their cause. China fell into civil war when Dong Zhuo's own foster son, Lü Bu
Lü Bu

L? Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, L? Bu was a master in horseback riding and archery, and was thus known as the Flying General....
, eventually killed him in 192.

Securing the emperor

Through short-term and regional-scale wars, Cao Cao continued to expand his power.

In 196, Cao Cao found Emperor Xian and convinced him to move the capital to Xuchang
Xuchang

Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
 as per the suggestion from Xun Yu
Xun Yu

Xun Yu , styled Wenruo , was a strategist and statesman who served as a key advisor to Cao Cao during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
 and other advisors (as Luoyang was ruined by war and Chang'an was not under Cao Cao's military control), and he was proclaimed Chancellor. Cao Cao was then instated as the Great General and Marquis of Wuping, though both titles had little practical implication. While some viewed the Emperor as a puppet under Cao Cao's power, Cao Cao himself adhered to a strict personal rule to his death that he would not usurp the throne. Later in his life, when he was approached by his advisors to take over the Han Dynasty and start a new rule, he replied, "If heaven bestows such fate on me, let me be the King Wen of Zhou
King Wen of Zhou

King Wen of Zhou named Ji Chang was the founder of the Zhou Dynasty. He was the son of King Ji of Zhou, the third son of King Tai of Zhou, and the favored grandson of his grandfather....
."

To maintain a good relationship with Yuan Shao, who had become the most powerful warlord in China when he united the northern four provinces, Cao Cao lobbied to have Yuan Shao named Chief Advisor. This however had the exact opposite effect, as Yuan Shao believed that Cao Cao was trying to humiliate him after having the Emperor's support, since Chief Advisor technically ranked lower than General-in-Chief, and thus Yuan Shao refused to accept the title. To pacify Yuan Shao, Cao Cao offered his own position, General-in-Chief, to Yuan Shao, while taking Chief Advisor role himself. While this temporarily resolved the conflict, it was nevertheless the catalyst for the Battle of Guandu
Battle of Guandu

The Battle of Guandu was a battle during the End of the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history that took place at the Yellow River in the spring of 200....
 later.

Uniting the North

In 200, Yuan Shao amassed more than 100,000 troops and marched southwards on Xuchang in the name of rescuing the emperor. Cao Cao gathered 20,000 men in Guandu
Battle of Guandu

The Battle of Guandu was a battle during the End of the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history that took place at the Yellow River in the spring of 200....
, a strategic point on the shore of the Yellow River
Yellow River

The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho is the second-longest river in China and the List of rivers by length in the world at 4,845 kilometers ....
. The two armies come to a standstill as neither side was able to make much progress. Cao Cao's lack of men did not allow him to make significant attacks, and the pride of Yuan Shao forced him to target Cao Cao's force head-on. Despite his overwhelming advantage in terms of manpower Yuan Shao was unable to make full use of his resources because of his indecisive leadership and Cao Cao's location.

Besides the middle battleground of Guandu, two lines of battle were present. The eastern line with Yuan Tan
Yuan Tan

Yu?n T?n was the eldest son of the powerful warlord Yuan Shao, and served as a military commander under his father during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China....
 of Yuan Shao's army versus Zang Ba
Zang Ba

Zang Ba was a warrior during the end of the Han Dynasty and then during the Three Kingdoms period of China, first in the service of Tao Qian , then L? Bu, and finally to Cao Cao and the state of Cao Wei....
 of Cao Cao's army was a one-sided battle in favor of Cao Cao, as Yuan Tan's own questionable leadership was no match for Xang Ba's local knowledge of the landscape and hit-and-run tactics. To the western side, Yuan Shao's cousin, Gao Gan, performed much better against Cao Cao's army and forced several reinforcements from Cao Cao's main camp to maintain the western battle. Liu Bei
Liu Bei

Liu Bei , Chinese style name Xu?nd? , was a general, warlord, and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
, who was at the time a guest in Yuan Shao's army, also suggested to induce uprising in the back of Cao Cao's lands as there were many connections to the Yuan family and their subordinates. The tactic was successful at first, but quickly countered by Man Chong
Man Chong

Man Chong , courtesy name Boning , was an officer for the Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of China.Originally a scholar from Jining, Shandong, he became a strategist for Cao Cao....
's diplomatic skill. Man Chong had been placed as an official there for this specific reason, as Cao Cao had foreseen the situation prior to the battle.

Finally, with the help of a defector from Yuan Shao's army, Xu You, who informed Cao Cao of the location of Yuan Shao's army supply, Cao Cao broke the standstill and sent a special task force to burn all the supplies of Yuan Shao's army and won a decisive and seemingly impossible victory. Yuan Shao fell ill and died shortly after returning from the defeat, leaving his legacy to two of his sons – the eldest son, Yuan Tan
Yuan Tan

Yu?n T?n was the eldest son of the powerful warlord Yuan Shao, and served as a military commander under his father during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China....
 and the youngest son, Yuan Shang
Yuán Shàng

Yu?n Sh?ng was the third son of Yuan Shao, an influential warlord and noble who rose to power during late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China....
. As he had designated the youngest son, Yuan Shang, as his successor, rather than the eldest as tradition dictated, the two brothers consistently feuded against each other, as they fought Cao Cao. Because of their internal divisions, Cao Cao was easily able to defeat them by using their differences to his advantage. Henceforth Cao Cao assumed effective rule over all of northern China. He sent armies further out and extended his control past the Great Wall
Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China or is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the History of China from Xiongnu attacks during the rule of Dynasties in Chinese history....
 into northern Korea
Korea

Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries, a civilization, and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia....
, and southward to the Han River
Han River (Hanshui)

The Han River in China was often referred to as H?nshui in antiquity. It is a left tributary of the Yangtze River with a length of 1532 km....
.

Summary of major events
155Born in Qiao.
180sLed troops against Yellow Turban Rebellion
Yellow Turban Rebellion

The Yellow Turban Rebellion, sometimes also translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a wikt:AD 184 peasant rebellion against Emperor Ling of Han....
 in Yingchuan.
190Joined the coalition against Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He seized control of Luoyang in 189 after the capital fell into chaos following the death of Emperor Ling of Han China and a bloody clash between the powerful eunuch faction and the court officials....
.
196Received Emperor Xian in Xuchang
Xuchang

Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
.
200Won the Battle of Guandu
Battle of Guandu

The Battle of Guandu was a battle during the End of the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history that took place at the Yellow River in the spring of 200....
.
208Lost the Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs

The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the period of the Three Kingdoms in China....
.
213Created the Duke of Wei and given ten commanderies as his dukedom.
216Conferred the title of the Prince/King of Wei.
220Died in Luoyang
Luoyang

Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast....
.
Throned posthumously as Emperor Wu.
However, Cao Cao's attempt to extend his domination south of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River

The Yangtze River, or Chang Jiang , is the longest river in China and Asia, and the List of rivers by length in the world, after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon River in South America....
 was unsuccessful. He received an initial great success when Liu Biao, ruler of Jing Zhou, died, and his successor, Liu Zong surrendered to Cao Cao without resistance. Delighted by this turn-out (Cao Cao, a devoted follower of Sun Tzu's Art of War, also considered "defeating your enemy without battle" to be the highest form of achievement of war) he pressed on and hoped the same would happen despite the objections by his military advisors. His forces were then defeated by the first coalition of his archrivals Liu Bei
Liu Bei

Liu Bei , Chinese style name Xu?nd? , was a general, warlord, and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
 and Sun Quan
Sun Quan

Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, courtesy name Zh?ngm?u , formally Emperor Da of Wu was the founder of Eastern Wu, during the Three Kingdoms period, in China....
 (who later founded the kingdoms of Shu and Wu respectively) at the Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs

The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the period of the Three Kingdoms in China....
 in 208.

The three kingdoms

In 213, Cao Cao was titled Duke of Wei, given the nine bestowments
Nine bestowments

The nine bestowments were awards given by Chinese emperors to extraordinary officials, ostensibly to reward them for their accomplishments. While the nature of the bestowments was probably established during the Zhou Dynasty, there was no record of anyone receiving them until Wang Mang....
, and given a fief of ten cities under his domain, known as the State of Wei. In 216, Cao Cao was promoted to Prince/King of Wei. Over the years, Cao Cao, as well as Liu Bei and Sun Quan, continued to consolidate their power in their respective regions. Through many wars, China became divided into three powers – Wei, Shu and Wu, which fought sporadic battles among themselves without the balance tipping significantly in anyone's favor.

In 220, Cao Cao died in Luoyang at the age of 65, failing to unify China under his rule. His will instructed that he be buried in everyday clothes and without burial artifacts, and that his subjects on duty at the frontier were to stay in their posts and not attend the funeral as, in his own words, "the country is still unstable".

His eldest surviving son Cao Pi
Cao Pi

Cao Pi , formally Emperor Wen of Wei , courtesy name Zihuan , was born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery . He was the second son of the China politician and poet Cao Cao and was the first Emperor of China and the real founder of Cao Wei , one of the Three Kingdoms....
 succeeded him. Within a year, Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian to abdicate and proclaimed himself the first emperor of the Kingdom of Wei. Cao Cao was then posthumously titled Emperor Wu.

Major battles


Battle of Guandu

In the spring of 200, Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He occupied the northern territories of ancient China during the massive civil war towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era....
, the most powerful warlord of the north, amassed more than 100,000 troops and marched from Ye
Ye, China

Ye was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan.Ye was first built in the Spring and Autumn Period by Lord Huan of Qi, and by the time of the Warring States Period the city belonged to the state of Wei ....
 on Xuchang
Xuchang

Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
. To defend against the invasion, Cao Cao placed 20,000 men at Guandu
Guandu

Guandu may refer to:*Battle of Guandu, battle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in the Three Kingdoms Period*Guandu Station, in Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan...
, a strategic landing point on the shore of the Yellow River
Yellow River

The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho is the second-longest river in China and the List of rivers by length in the world at 4,845 kilometers ....
 which Yuan Shao's troops had to secure en route Xuchang.

With a few diversionary tactics, Cao Cao managed to disorient Yuan Shao's troops as well as kill two of Yuan Shao's most capable generals, Yan Liang
Yan Liang

Yan Liang was a military general under the powerful warlord Yuan Shao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He was slain by Guan Yu at the Battle of Baima....
 and Wen Chou
Wen Chou

Wen Chou was a military general under the powerful warlord Yuan Shao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. His force was defeated by that of rival warlord Cao Cao in the Battle of Guandu and he was killed in the midst of battle....
. The morale of Yuan Shao's troops suffered a further blow when Cao Cao launched a stealth attack on the former's food store, Wuchao
Wuchao

Wuchao , located southeast of Yanjing County, Henan was famous for being the location of the stores for Yuan Shao's army at the battle of Guandu during the Three Kingdoms period of China....
. Many more of Yuan Shao's men surrendered or deserted than were killed during the ensuing battle. When Yuan Shao eventually retreated back to Ye in the winter of 201, he did so with little more than 800 light cavalry.

The Battle of Guandu shifted the balance of power in northern China. Yuan Shao died shortly after his retreat and his two sons were soon defeated by Cao Cao further in the northern regions of Liaodong. Since then, Cao Cao's dominance in the entirety of northern China was never seriously challenged. The battle has also been studied by military strategists ever since as a classic example of winning against an enemy with far superior numbers.

Chibi

Battle of Red Cliffs

The Battle of Chibi (literally, "Red Cliffs") was another classic battle where the vastly outnumbered emerged as victor through strategy. In this battle, however, Cao Cao was on the losing end.

In the winter of 208, Liu Bei
Liu Bei

Liu Bei , Chinese style name Xu?nd? , was a general, warlord, and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
 and Sun Quan
Sun Quan

Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, courtesy name Zh?ngm?u , formally Emperor Da of Wu was the founder of Eastern Wu, during the Three Kingdoms period, in China....
 – two warlords who later founded the kingdoms of Shu and Wu respectively – formed their first coalition against the southward expansion of Cao Cao. The two sides confronted at the Red Cliffs (northwest of present day Chibi City, Hubei
Hubei

is a central province of China of the People's Republic of China. Its abbreviation is ? , an ancient name associated with the eastern part of the province since the Qin Dynasty....
). Cao Cao boasted 830,000 men (historians believe the realistic number was around 220,000), while the Liu-Sun coalition at best had 50,000 troops.

However, Cao Cao's men, mostly from the north, were ill-suited to the southern climate and naval warfare, and thus entered the battle with a disadvantage. Furthermore, a plague that broke out undermined the strength of Cao Cao's army. The decision by Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu

Zhou Yu was a famous and one of the most capable military strategists for Sun Ce and his successor Sun Quan during the Three Kingdoms era; the turbulent years leading to the end of Han Dynasty in China.Zhou Yu was the stratigist for Sun Ce and he was very well at his job....
, military advisor to Sun Quan, to use fire also worked effectively against Cao Cao's vessels, which were chained together and thus allowed the fires to quickly spread. (Though in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms , written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of China, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in 280....
 the chaining of the ships is attributed to Pang Tong
Pang Tong

P?ng Tong , courtesy name Shiyuan , was an advisor to Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was nicknamed "Young Phoenix" by his uncle and a famous scholar, Pang De....
, it is most likely that it was done to make stable the ships as his men were suffering from seasickness). A majority of Cao Cao's troops were either burnt to death or drowned. Those who tried to retreat to the near bank were ambushed and annihilated by enemy skirmishers. Cao Cao himself barely escaped the encounter.

Other contributions


Agriculture and education

While waging military campaigns against his enemies, Cao Cao did not forget the basis of society – agriculture and education.

In 194, a locust plague caused a major famine across China. According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, the people ate each other out of desperation. Without food, many armies were defeated even without fighting. From this experience, Cao Cao saw the importance of an ample food supply in building a strong military. He began a series of agricultural programs in cities such as Xuchang
Xuchang

Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
 and Chenliu. Refugees were recruited and given wastelands to cultivate. Later, encampments not faced with imminent danger of war were also made to farm. This system was continued and spread to all regions under Cao Cao as his realm expanded. Although Cao Cao's primary intention was to build a powerful army, the agricultural program also improved the living standards of the people, especially war refugees.

By 203, Cao Cao had eliminated most of Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He occupied the northern territories of ancient China during the massive civil war towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era....
's force. This afforded him more attention on construction within his realm. In autumn of that year, Cao Cao passed an order decreeing the promotion of education throughout the counties and cities within his jurisdiction. An official in charge of education matters was assigned to each county with at least 500 households. Youngsters with potential and talents were selected to undergo schooling. This prevented a lapse in the output of intellectuals in those warring years and, in Cao Cao's words, would benefit the people.

Poetry

Cao Cao was also an established poet
Poet

A poet is a person who writes poetry....
. Although few of his works remain today, his verses, unpretentious yet profound, contributed to reshaping the poetry style of his time. Together with his sons Cao Pi
Cao Pi

Cao Pi , formally Emperor Wen of Wei , courtesy name Zihuan , was born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery . He was the second son of the China politician and poet Cao Cao and was the first Emperor of China and the real founder of Cao Wei , one of the Three Kingdoms....
 and Cao Zhi
Cao Zhi

Cao Zhi was a China poet during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period. His poetry style, greatly revered during the Jin Dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties, came to be known as the jian'an style....
, they are collectively known as the "Three Cao" in poetry. Along with several other poets of the time, their poems formed the backbone of what was to be known as the jian'an style (????; jian'an is the era name
Chinese era name

A Chinese era name is the era name, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese rulers ....
 for the period from 196 to 220).

The civil strife towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty gave the jian'an poems their characteristic solemn yet heart-stirring tone, which frequently lament over the ephemerality of life. In the history of Chinese literature, the jian'an poems were a transition from the early folksongs into scholarly poetry.

One of Cao Cao's most celebrated poems, written in the late years of his life, is Though the Tortoise Lives Long.

Cao Cao in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms , written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of China, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in 280....
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong , born Luo Ben , was a Chinese literature author attributed with writing Romance of the Three Kingdoms , and editing Water Margin , two of the most revered adventure Epic poetry in Chinese literature....
, was a romanticization of the events that occurred during the Three Kingdoms period. While staying true to history most of the time, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms inevitably gave Cao Cao a certain degree of dramatic make-up, in such a tone so as to suggest him as a cruel and suspicious character. On several occasions, Luo Guanzhong even made up fictional or semi-fictional events involving Cao Cao. These include:

Cao Cao Tv Serial

Escape from Dong Zhuo

While in reality Cao Cao did leave Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He seized control of Luoyang in 189 after the capital fell into chaos following the death of Emperor Ling of Han China and a bloody clash between the powerful eunuch faction and the court officials....
, the tyrannical warlord who held the last Han emperor hostage in 190 to form his own army, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms went a step further to describe Cao Cao's attempted assassination of the latter:

Since Dong Zhuo deposed the eldest son of the late Emperor Ling and placed in the throne Emperor Xian, his tyrannical behavior had angered many court officials. One of the officials, Wang Yun
Wang Yun

Wang Yun was the Minister over the Masses under Emperor Xian of Han China during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. During Wang Yun's time, the emperors were mere puppets under the power of eunuch#Chinas and warlords....
, held a banquet one night. Halfway through the banquet, Wang Yun began to cry at the cruel deeds of Dong Zhuo. His colleagues, feeling the same anguish, joined him.

Cao Cao, however, laughed and said, "All the officials of the court – crying from dusk till dawn and dawn till dusk – could you cry Dong Zhuo to his death?" He then borrowed from Wang Yun the Seven Gem Sword with the promise that he would personally assassinate Dong Zhuo.

The next day, Cao Cao brought the precious sword along to see Dong Zhuo. Having much trust in Cao Cao, Dong Zhuo received the guest in his bedroom. Lü Bu
Lü Bu

L? Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, L? Bu was a master in horseback riding and archery, and was thus known as the Flying General....
, Dong Zhuo's foster son, left the room for the stable to select a fast horse for Cao Cao, who complained about his slow ride.

When Dong Zhuo faced away, Cao Cao prepared to unsheathe the sword. However, Dong Zhuo saw the movement in the mirror and hastily turned to question Cao Cao's intention. At this time, Lü Bu had also returned. In his desperation, Cao Cao knelt and pretended that he wanted to present the sword to Dong Zhuo. He then rode away with the excuse of trying out the new horse, and headed straight out of the capital before Dong Zhuo, who grew heavily suspicious, could capture him.

Following the escape from Dong Zhuo is a legendary episode aimed at illustrating Cao Cao's near-Machiavellian tendencies for later characterizations of him as a villain. Though never exactly proven, it is said that Cao Cao escaped with one retainer, Chen Gong
Chen Gong

Chen Gong was an advisor to the warlord L? Bu during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He, however, started his career under Cao Cao before he later defected to L? Bu and was executed when the latter was defeated by Cao Cao....
 to the home of an old friend of his, perhaps his father's sworn brother, from whom he was able to beg shelter. He promised to protect him, and then set out to gather materials for an evening feast. Cao Cao and Chen Gong hid themselves in a back room, where they chanced to overhear a discussion by some servants involving some sort of murder plot. Assuming that his father's sworn brother had deceived him and intended to hand his corpse to Dong Zhuo for a reward, Cao Cao and Chen Gong burst in on the servants and proceeded to massacre the entire household, including the wife and children of his friend, whereupon he discovered that the "murder" he overheard pertained not to him, but to a pig intended as the centerpiece of the feast.

Cao Cao and Chen Gong immediately fled but encountered his father's sworn brother returning from his errand at the house's front gate. When questioned, Cao Cao gave him the excuse of fear of having been followed as the reason for his abrupt departure, and when he turned to continue toward the house, Cao Cao again unsheathed his sword and stabbed him through the back. When questioned by Chen Gong as to the reason for such a horrible action, Cao Cao explained that if he had returned to the house and see what had been done, he would have immediately run to the authorities desiring vengeance for his family, and their plight would be even more precarious than it already was. Cao Cao then lifted high his bloody sword and made the quote that would forever secure his place as the foremost villain in Chinese popular literature: Ningjiao wo fu tianxia ren, xiujiao tianxia ren fu wo (???????,???????), meaning "Better that I should wrong the world than that the world should wrong me."

Cao Cao Portrait Rotk

Escape through Huarong Trail

After the fire started burning at the Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs

The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the period of the Three Kingdoms in China....
, Cao Cao gathered all the men he could and escaped towards Jiangling
Jiangling

Jiangling County is a County in Hubei, China.Administratively, it is under the jurisdiction of Jingzhou....
, taking the shortcut through Huarong Trail. On top of the huge defeat and humiliation Cao Cao suffered, Luo Guanzhong decided to add one more pinch of salt to the getaway:

During his perilous escape back to Jiangling, Cao Cao came to a fork in the road. Columns of smoke were seen rising from the narrower path. Cao Cao judged that the smoke was a trick by the enemy to divert him to the main road, where an ambush must have been laid. He then led his men towards the narrow path – the Huarong Trail.

The smoke was indeed a trick by Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang was Chancellor of China of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
, military advisor to Liu Bei
Liu Bei

Liu Bei , Chinese style name Xu?nd? , was a general, warlord, and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
. Grasping Cao Cao's psychology exactly, however, Zhuge Liang actually meant to direct him to Huarong Trail, where Guan Yu
Guan Yu

Guan Yu was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the Shu Han, of which Liu Bei was the first emperor....
 with 500 troops sat waiting. Upon being cut off, Cao Cao rode forward and pled to Guan Yu to remember kindness of the former days. Seeing the plight of the defeated men and recalling the former favors he received from Cao Cao, Guan Yu then allowed the enemy to pass through without challenge, risking his own life for disobeying military orders.

However, in the official history, Cao Cao escaped through a muddy road, with a lot of shrubs around. Shortly after he escaped, Liu Bei
Liu Bei

Liu Bei , Chinese style name Xu?nd? , was a general, warlord, and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
's troops then came to the road and set fire to it. Cao Cao therefore teased him as "clever, but a little slow".

Strict disciplinarian

Tu Mu alludes to the remarkable story of Cao Cao stating that he was such a strict disciplinarian that once, in accordance with his own severe regulations against injury to standing crops, he condemned himself to death for having allowed his horse to stray into a field of corn. However, in lieu of losing his head, he was persuaded to satisfy his sense of justice by cutting off his hair. "When you lay down a law, see that it is not disobeyed; if it is disobeyed, the offender must be put to death."

Death of Cao Cao and Hua Tuo

In 220, Cao Cao died in Luoyang
Luoyang

Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast....
 due to an unrecorded illness. Legends had many explanations for the cause of his death, most of which were wrought with superstitions. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms included some of these legends, as well as Luo Guanzhong's own story about the involvement of Hua Tuo
Hua Tuo

Hua Tuo was a renowned physician during the Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He was described as looking like "an Xian who had passed the gates of this life" and "a man with the complexion of a youth and a snowy beard"....
, a renowned Chinese physician
Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
.

When Cao Cao started complaining about splitting headaches during the last days of his life, his subjects recommended Hua Tuo, a physician whose skills were said to parallel the deities. Upon examination, Hua Tuo diagnosed Cao Cao's illness to be a type of rheumatism
Rheumatism

Rheumatism or Rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the heart, bones, joints, kidney, skin and lung. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology....
 within the skull. He suggested giving Cao Cao a dose of hashish
Hashish

Hashish is a preparation of cannabis composed of the compressed trichomes collected from the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than other parts of the plant such as the buds or the leaves....
 and then splitting open his skull with a sharp axe to extract the pus within.

However, due to an earlier incident with another physician who attempted to take Cao Cao's life, Cao Cao grew very suspicious of any physician, as Cao Cao was the target of many plots against his life, including one by Dong Cheng
Dong Cheng

Dong Cheng was a government official during the late Eastern Han/Three Kingdoms era of China. He was allegedly given the task to assassinate Cao Cao by Emperor Xian of Han China ....
, a relative of the Emperor. Cao Cao believed Hua Tuo intended to kill him to avenge the death of Guan Yu
Guan Yu

Guan Yu was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the Shu Han, of which Liu Bei was the first emperor....
. He then threw Hua Tuo into jail, where the renowned physician died a few days later. Without proper treatment, Cao Cao soon died as well. Some believe to be the doings of a curse when he tried to cut down a sacred tree.

Cultural references

While historical records indicate Cao Cao as a brilliant ruler, he was represented as a cunning and deceitful man in Chinese opera
Chinese opera

Chinese opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE. There are numerous regional branches of Chinese opera, of which the Beijing opera is one of the most notable....
, where the character of Cao Cao is given a white facial makeup to reflect his treacherous personality. When writing the Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms , written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of China, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in 280....
, Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong , born Luo Ben , was a Chinese literature author attributed with writing Romance of the Three Kingdoms , and editing Water Margin , two of the most revered adventure Epic poetry in Chinese literature....
 took much of his inspiration from the opera. As a result, such unscrupulous depiction of Cao Cao had become much more popular among the common people than the real Cao Cao himself.

As the Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been adapted to modern forms of entertainment, so has its portrayal of Cao Cao. Given the source material these adaptations are founded on, Cao Cao continues to be characterised as a prominent villain.

Through to modern times, the Chinese
Chinese language

Chinese or the Sinitic language is a language family consisting of language mutually unintelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the two branches of Sino-Tibetan languages of languages....
 equivalent of the English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 idiom
Idiom

An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be determined by the literal definition of the phrase itself, but refers instead to a figurative language meaning that is known only through common use....
 "speak of the Devil
Speak of the Devil

"Speak of the devil" is the short form of an idiom or phrase used in both written and spoken English language: "Speak of the devil and he will come"....
" is "???,???" (Pinyin
Pinyin

Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most commonly used Romanization system for Standard Mandarin. Hanyu is the Chinese Language, and pinyin means "phonetics", or more literally, "spelling sound" or "spelled sound"....
: Shuo Cáo Cao, Cáo Cao dào), which means "Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives."

Video games have had a powerful impact on modern perception of Cao Cao as an individual, politician and warlord, providing many outside of Asia with their first introduction to Cao Cao and his milieu. In particular, video game developer Koei
Koei

Koei Company, Limited , formerly ?? ) is a Japanese video game publisher and video game developer founded in 1978 in video gaming. The company is best known for its historical simulation games based on the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as well as simulation games based on historical events....
 has capitalised on Three Kingdoms-related media, having produced many titles prominently featuring Cao Cao.

Two of Koei's most popular releases featuring Cao Cao are the Romance of the Three Kingdoms strategy series and the best selling Dynasty Warriors
Dynasty Warriors

is a series of Fighting game/tactical Action game video games created by Omega Force/Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
 tactical-action series. Warriors Orochi
Warriors Orochi

Warriors Orochi, known in Japan as , is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a fictional crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors ....
, a spin-off title based within the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors
Samurai Warriors

Samurai Warriors is the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period period of Japanese history and is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series....
 universes, also features Cao Cao. In it, Wei believes he is dead, until he is later discovered only to join the coalition army led by Cao Pi.A running gag throughout the game is his and Nobunaga Oda's close similarities. He is also the main villain in the game Kessen 2, but later in the game, he is portrayed as a more sympathetic figure.

Singaporean pop musician JJ Lin
JJ Lin

JJ Lin Jun Jie is a Chinese in Singapore Pop music-Singer. He is also known as JJ Lin. Wayne is his baptismal name, and it is generally used by his friends and members of his church....
 released an album entitled Cao Cao
Cao Cao (JJ Lin album)

Cao Cao is the fourth album of Singaporean singer, Lin Jun Jie. It contains 11 songs and was released February 17 2006. The special 2-disk album was released April 7 2006....
 in 2006. The title track speaks of Cao Cao's life.

Cao Cao was played by Zhang Fengyi
Zhang Fengyi

Zhang Fengyi is a Chinese actor most famous for his role in Farewell My Concubine , as a Chinese people stage actor dealing with China changing political climate and the affections of his singing partner....
 in the 2008 movie Red Cliff
Red Cliff

Red Cliff may refer to:* Red Cliff, Colorado, United States* Red Cliff, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada* Red Cliff, Wisconsin, United States...
, directed by John Woo
John Woo

John Woo Yu-Sen is a critically acclaimed international China film director and film producer. Recognized for his stylized films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Mr....
.

The Cao clan


Direct male descendants


With Princess Bian
  • Cao Pi
    Cao Pi

    Cao Pi , formally Emperor Wen of Wei , courtesy name Zihuan , was born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery . He was the second son of the China politician and poet Cao Cao and was the first Emperor of China and the real founder of Cao Wei , one of the Three Kingdoms....
    ¹
    • Cao Rui
      Cao Rui

      Cao Rui was the son of Cao Pi and the second emperor of the Cao Wei. He is also known as the Emperor Ming of Wei, ch. ???, py. w?i m?ng d?, wg....
      • Cao Fang
        Cao Fang

        Cao Fang, Chinese character ??, Pinyin. c?o fang, wg. Ts'ao-Fang , courtesy name Lanqing was an emperor of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period....
        • Cao Mao
          Cao Mao

          Cao Mao , courtesy name Yanshi was an emperor of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. He was a grandson of Cao Pi and the Duke of Gaoguixiang....
          • Cao Huan
            Cáo Huàn

            Cao Huan, Chinese character ??, Pinyin. c?o h?an, wg. Ts'ao-Huan was a grandson of Cao Cao and last emperor of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period....
  • Cao Zhang
    Cao Zhang

    Cao Zhang was the son of the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of China. Cao Zhang was said to wrestle and kill wild animals with his bare hands....
    • Cao Kai
  • Cao Zhi
    Cao Zhi

    Cao Zhi was a China poet during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period. His poetry style, greatly revered during the Jin Dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties, came to be known as the jian'an style....
  • Cao Xiong
    Cao Xiong

    Cao Xiong was the son of the powerful warlord Cao Cao, by his second wife Empress Dowager Bian, and lived during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in ancient China....
    • Cao Bin


With Lady Liu
  • Cao Ang
    Cao Ang

    Cao Ang was the eldest son of the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. He was killed by enemy troops in the Battle of Wancheng after he gave up his horse to Cao Cao during their retreat....
    • Cao Wan (succeeded Cao Ang but was the son of Cao Jun)
      • Cao Lian
  • Cao Shuo
    • Cao Qian
      • Cao Yan


With Lady Huan
  • Cao Chong
    Cao Chong

    Cao Chong was a son of the powerful 3rd century China Chancellor of China Cao Cao. He was renowned as a child prodigy, having the intelligence of an adult at the age of five....
    • Cao Cong (succeeded Cao Chong but was the son of Cao Ju)
  • Cao Ju
  • Cao Yu


With Lady Du
  • Cao Lin
    • Cao Wei
  • Cao Gun
    • Cao Fu


With Lady Qin
  • Cao Xuan
    • Cao Heng
  • Cao Jun
    • Cao Ao


With Lady Yin
  • Cao Ju
    • Cao Min (succeeded Cao Ju but was the son of Cao Jun)
      • Cao Kun


With other consorts
  • Cao Gan
  • Cao Shang
  • Cao Biao
    • Cao Jia
  • Cao Qin
  • Cao Cheng
  • Cao Zheng
    • Cao Fan (succeeded Cao Zheng but was the son of Cao Ju)
    • Cao Chan (younger brother of Cao Fan by birth, succeeded Cao Fan)
  • Cao Jing
  • Cao Jun
    • Cao Kang
      • Cao Chen
  • Cao Ji
  • Cao Hui
    • Cao Xi
  • Cao Mao


Extended family

  • Cao Ren
    Cao Ren

    Cao Ren was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant part in the civil wars leading to the disintegration of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the establishment of the Cao Wei....
     Younger cousin
  • Cao Pi Son
  • Cao Tai
  • Cao Chu
  • Cao Kai
  • Cao Fan
  • Cao Chun
    Cao Chun

    Cao Chun was a cavalry general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China....
     Younger cousin
  • Cao Yan
  • Cao Liang
    • Cao Hong
      Cao Hong

      Cao Hong was a general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was a cousin of Cao Cao and served him from very early on....
       Younger cousin
    • Cao Xiu
      Cao Xiu

      Cao Xiu was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao and succeeding rulers of the Kingdom of Wei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China....
       Distant nephew
  • Cao Zhao
    • Cao Zhen
      Cao Zhen

      Cao Zhen was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao and the succeeding rulers of Cao Wei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China....
       Distant nephew
    • Cao Shuang
      Cao Shuang

      Cao Shuang was the son of Cao Zhen, a famous commander of the Kingdom of Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. He initially held great power in the kingdom of Wei as the Grand Commander but later, he lost his power to Sima Yi and was executed on charges of treason....
  • Cao Xi
  • Cao Xun
  • Cao Ze
  • Cao Yan
  • Xiahou Dun
    Xiahou Dun

    Xiahou Dun was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father, Song, was adopted by the Cao family, so Dun and Cao share family relations....
     cousin
  • Cao Ai Distant nephew
    • Cao Anmin
      Cao Anmin

      Cao Anmin was the nephew of the powerful China warlord Cao Cao.In 197, Cao Anmin followed Cao Cao on a campaign to take the province of Jingzhou ....
       Nephew
  • Xiahou Yuan
    Xiahou Yuan

    Xiahou Yuan was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. Known for his decisiveness and cautiousness, Xiahou Yuan had emerged victorious in many campaigns and established a name for himself as one of the most prominent generals of the Cao Wei....
     cousin


See also

  • Three Kingdoms
    Three Kingdoms

    The Three Kingdoms period is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty emperors....
  • Han Dynasty
    Han Dynasty

    The Han Dynasty followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Han Dynasty was ruled by the family known as the Liu clan who had peasant origins....
  • End of Han Dynasty
    End of Han Dynasty

    The End of the Han Dynasty refers to a period roughly coinciding with the reign of Han Dynasty's final emperor Emperor Xian of Han when the empire, with its institutions destroyed by the warlord Dong Zhuo, fractured into regional regimes ruled by various warlords....
  • Personages of the Three Kingdoms
    Personages of the Three Kingdoms

    The following is a list of personages significant to the Three Kingdoms period of History of China. They provided the basis of what is often termed "Matter of the Three Kingdoms", a favourite subject for Chinese folklore....
  • Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms
  • Romance of the Three Kingdoms
    Romance of the Three Kingdoms

    Romance of the Three Kingdoms , written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of China, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in 280....
  • Art of War
    The Art of War

    The Art of War is a China military science treatise that was written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategy and Military tactics of its time....
  • Kessen II
    Kessen II

    is a strategy game loosely based on the Three Kingdoms period of China. It is the sequel to Kessen in name only; both Kessen and the later sequel Kessen III are based on events in Japan....
  • Dynasty Warriors
    Dynasty Warriors

    is a series of Fighting game/tactical Action game video games created by Omega Force/Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
  • Soten Koro
  • Red Cliff
    Red Cliff

    Red Cliff may refer to:* Red Cliff, Colorado, United States* Red Cliff, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada* Red Cliff, Wisconsin, United States...


External links