Cao Cao's invasion of Xu Province
Encyclopedia
Cao Cao's invasion of Xu Province was a punitive invasion launched by the warlord Cao Cao
against Tao Qian, Governor of Xu Province (徐州; covering present-day Jiangsu
), during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms
period of Chinese history
. The goal of the invasion was to punish Tao Qian for what Cao Cao saw as Tao's responsibility in the murder of Cao's father, Cao Song
. The invasion took place in two separate waves in 193 and 194, during each of which Cao Cao captured a number of towns and engaged in collective punishment of the civilian populace.
at the end of the Han Dynasty. A former high ranking government official, Cao Song was very wealthy, and had brought with him a baggage train cosisting of more than 100 covered carts full of his effects. In or near Hua County (near Mount Tai
), Cao Song and his son Cao De (曹德) were ambushed and killed.
According to the Book of the Later Han and Zizhi Tongjian
, Tao Qian had garrisoned men nearby at Yinping, who were tempted by greed for Cao Song's riches and murdered him for his wealth en route to his destination of Langye (琅邪; present-day Linyi
, Shandong
).
The main text of the Records of Three Kingdoms
makes no specific note of Tao Qian's involvement in Cao Song's murder, but Pei Songzhi
's annotations mention two other accounts from two other sources now lost. According to Wei Zhao's Book of Wu, Tao Qian despatched 200 bodyguards led by Commandant of the Capital Zhang Kai to escort Cao Song, but Zhang instead murdered Cao and made off with his riches. The Accounts of the Wei and Jin Dynasties (魏晉世語) claim that Cao Cao ordered the Administrator of Mount Tai, Ying Shao
, to escort Cao Song's entourage to safety. Before Ying Shao could arrive, Tao Qian ordered several thousand riders to attack Cao Song instead. Cao Song, expecting an escort rather than a sneak attack, was thus taken completely by surprise.
All sources agree that whatever Tao Qian's degree of involvement, Cao Cao intended to hold him accountable.
, Jiangsu
), Cao Cao conquered it, killing possibly more than 10,000 defenders. Tao Qian fled to Tancheng
, which Cao Cao assaulted unsuccessfully.
Thwarted and low on rations, Cao Cao turned his army around, sacking in the process the counties of Qiulü (取慮), Suiling (睢陵), and Xiaqiu (夏丘). The local population was swollen with refugees from the violence of the capital regions. Cao Cao's army killed over 100,000 civilians, including both men and women, such that the Si River
was stoppered up with their corpses. His army took the chickens and dogs for food and tore down the villages into ruins. No one returned: Tao Qian's people were annihilated.
in the nearby Qing Province (青州). Tian Kai sent Tao Qian a force of some thousand men commanded by Liu Bei
. Tao Qian, seeking to open a southern front against Cao Cao, appointed Liu Bei Inspector of Yu Province
, and transferred 4,000 soldiers into his service. Along with Tao Qian's general Cao Bao, Liu Bei encamped east of the city of Tancheng.
Cao Cao's army plundered Langye and Donghai (東海; near present-day Tancheng
, Shandong), destroying all in its path. Returning west, Cao Cao engaged and defeated Tao Qian's forces led by Liu Bei. According to one account, Cao Cao conquered the nearby city of Xiangfen (襄賁) after this.
Xu Province was only granted reprieve when Zhang Miao
betrayed Cao Cao and invited Lü Bu
to take over Cao Cao's home base of Yan Province (兗州). Cao Cao broke off his misplaced vengeance against Tao Qian and turned his army back to attack Lü Bu.
installment of Koei's Dynasty Warriors
video game series.
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
against Tao Qian, Governor of Xu Province (徐州; covering present-day Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. The goal of the invasion was to punish Tao Qian for what Cao Cao saw as Tao's responsibility in the murder of Cao's father, Cao Song
Cao Song
Cao Song was the father of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao. He was originally surnamed "Xiahou", but changed his surname to "Cao" after becoming the foster son of the eunuch Cao Teng. Cao Song's descendants also adopted "Cao" as their family name.By the year 193, China had been divided into...
. The invasion took place in two separate waves in 193 and 194, during each of which Cao Cao captured a number of towns and engaged in collective punishment of the civilian populace.
The death of Cao Song
Cao Cao's father Cao Song was fleeing from the turmoil consuming the capital regions following the fall of Dong ZhuoDong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
at the end of the Han Dynasty. A former high ranking government official, Cao Song was very wealthy, and had brought with him a baggage train cosisting of more than 100 covered carts full of his effects. In or near Hua County (near Mount Tai
Mount Tai
Mount Tai is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Tai'an, in Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The tallest peak is the Jade Emperor Peak , which is commonly reported as tall, but is described by the PRC government as .Mount Tai is one of the...
), Cao Song and his son Cao De (曹德) were ambushed and killed.
Tao Qian's responsibility
Accounts of the degree of Tao Qian's responsiblity in the murder of Cao Song differ.According to the Book of the Later Han and Zizhi Tongjian
Zizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
, Tao Qian had garrisoned men nearby at Yinping, who were tempted by greed for Cao Song's riches and murdered him for his wealth en route to his destination of Langye (琅邪; present-day Linyi
Linyi
Linyi is a prefecture-level city in the south of Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The largest prefecture-level city in Shandong both by area and total population, Linyi borders Rizhao to the east, Weifang to the northeast, Zibo to the north, Tai'an to the northwest, Jining to the...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
).
The main text of the Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
makes no specific note of Tao Qian's involvement in Cao Song's murder, but Pei Songzhi
Pei Songzhi
Pei Songzhi was commissioned by Emperor Wen of Liu Song to write a commentary on Chen Shou's Records of Three Kingdoms, providing additional detail omitted from the original work. His commentary, completed in 429, became integral to later editions of the Records, making the joint work three times...
's annotations mention two other accounts from two other sources now lost. According to Wei Zhao's Book of Wu, Tao Qian despatched 200 bodyguards led by Commandant of the Capital Zhang Kai to escort Cao Song, but Zhang instead murdered Cao and made off with his riches. The Accounts of the Wei and Jin Dynasties (魏晉世語) claim that Cao Cao ordered the Administrator of Mount Tai, Ying Shao
Ying Shao
Ying Shao , also called Ling Shao in the Shi Yu, style name Zhongyuan , was a Chinese writer and historian of the late Eastern Han period , an author of the famous work Fengsu Tongyi, an encyclopedic work about the folk customs and legends that existed in the Eastern Han state...
, to escort Cao Song's entourage to safety. Before Ying Shao could arrive, Tao Qian ordered several thousand riders to attack Cao Song instead. Cao Song, expecting an escort rather than a sneak attack, was thus taken completely by surprise.
All sources agree that whatever Tao Qian's degree of involvement, Cao Cao intended to hold him accountable.
The first invasion
In the summer or autumn of 193, Cao Cao invaded Xu Province with an unspecified number of troops and easily captured over ten cities. Arriving at Tao Qian's capital of Pengcheng (present-day XuzhouXuzhou
Xuzhou , otherwise known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is a major city in and the fourth largest prefecture-level city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), Cao Cao conquered it, killing possibly more than 10,000 defenders. Tao Qian fled to Tancheng
Tancheng County
Tancheng County is a county of Linyi, Shandong province, People's Republic of China.Tancheng is located on the southern edge of the province of Shandong, about 90 kilometres south of Linyi and 400 kilometres south east of Jinan, the capital city of Shandong province.The population in 2001 was...
, which Cao Cao assaulted unsuccessfully.
Thwarted and low on rations, Cao Cao turned his army around, sacking in the process the counties of Qiulü (取慮), Suiling (睢陵), and Xiaqiu (夏丘). The local population was swollen with refugees from the violence of the capital regions. Cao Cao's army killed over 100,000 civilians, including both men and women, such that the Si River
Si River
The Si River is a watercourse located in Shandong Province, China. It rises in the southern foothills of the Mengshan Mountains then flows through Sishui County, and the cities of Qufu and Yanzhou before emptying into Lake Nanyang...
was stoppered up with their corpses. His army took the chickens and dogs for food and tore down the villages into ruins. No one returned: Tao Qian's people were annihilated.
The second invasion
In the spring of 194, Cao Cao's army returned to Xu Province, and Tao Qian begged aid from Tian KaiTian Kai
Tian Kai was an official serving as the Inspector of Qing province under the warlord Gongsun Zan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history....
in the nearby Qing Province (青州). Tian Kai sent Tao Qian a force of some thousand men commanded by Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
. Tao Qian, seeking to open a southern front against Cao Cao, appointed Liu Bei Inspector of Yu Province
Yuzhou (nine ancient provinces)
Yuzhou was one of the Nine Provinces in ancient China. It was located near present day Henan and Anhui provinces, China.- History / Romance :...
, and transferred 4,000 soldiers into his service. Along with Tao Qian's general Cao Bao, Liu Bei encamped east of the city of Tancheng.
Cao Cao's army plundered Langye and Donghai (東海; near present-day Tancheng
Tancheng County
Tancheng County is a county of Linyi, Shandong province, People's Republic of China.Tancheng is located on the southern edge of the province of Shandong, about 90 kilometres south of Linyi and 400 kilometres south east of Jinan, the capital city of Shandong province.The population in 2001 was...
, Shandong), destroying all in its path. Returning west, Cao Cao engaged and defeated Tao Qian's forces led by Liu Bei. According to one account, Cao Cao conquered the nearby city of Xiangfen (襄賁) after this.
Xu Province was only granted reprieve when Zhang Miao
Zhang Miao
Zhang Miao , style name Mengzhuo , was a minister of the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as prefect of Chenliu Commandery. Zhang Miao led an army during the coalition against Dong Zhuo. In the coalition Zhang expressed displeasure at their leader, Yuan Shao, and Yuan sent Cao...
betrayed Cao Cao and invited Lü Bu
Lü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
to take over Cao Cao's home base of Yan Province (兗州). Cao Cao broke off his misplaced vengeance against Tao Qian and turned his army back to attack Lü Bu.
Aftermath
Tao Qian's magnanimity towards Liu Bei shifted the latter's alliance from Tian Kai, and after Cao Cao left Xu Province Liu Bei remained. Such were his connections that when Tao Qian died of illness later in 194, his sons Tao Shang (陶商) and Tao Ying (陶應) were passed over for governorship by the local elite in favour of Liu Bei. Thus Liu Bei gained his first territory as a result of Cao Cao's campaign.Modern references
Cao Cao's invasion of Xu Province is featured as playable stages in the seventhDynasty Warriors 7
is a hack and slash video game and the seventh official installment of the Dynasty Warriors series. It is developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game has been confirmed to be PS3 exclusive in Japan. The story is based on Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
installment of Koei's Dynasty Warriors
Dynasty Warriors
is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and 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 classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
video game series.