Three Kingdoms History: Cao Cao

Romance of the Three Kingdoms Officer Encyclopedia

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Cao Cao (Mengde)   曹操 (孟德)

Lived: AD 155–220

Biographies:

Served: Han, Wei

Founder of Wei. Built the foundation of what would become the Jin Dynasty.

Officer Details

Wade-Giles: Ts‘ao Ts‘ao (Mêng-tê)
Simplified Chinese: 曹操 (孟德)
Pronunciation: Cao2 Cao1 (Meng4de2)  
Cantonese (Yale): Chou Chou (Maang-dak)
Cantonese (Jyutpin): Cou Cou (Maang-dak)
Min-Nan: Co Coh (Beng-tek)

Birthplace: Qiao County, Pei County
(Presently Bo Zhou city, An Hui Province)

Name Notes: In Sanguozhi Chen Shou references him with the honorary title, Wu Di (武帝), or ‘Martial Emperor’. Cao Cao appears in other sources under this name. Cao Cao’s infant name was A-Man (阿瞞).

Rank and Titles

Northern Commandant of Luoyang; Prefect of Dunqiu; Gentleman-consultant of the Imperial Court; Chief Commandant of Cavalry; Chancellor of Ji’nan; Grand Administrator of Dongjun; Colonel in Charge of the Army; Colonel of the Resolute Cavalry; General Who Displays Firmness; Grand Administrator of Dongjun; Governor of Yanzhou; General who Establishes Virtue; General who Guards the East; Marquis of Feiting; Intendant of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing; Colonel Director of Retainers; General-in-chief; Marquis of Wuping; Minister of Works; General of Chariots and Cavalry; Lieutenant-Chancellor; Duke of Wei; King of Wei; The Man

Family and Relationships

Cao Jie (Great Grandfather); Cao Teng (Grandfather); Cao Song (Father); Cao De (Brother); Lü Boshe ƒ (Uncle); Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, Cao Zhi, Cao Xiong (Sons with Princess Bian); Cao Ang, Cao Shuo (Sons with Lady Liu); Cao Chong, Cao Ju, Cao Yu (Sons with Lady Huan); Cao Lin, Cao Gun (Sons with Lady Du); Cao Xuan, Cao Jun (Sons with Lady Qin); Cao Ju (Sons from Lady Yin); Cao Gan, Cao Shan, Cao Biao, Cao Qin, Cao Cheng, Cao Zheng, Cao Jing, Cao Jun, Cao Ji, Cao Hui, Cao Mao (Sons with other consorts); Cao Pi, Cao Rui, Cao Fang, Cao Mao, Cao Huan (Descendant Heirs); Cao Ren, Cao Chun, Cao Hong (Younger Cousins); Cao Anmin (Nephew); Cao Xiu, Cao Zhen (Distant Nephews)

Fact vs. Fiction

Differences Between Fact and Common Fiction

  • Never presented Dong Zhuo the “Seven-Star Sword.”
  • Wen Chou was killed in one of Cao Cao’s military plots.
  • There is no historic mention of Cao Cao killing civilians as he marched on Tao Qian, however the massacre he left in departure is recorded.
  • Cao Cao did not execute He Yi. [ZZTJ: 62]
  • Became Prime Minister on the 6th month of Jian’an (AD 208). Not earlier as presented in the novel.
  • Was not tricked by Pang Tong into tying his ships at Chibi. He did this himself because his soldiers were sick.
  • Did not execute Zuo Ci, nor did Zuo Ci predict his death.
  • Most likely not related to the Xiahou family, since his daughter married Xiahou Mao [ZZTJ]
  • Had 25 sons; far from the five mentioned in the novel.
Literary Appearances

Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 1-6, 10-77, 78, 79-82, 85, 88, 91, 93, 94, 96, 97, 99, 106, 109, 111, 114, 119, 120

Sanguozhi: Wei 1

Popular Quotation

Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 4
Cao Cao said, “Better that I betray the world than let the world betray me.”
[操曰：宁教我负天下人，休教天下人负我。]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 59
Fighting Ma Chao, Cao Cao said, “You despised me because I had no wall to my camp, but lo! in one single night, God has made me a wall. Do you not think it time to give in?”
[操曰：“汝欺我營寨不成，今一夜天使築就，汝何不早降！”]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 72
Cao Cao said, “I like to kill people in my dreams, so when I fall asleep be sure not to come too close.”

Search Results
Cao Cao trust worthy?
Date: 04/08     Replies:  50
Chen Lin's writing on Cao Cao.
Date: 02/08     Replies:  12
Who's better Sun Jian or Cao Cao?
Date: 02/08     Replies:  36
Did Cao Cao want to become Emperor?
Date: 02/08     Replies:  11
Cao Cao's luckiest break.
Date: 02/08     Replies:  13
Cao Cao unites China.
Date: 01/08     Replies:  42
Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao?
Date: 12/07     Replies:  31
Did Cao Cao let Guan Yu leave because of his kindness?
Date: 11/07     Replies:  13
3 Brothers becoming more like Cao Cao the longer they fight
Date: 10/07     Replies:  14
Cao Cao's Failure: Military Mistakes or Lack of Time?
Date: 08/07     Replies: 112
Cao Cao is so over rated
Date: 08/07     Replies: 142
Was the War between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao to the death?
Date: 07/07     Replies:  13
Could Guo Jia have inadvertently led to Cao Cao's downfall?
Date: 06/07     Replies:  22
Was Cao Cao right to suspect Hua Tuo?
Date: 02/07     Replies:  42
The true reason Cao Cao attacked Wu at Chibi
Date: 09/06     Replies:  46
Cao Cao is not evil..
Date: 07/06     Replies:  12
1786th anniversary of Cao Cao's death
Date: 03/06     Replies:  26
A look into Yuan Shao and Cao Cao’s childhood ‘friendship’
Date: 02/06     Replies:  12
Would the RTK era exist without Cao Cao?
Date: 02/06     Replies:  29
Cao Cao's Revenge
Date: 01/06     Replies:  11
Mengde and Caesar
Date: 11/05     Replies:  14
Without Guan Yu's help, Cao Cao vs. Yuan Shao.
Date: 11/05     Replies:  78
Cao Cao the Merciless
Date: 11/05     Replies:  15
Xiahou Yuan and Cao Cao
Date: 10/05     Replies:  16
Cao Cao and Zhuge Liang
Date: 09/05     Replies:  33
View ≈56 Additional Results?
Sun Ce and Cao Cao
Date: 08/05     Replies:  27
Who hated Cao Cao the most?
Date: 08/05     Replies:  29
Do you think Cao Cao's "evil" or "bad"?
Date: 04/05     Replies: 118
Cao Cao and his people before Guan Du (historical)
Date: 12/04     Replies:  11
Cao Cao's Chi Bi Strategy
Date: 11/04     Replies:  39
Is Cao Cao the TRUE driving force of the novel?
Date: 11/04     Replies:  38
Cao Cao vs. Zhuge Liang
Date: 09/04     Replies:  47
Cao Cao vs. Liu Bei
Date: 09/04     Replies:  57
What would you do if you were Cao Cao
Date: 09/04     Replies:  18
Guo Jia and Cao Cao's biggest mistake…
Date: 08/04     Replies:  32
Cao Cao's laughing after Chi Bi.
Date: 08/04     Replies:  30
SGYY Events? “In a Plum Garden, Cao Cao Discusses Heroes”
Date: 08/04     Replies:  30
Did Cao Cao really attempt to assassinate Dong Zhuo?
Date: 08/04     Replies:  19
Cao Cao's advisers
Date: 07/04     Replies:  11
Cao Cao Chronology (revised)
Date: 07/04     Replies:  10
Cao Cao or Liu Bei: who was the biggest rebel?
Date: 07/04     Replies:  52
If Guan Yu would have taken Cao Cao prisoner
Date: 06/04     Replies:  82
About how many men did Cao Cao have, and lose, at Chibi?
Date: 05/04     Replies:  21
What if Cao Cao was defeated at Guan Du?
Date: 05/04     Replies:  13
How important was Emperor Xian to Cao Cao?
Date: 05/04     Replies:  16
Did Liu Bei value Cao Cao?
Date: 04/04     Replies:  16
Could Cao Cao rule all?
Date: 03/04     Replies:  41
Cao Cao's Greatest Defeat
Date: 03/04     Replies:  22
Why did Cao Cao bury troops alive after Guan Du?
Date: 03/04     Replies:  39
Could cao cao won at Chi bi?
Date: 02/04     Replies:  33
Cao cao or Nobunaga
Date: 02/04     Replies:  16
What if Cao Cao died during Guandu?
Date: 12/03     Replies:  33
If Shan Fu helped Cao Cao
Date: 11/03     Replies:  34
What if Cao Cao was an aristocrat?
Date: 10/03     Replies:  15
Cao Cao, some other tales about him.
Date: 10/03     Replies:  25
If Cao Cao captured Liu Chan before Zhao Yun…
Date: 10/03     Replies:  49
Lu Bu and Cao Cao
Date: 08/03     Replies:  39
Cao Cao, novel and history
Date: 07/03     Replies:  12
If Guan Yu had killed Cao Cao
Date: 07/03     Replies:  19
If Chen Gong Killed Cao Cao
Date: 07/03     Replies:  69
When did Cao Cao changes his mind?
Date: 07/03     Replies:  13
Favorite son of Cao Cao
Date: 06/03     Replies: 112
Cao Cao- China's hero or worst villian
Date: 06/03     Replies:  20
Cao Cao, the keystone of the Three Kingdoms?
Date: 05/03     Replies:  19
Sons of Cao Cao and Cao Pi (updated May 28)
Date: 05/03     Replies:  15
Cao Cao, was he such a bad guy?
Date: 05/03     Replies:  58
Cao Cao the angel
Date: 03/03     Replies:  16
Cao Cao’s greatest foil (SGYY)
Date: 02/03     Replies:  58
What if Yuan Shao had actually beaten Cao Cao?
Date: 02/03     Replies:  34
On Cao Cao and treachery
Date: 12/02     Replies:  37
Differences between Cao Cao and Zhuge Liang
Date: 12/02     Replies:  50
Cao Cao's Life
Date: 11/02     Replies:  66
Aside from Mengde, who was the best of the Caos?
Date: 11/02     Replies:  61
Cao Cao (wonderful lord or dreadful monster)? [historical]
Date: 09/02     Replies:  34
Discussion of Heroes, Cao Cao's desire, Liu Bei's ambition.
Date: 09/02     Replies:  25
Cao Cao…
Date: 08/02     Replies:  53
Would Liu Bei turn to Cao Cao?
Date: 08/02     Replies:  27
Cao Cao's sons
Date: 06/02     Replies:  26
Cao Cao's loss at Chi Bi
Date: 06/02     Replies:  28
Cao Cao and Liu Bei
Date: 06/02     Replies:  12

Biographies

What's the difference for Cao Cao's SGZ biography?
Date: 11/06     Replies:   3
Why does Cao Cao's bio only mention Liu Bei in Chi Bi?
Date: 07/05     Replies:  21
SGZ Biography of Cao Cao
Date: 03/05     Replies:  55
Cao Cao SGYY Bio part 2
Date: 07/04     Replies:   7
Cao Cao SGYY bio part 1
Date: 04/04     Replies:   1
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May 22, 2008