Cao (state)

State of Cao 曹
11th century BC–487 BC
Capital	Táoqiū (陶とう丘たかし)
Common languages	Old Chinese
Government	Earldom
History
• Established	11th century BC
• Disestablished	487 BC

Cao
Chinese	曹
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Cáo Wade–Giles Ts'ao2 IPA [tsʰǎʊ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Chòuh Jyutping Cou4 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Chô Tâi-lô Tsô Middle Chinese Middle Chinese Dzaw Old Chinese Baxter–Sagart (2014) *N-tsˤu

The State of Cao (simplified Chinese: 曹国; traditional Chinese: 曹國; pinyin: Cáoguó) was a vassal state in China during the Zhou dynasty (1046–221 BC). The state was founded sometime in the 11th century BC by Shu Zhenduo of Cao (d. 1053 BC), a son of King Wen of Zhou and younger brother of King Wu of Zhou. With its capital at Taoqiu (陶とう丘たかし), the State of Cao covered roughly the area of modern-day Dingtao County, Shandong Province. It was located on the flat country of the North China Plain about 50 miles east of the point where the current course of the Yellow River changes from east to north-east. To the northwest was Wey, to the northeast Lu and to the southeast Song.

History

As a result of the Cao's relative weakness, later generations wrote few records on events concerning the state's history. The only major event recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046 – 770 BC) was in 826 BC when Count You of Cao was killed by his younger brother Count Dai of Cao.

At the beginning of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770 BC), the State of Cao suffered internal upheaval. In 760 BC, Duke Mu of Cao killed his elder brother Count Fei of Cao and appointed himself the eleventh ruler. He was the first ruler of the State of Cao to receive the title of "Duke" (公おおやけ).

During the Spring and Autumn period the State of Cao became caught up in the struggle for hegemony between the states of Jin and Chu. In 637 BC Chong'er, son of Duke Xian of Jin got into difficulties when passing through the State of Cáo and was treated rudely by Duke Gong of Cao.

About 630 it was a vassal or ally of Chu. When Chu attacked Song, Jin made a diversionary attack on Cao. After Jin defeated Chu at the Battle of Chengpu in 632 BC, Jin crushed the State of Cao, rescued the State of Song and took Duke Gong of Cao prisoner. After the defeat of the State of Chu, Cao followed the orders of its near neighbour the State of Jin.

Later on, the States of Cao and Song became hostile towards each other. Duke Jing of Song captured Duke Dao of Cao in 515 BC and held him prisoner until his death. Thereafter, disorder broke out in Cao and Duke Dao's successors Duke Sheng of Cao and Duke Yin of Cao were killed one after another. Duke Fei of Cao became ruler and betrayed the State of Jin by invading the State of Song. As a result, Duke Jing of Song attacked Cao. No troops from the State of Jin came to the rescue such that the State of Cao was exterminated in 487 BC after the capture of Duke Fei of Cao.

Legacy

Descendants of the people of Cao adopted the name of their former state. This is one origin of the Chinese Surname Cao.

Rulers of Cao

Rulers of the State of Cao

English Name	Reign name	Personal name	Reign
Cao Shu Zhenduo	曹叔振鐸 (Cáo Shū Zhènduó)	振ふ鐸/振ふ铎 ( Zhènduó)	?–1053 BC
Count Tai of Cao	曹太伯はく (Cáo Tài Bó)	脾 ( Pí)	1053–1002 BC
Lord Zhong of Cao	曹仲君くん (Cáo Zhòng Jūn)	平ひらめ ( Píng)	1002–935 BC
Count Gong of Cao	曹宮伯はく (Cáo Gōng Bó)	侯ほう ( Hóu)	935–895 BC
Count Xiao of Cao	曹孝伯はく (Cáo Xiào Bó)	云うん ( Yún)	895–865 BC
Count Yi of Cao	曹夷伯はく (Cáo Yí Bó)	喜き ( Xǐ)	864–835 BC
Count You of Cao	曹幽伯はく (Cáo Yōu Bó)	疆 (Jiāng)	835–826 BC
Count Dai of Cao	曹戴伯はく (Cáo Dài Bó)	蘇そ/苏 ( Sū)	826–796 BC
Count Hui of Cao	曹惠伯はく (Cáo Huì Bó)	兕 ( Sì)	794–760 BC
Count Fei of Cao	曹廢伯はく (Cáo Fèi Bó)	石いし甫はじめ ( Shífǔ)	760–760 BC
Duke Mu of Cao	曹穆公こう (Cáo Mù Gōng)	武たけ ( Wǔ)	759– 757 BC
Duke Huan of Cao	曹桓公こう (Cáo Huán Gōng)	終生しゅうせい/终生 ( Zhōng Shēng)	756–702 BC
Duke Zhuang of Cao	曹莊公こう/曹庄公こう (Cáo Zhuāng Gōng)	射い姑しゅうと ( Shègū)	701–671 BC
Duke Li of Cao	曹釐公こう/曹厘公こう (Cáo Lǐ Gōng)	夷えびす ( Yí)	670–662 BC
Duke Zhao of Cao	曹昭公こう (Cáo Zhāo Gōng)	班はん ( Bān)	661–653 BC
Duke Gong of Cao	曹共公こう (Cáo Gòng Gōng)	襄じょう ( Xiāng)	652–618 BC
Duke Wen of Cao	曹文公こう (Cáo Wén Gōng)	壽ことぶき/寿ことぶき ( Shòu)	617–595 BC
Duke Xuan of Cao	曹宣公こう (Cáo Xuān Gōng)	彊つよし ( Qiáng)	594–578 BC
Duke Cheng of Cao	曹成公こう (Cáo Chéng Gōng)	負ふ芻/负刍( Fùchú)	577–555 BC
Duke Wu of Cao	曹武公こう (Cáo Wǔ Gōng)	勝かち/胜 ( Shèng)	554–528 BC
Duke Ping of Cao	曹平公こう (Cáo Píng Gōng)	須/须 ( Xū)	527–524 BC
Duke Dao of Cao	曹悼公こう (Cáo Dào Gōng)	午うま( Wǔ)	523–515 BC
Duke Sheng of Cao	曹聲公こう/曹声公こう (Cáo Shēng Gōng)	野の ( Yě)	514–510 BC
Duke Yin of Cao	曹隱公こう/曹隐公こう (Cáo Yǐn Gōng)	通つう (Tōng)	509–506 BC
Duke Jing of Cao	曹靖公こう (Cáo Jìng Gōng)	露つゆ ( Lù)	505–502 BC
Cao Bo yang	曹伯陽ひ (Cáo Bóyáng	伯はく陽ひ/伯はく阳 ( Bóyáng)	501–487 BC

Rulers family tree

Cao state

Cao Shu Zhenduo 曹叔振铎 Count Tai of Cao 曹太伯はく Lord Zhong of Cao 曹仲君くん Count Gong of Cao 曹宫伯はく Count Xiao of Cao 曹孝伯はく Count Yi of Cao 曹夷伯はく ?-865-835BC Count You of Cao 曹幽伯はく ?-835-826BC Count Dai of Cao 曹戴伯はく ?-826-796BC Count Hui of Cao 曹惠伯はく ?-795-760BC Count Fei of Cao 石いし甫はじめ ?-760BC Duke Mu of Cao 曹缪公こう ?-760-757BC Duke Huan of Cao 曹桓公かんこう ?-757-702BC Duke Zhuang of Cao 曹庄公こう ?-702-671BC 曹羁 Duke Li of Cao 曹僖公こう ?-671-662BC Duke Zhao of Cao 曹昭公こう ?-662-653BC Duke Gong of Cao 曹共公こう ?-653-618BC Duke Wen of Cao 曹文公こう ?-618-595BC Duke Xuan of Cao 曹宣公こう ?-595-578BC 太子たいし Duke Cheng of Cao 曹成公こう ?-578-555BC 公子こうし欣时 Duke Wu of Cao 曹武公こう ?-555-528BC 公おおやけ孙会 Duke Ping of Cao 曹平公こう ?-528-524BC Duke Yin of Cao 曹隐公こう ?-510-506BC Duke Dao of Cao 曹悼公こう ?-524-515BC Duke Sheng of Cao 曹声公こう ?-515-510BC Duke Jing of Cao 曹靖公こう ?-506-502BC Cao Bo yang 曹伯阳 ?-502-487BC

See also

• Zou (state), founded by a Zhu lineage (later Zhulou and Zou) of the Cao clan, unrelated to the Cao lineage of Zhou Ji clan.

External links

• Chinese Text Project "Rulers of the States"