Cao Hong
Cao Hong | |
---|---|
曹洪 | |
![]() A Qing dynasty illustration of Cao Hong | |
General of Agile Cavalry (驃騎 | |
In office c. late 220s – 232 | |
Monarch | Cao Rui |
General of the Rear ( | |
In office 227 – c. late 220s | |
Monarch | Cao Rui |
General of Agile Cavalry (驃騎 | |
In office 220 – c. early 220s | |
Monarch | Cao Pi |
Personal details | |
Born | Unknown |
Died | 232[1] |
Children |
|
Occupation | Military general |
Courtesy name | Zilian ( |
Posthumous name | Marquis Gong ( |
Peerage | Marquis of Lecheng ( |
Cao Hong (died 232), courtesy name Zilian, was a Chinese military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.[1] He started his career in the late Eastern Han dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao, who was his older second cousin.[2]
Early life and career
[edit]Cao Hong's uncle, Cao Ding (曹鼎), served as the Prefect of the Masters of Writing (
Around 190,[4] the warlord Cao Cao, an older second cousin of Cao Hong, raised an army to participate in the campaign against the tyrannical warlord Dong Zhuo, who controlled the Han central government. Cao Hong joined Cao Cao around this time and served as an officer in his army. Cao Cao engaged Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong at the Battle of Xingyang, but was defeated and forced to retreat. While fleeing from the enemy, Cao Cao lost his horse so Cao Hong got off his own horse and offered it to him. When Cao Cao declined, Cao Hong said, "The world can do without (Cao) Hong, but it can't do without you." He then escorted Cao Cao on foot to the bank of the Bian River. As the river was too deep for them to wade across, Cao Hong swam around in search of a boat and finally found one. They crossed the river and returned to Cao Cao's hometown in Qiao County (譙縣; present-day Bozhou, Anhui) safely.[5]
Chen Wen (
Service under Cao Cao
[edit]Battles against Lü Bu in Yan Province
[edit]In 194,[8] when Cao Cao was away on a campaign in Xu Province, his subordinates Zhang Miao and Chen Gong started a rebellion in his base, Yan Province, and defected to a rival warlord, Lü Bu. Around the time, a famine had broken out in Yan Province. Cao Hong led a vanguard force to retake Dongping (
Joining Cao Cao in receiving Emperor Xian
[edit]In February 196, acting on the advice of Xun Yu and Cheng Yu, Cao Cao sent Cao Hong west to fetch Emperor Xian[a] but was blocked by Dong Cheng and Yuan Shu's subordinate Chang Nu (萇奴).[10] In August 196,[11] Cao Cao led his forces into Luoyang and received Emperor Xian. Two months later, he relocated the emperor to his own base in Xu (
Incident with Man Chong
[edit]When Man Chong was serving as the Prefect (
Battles against Zhang Xiu
[edit]In 197,[11] Cao Cao lost the Battle of Wancheng against a rival warlord Zhang Xiu and retreated to Wuyin County (
Battle of Guandu
[edit]In the year 200,[15] Cao Hong participated in the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and the northern warlord Yuan Shao. When both sides were locked in a stalemate around winter, Cao Cao heeded the advice of Xu You, a defector from Yuan Shao's side, and personally led 5,000 riders to raid Yuan's supply depot at Wuchao (
When Yuan Shao heard that Wuchao was under attack, he sent his generals Zhang He and Gao Lan (
Battles against Liu Biao and promotions
[edit]Cao Hong participated in the campaign against the warlord Liu Biao in Jing Province and defeated Liu's subordinates in battles at Wuyang (
Hanzhong Campaign
[edit]In the winter of 217, the warlord Liu Bei sent Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Wu Lan (
Cao Hong then threw a party to celebrate his victory. He ordered some prostitutes to dress scantily and dance on drums to entertain everyone. Yang Fu, one of Cao Cao's advisers, openly reprimanded Cao Hong for the indecency of the performance, and then stormed out. Cao Hong immediately called off the performance and invited Yang Fu to return to his seat.[23]
Service in the state of Cao Wei
[edit]Cao Cao died in March 220. Later that year,[24] his son and successor Cao Pi ended the Eastern Han dynasty and established the state of Cao Wei with himself as the emperor. Cao Pi appointed Cao Hong as General of the Guards (
Cao Hong was wealthy but was also known for being stingy with his wealth. When Cao Cao was still the Minister of Works, he set an example by getting the county offices to keep records of the accounts of officials, including his. When he heard that his personal wealth was equivalent to Cao Hong's, he remarked, "How can my personal wealth be the same as Zilian's?"[26]
Fall from grace
[edit]In the past, when Cao Pi was still a youth, he once asked Cao Hong for a loan, however, Cao Hong was naturally stingy and cherished his money, so he refused the request. Later, when Cao Pi was Cao Cao's heir apparent, he once asked Cao Hong to donate 100 rolls of silk but Cao Hong refused.[27] Cao Pi bore a grudge against Cao Hong because of this. After Cao Pi became emperor, he found an opportunity to take revenge against Cao Hong. In one incident, when Cao Hong's retainers committed crimes, Cao Pi used the incident as an excuse to accuse Cao Hong of negligence and had him imprisoned to await execution. When his ministers tried to persuade him to spare Cao Hong, Cao Pi refused to listen.[28]
Apparently, Cao Hong had previously offended Cao Zhen, another relative of Cao Cao who also served as a general in Wei. In 224, when Cao Zhen returned from a campaign, Cao Pi ordered Wu Zhi to host a banquet in his residence in Cao Zhen's honour. During the banquet, Wu Zhi instructed actors to put up a skit to make fun of Cao Zhen and Zhu Shuo (
Cao Pi's mother, Empress Dowager Bian, intervened and scolded her son, "If not for what Zilian did at Liang (
Rehabilitation and death
[edit]As Cao Hong was highly regarded for having made great contributions in the past, many people were upset over his demotion and fall from grace. Cao Pi died in June 226 and was succeeded by his son, Cao Rui, as the emperor of Wei.[34] Cao Rui rehabilitated Cao Hong by appointing him as General of the Rear (
Cao Hong died in 232 and was given the posthumous title "Marquis Gong" (
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms
[edit]Cao Hong appears as a minor character in the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises the events before and during the Three Kingdoms period. In chapter 58, Cao Hong had a rather prominent role at the Battle of Tong Pass between Cao Cao and a coalition of northwestern warlords led by Ma Chao and Han Sui. Cao Cao had instructed Cao Hong to guard Tong Pass for ten days at all costs and not leave his post. However, after hearing taunts from the enemy for nine days, Cao Hong finally gave in to his anger and led his troops out of the pass to engage the enemy. He not only lost the battle but also lost the pass as well. Cao Cao was so angry with Cao Hong that he wanted to execute him for disobeying orders, but his subordinates stopped him. Later on, Cao Hong redeemed himself by risking his life to save Cao Cao, who was fleeing from the battlefield after being defeated by Ma Chao. Cao Hong blocked Ma Chao from chasing Cao Cao and duelled with him for about 100 rounds until Ma gave up and retreated. Cao Cao pardoned Cao Hong for his earlier mistake after taking into consideration how Cao Hong saved his life.[39] There is no mention of these incidents in historical records.
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Emperor Xian was held hostage in Chang'an by Li Jue, Guo Si and other former followers of Dong Zhuo. Around 195, when internal conflict broke out between Li Jue and Guo Si, Emperor Xian escaped from Chang'an and returned to the ruins of Luoyang (Luoyang was destroyed by fire in 190 when Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Chang'an). In Luoyang, he came under the protection of Dong Cheng and Yang Feng.
- ^ Empress Dowager Bian was probably referring to the incident after the Battle of Xingyang where Cao Hong saved Cao Cao's life.
- ^ According to the "Rules of assigning posthumous names" chapter in the Yizhoushu, an official could receive the posthumous name "Gong" (
恭 ) for being able to correct past mistakes.[36] In Cao Hong's case, he changed his snobbish attitude after being punished.
References
[edit]- ^ a b de Crespigny (2007), p. 42.
- ^ (曹洪
字 子 廉 ,太 祖 從弟 也。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
魏 書 曰:洪 伯父 鼎 為 尚書 令 ,任 洪 為 蘄春長 。) Wei Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ Sima (1084), vol. 59.
- ^ (
太 祖 起 義兵 討董卓 ,至 熒陽,為 卓 將 徐 榮 所 敗 。太 祖 失 馬 ,賊 追 甚急,洪 下 ,以馬授太祖 ,太 祖 辭 讓 ,洪 曰:「天下 可 無 洪 ,不可 無 君 。」遂 步 從 到 汴水,水深 不 得 渡 ,洪 循水得 船 ,與太 祖 俱濟,還 奔譙。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
揚 州 刺史 陳 溫 素 與 洪 善 ,洪 將家 兵 千 餘人 ,就溫募兵 ,得 廬 江上 甲 二 千 人 ,東 到 丹 楊復得 數 千 人 ,與太 祖 會 龍 亢。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
太 祖 兵 少 ,乃與夏 侯 惇 等 詣 揚 州 募兵 ,刺史 陳 溫 、丹 楊太守 周 昕與兵 四 千 餘人 。) Sanguozhi vol. 1. - ^ Sima (1084), vol. 61.
- ^ (
太 祖 征 徐 州 ,張 邈舉兖州叛迎呂 布 。時 大 饑 荒 ,洪 將兵 在 前 ,先 據 東平 、范,聚糧穀 以繼軍 。太 祖 討邈、布 於濮陽 ,布 破 走 ,遂 據 東 阿 ,轉 擊 濟 陰 、山陽 、中 牟、陽 武 、京 、密 十 餘 縣 ,皆 拔之。以前 後 功 拜 鷹揚 校 尉 ,遷揚武中 郎 將 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
太 祖 將 迎 天子 ,諸 將 或 疑 ,荀彧、程 昱勸之 ,乃遣曹洪將兵 西 迎 ,衞 將軍 董 承 與 袁術將 萇奴拒 險 ,洪 不 得 進 。) Sanguozhi vol. 1. - ^ a b Sima (1084), vol. 62.
- ^ (
天子 都 許 ,拜 洪 諫議大夫 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (...
為 許 令 。時 曹洪宗室 親 貴 ,有 賔客在 界 ,數 犯 法 ,寵 收 治之 。洪 書 報 寵 ,寵 不 聽。洪 白太 祖 ,太 祖 召許主 者 。寵 知將 欲 原 ,乃速殺 之 。太 祖 喜 曰:「當事 不當 耳 邪 ?」) Sanguozhi vol. 26. - ^ (
公乃 引兵還 舞 陰 ,繡將騎 來 鈔,公 擊破 之 。繡奔穰 ,與 劉 表 合 。 ...遂 還 許 。公 之 自 舞 陰 還 也,南陽 、章 陵 諸縣 復 叛為繡,公 遣 曹洪擊 之 ,不利 ,還 屯 葉 ,數 為 繡、表 所 侵 。) Sanguozhi vol. 1. - ^ Sima (1084), vol. 63.
- ^ (
冬 十 月 ,紹遣車 運 穀 ,使 淳 于瓊等 五人將兵萬餘人送之,宿 紹營北 四 十 里 。紹謀臣 許 攸貪財 ,紹不能 足 ,來 奔,因 說 公 擊 瓊等。左右 疑 之 ,荀攸、賈詡勸 公 。公乃 留 曹洪守 ,自 將 步 騎 五 千 人 夜 往,會 明 至 。瓊等望見 公 兵 少 ,出陳 門外 。公 急 擊 之 ,瓊退保 營,遂 攻 之 。紹遣騎 救 瓊。左右 或 言 「賊 騎 稍 近 ,請分兵 拒 之 」。公 怒 曰:「賊 在 背後 ,乃白 !」士卒 皆 殊 死 戰 ,大破 瓊等,皆 斬 之 。) Sanguozhi vol. 1. - ^ (紹初聞公
之 擊 瓊,謂 長子 譚 曰:「就彼攻 瓊等,吾 攻 拔其營,彼 固 無 所 歸 矣!」乃使張 郃、高覽 攻 曹洪。郃等聞瓊破 ,遂 來 降 。) Sanguozhi vol. 1. - ^ (
太 祖 乃留攸及曹洪守 。太 祖 自 將 攻 破 之 ,盡 斬 瓊等。紹將張 郃、高覽 燒 攻 櫓 降 ,紹遂棄軍走 。郃之來 ,洪 疑 不 敢受,攸謂洪 曰:「郃計不用 ,怒 而來,君 何 疑 ?」乃受之 。) Sanguozhi vol. 10. - ^ (
別 征 劉 表 ,破 表 別 將 於舞陽 、陰 葉 、堵 陽 、博 望 ,有功 ,遷厲鋒 將軍 ,封 國明 亭 侯 。累 從 征伐 ,拜 都 護 將軍 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ Sima (1084), vol. 67.
- ^ (
劉 備遣將 吳 蘭 屯 下 辯 ,太 祖 遣 曹洪征 之 ,以休為 騎 都 尉 ,參 洪 軍事 。太 祖 謂 休 曰:「汝 雖參軍 ,其實帥 也。」洪 聞此令 ,亦 委 事 於休。備遣張 飛 屯 固山 ,欲 斷 軍 後 。衆議 狐疑 ,休 曰:「賊 實 斷 道者 ,當 伏兵 潛行 。今 乃先張 聲 勢 ,此其不能 也。宜 及其未 集 ,促擊蘭 ,蘭 破 則 飛 自 走 矣。」洪 從 之 ,進 兵 擊 蘭 ,大破 之 ,飛 果 走 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ ([
二 十 二 年 冬 ] ...劉 備遣張 飛 、馬 超 、吳 蘭 等 屯 下 辯 ;遣 曹洪拒 之 。 ... [二 十 三 年 春 ] ... 曹洪破 吳 蘭 ,斬 其將任 夔等。三月 ,張 飛 、馬 超 走 漢 中 ,陰平 氐強端 斬 吳 蘭 ,傳 其首。) Sanguozhi vol. 1. - ^ (
洪 置 酒 大會 ,令 女 倡著羅 縠之衣 ,蹋鼓,一 坐 皆 笑 。阜厲聲 責 洪 曰:「男女 之 別 ,國之 大 節 ,何 有 於廣坐 之 中 裸 女人 形體 !雖桀、紂之亂 ,不 甚於此。」遂 奮衣辭 出 。洪 立 罷 女 樂 ,請阜還 坐 ,肅然 憚 焉。) Sanguozhi vol. 25. - ^ Sima (1084), vol. 69.
- ^ (
文 帝 即位 ,為 衞 將軍 ,遷驃騎 將軍 ,進 封 野 王侯 ,益 邑千 戶 ,并前二 千 一 百 戶 ,位 特進 ;後 徙封都 陽 侯 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
初 ,太 祖 為 司 空 時 ,以己率 下 ,每歲 發 調 ,使 本縣 平 貲。于時譙令平 洪 貲財與 公家 等 ,太 祖 曰:「我家 貲郍得 如子廉 邪 !」) Weilue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
文 帝 在 東宮 ,嘗從洪 貸 絹 百 匹 ,洪 不 稱 意 。) Weilue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
始 ,洪 家富 而性吝嗇 ,文 帝 少時 假 求 不 稱 ,常 恨之,遂 以舍客 犯 法 ,下獄 當 死 。羣臣並 救 莫能得 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
質 別傳 曰: ...質 黃 初 五 年 朝 京師 ,詔 上 將軍 及特進 以下 皆 會 質 所 ,大 官給 供 具 。酒 酣 ,質 欲 盡 歡。時 上 將 軍曹 真性 肥 ,中 領 軍 朱 鑠性瘦,質 召優,使 說 肥 瘦。真 負 貴 ,恥 見 戲 ,怒 謂 質 曰:「卿 欲 以部曲 將 遇 我 邪 ?」驃騎將軍 曹洪、輕 車 將軍 王 忠言 :「將軍 必欲使 上 將軍 服 肥 ,即 自 宜 為 瘦。」真 愈 恚,拔刀 瞋目,言 :「俳敢輕 脫 ,吾 斬 爾 。」遂 罵 坐 。質 案 劒曰:「曹子丹 ,汝 非 屠 机上 肉 ,吳 質 吞爾不 搖 喉 ,咀爾不 搖 牙 ,何 敢恃勢 驕 邪 ?」鑠因起 曰:「陛下 使 吾 等 來 樂 卿 耳 ,乃至 此邪!」質 顧叱之 曰:「朱 鑠,敢壞坐!」諸 將軍 皆 還 坐 。鑠性急 ,愈 恚,還 拔劒斬地 。遂 便 罷 也。) Wu Zhi Biezhuan annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 21. - ^ (
魏 略 曰:文 帝 收 洪 ,時 曹真在 左右 ,請之曰:「今 誅洪,洪 必以真 為 譖也。」帝 曰:「我 自治 之 ,卿 何 豫 也?」) Weilue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (卞太
后 謂 郭 后 曰:「令 曹洪今日 死 ,吾 明日 勑帝廢 后 矣。」於是泣涕屢請,乃得免官 削 爵土。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
會 卞太后 責 怒 帝 ,言 「梁 、沛之間 ,非 子 廉 無 有 今日 」。詔 乃釋之 。猶 尚 沒入 其財產 。太 后 又 以為言 ,後 乃還之 。) Weilue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (及洪
犯 法 ,自分 必死 ,旣得 原 ,喜 ,上書 謝 曰:「臣 少 不 由 道 ,過 在 人倫 ,長 竊非任 ,遂 蒙 含貸。性 無 檢 度 知足 之 分 ,而有犲狼無 厭 之 質 ,老 惛倍貪 ,觸 突國網 ,罪 迫 三 千 ,不在 赦宥,當 就辜誅,棄諸市 朝 ,猶 蒙 天恩 ,骨肉 更生 。臣 仰視 天日 ,愧負靈神 ,俯惟愆闕,慙愧 怖 悸,不能 雉經以自裁割 ,謹塗顏 闕門,拜 章 陳情 。」) Weilue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ Sima (1084), vol. 70.
- ^ (
洪 先帝 功臣 ,時人 多 為 觖望。明 帝 即位 ,拜 後 將軍 ,更 封 樂 城 侯 ,邑千 戶 ,位 特進 ,復 拜 驃騎將軍 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (
敬 事 尊 上 曰恭。尊 賢 貴義 曰恭。尊 賢 敬讓 曰恭。既 過 能 改 曰恭。執事 堅固 曰恭。愛 民 長 弟 曰恭。執 禮 御 賓 曰恭。芘親之 闕曰恭 。尊 賢 讓 善 曰恭。) Yizhoushu vol. 6. - ^ (
太 和 六 年 薨,謚曰恭 侯 。子 馥,嗣侯。初 ,太 祖 分 洪 戶 封 子 震 列侯 。洪 族 父 瑜,脩 慎 篤 敬 ,官 至 衞 將軍 ,封 列侯 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. - ^ (驃騎
將軍 曹洪女 有美 色 ,粲 於是娉焉,容 服 帷 帳 甚麗,專 房 歡宴。歷年 後 ,婦 病 亡 , ...) Xun Can Zhuan annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 10. - ^ Sanguo Yanyi ch. 58.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A biographical dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23–220 AD). Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0.
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.
- Yi Zhou Shu.