Cao Shuang
Cao Shuang | |
---|---|
曹爽 | |
Manager of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing ( | |
In office ? – 5 February 249 | |
Monarch | Cao Fang |
General-in-Chief ( | |
In office 19 January 239 – 5 February 249 | |
Monarch | Cao Rui / Cao Fang |
Preceded by | Cao Yu |
General of the Military Guards ( | |
In office 227 – 19 January 239 | |
Monarch | Cao Rui |
Personal details | |
Born | Unknown |
Died | [a] Luoyang, Henan | 9 February 249
Parent |
|
Relatives |
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Occupation | Military general, regent |
Courtesy name | Zhaobo ( |
Peerage | Marquis of Wu'an ( |
Cao Shuang (died 9 February 249),[a] courtesy name Zhaobo, was a Chinese military general and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the eldest son of Cao Zhen, a prominent general of Cao Wei. He initially held great power in Cao Wei as General-in-Chief but later lost his power to Sima Yi in the Incident at Gaoping Tombs and was executed on charges of treason.
Life[edit]
Around 239, when the Wei emperor Cao Rui became critically ill, he resolved to pass the throne to his adopted son, Cao Fang. He initially wanted to entrust Cao Fang to his uncle Cao Yu, to serve as the lead regent, along with Xiahou Xian (
Despite his inability, Cao Shuang and his brothers, Cao Xi (曹羲) and Cao Xun (曹訓), wielded great power in Wei. He was also often at odds with his co-regent Sima Yi, who had greater influence and support. In 243, Sima Yi's position was further strengthened by another successful deployment: Zhuge Ke, a general of Wei's rival state, Eastern Wu, was constantly sending agents to Shouchun (
Cao Shuang was desperate for a victory to boost his own fame so he selected Shu Han, Wei's other rival state, as his target. Leading an army numbering over 100,000 troops,[3] Cao Shuang invaded Shu territory in March 244.[4] However, two months later, he lost to Shu forces led by Wang Ping and Fei Yi at the Battle of Xingshi and barely escaped back to Chang'an. Cao Shuang's popularity and influence dropped to a new low after his defeat. At the same time, Sima Yi's popularity and influence further increased due to his opposition to the campaign from the start. Potentially to deceive Cao Shuang into letting down his guard, Sima Yi stopped engaging in any political activity in May 247 and retired on the grounds of illness. He went on further to pretend to be ill and senile. In the same year, Cao Shuang followed the advice of Li Sheng, Deng Yang and Ding Mi in order to maintain his power.[b]
In the winter of 248, Cao Shuang's protégé, Li Sheng, was appointed as the Inspector of Jing Province by the Wei imperial court. Before he left Luoyang to assume office in Jing Province, Cao Shuang sent him to check on Sima Yi. Cao Shuang and his followers overjoyed when Li Sheng reported that Sima Yi was indeed ill and that he could not even hear what Li Sheng said. According to Li Sheng, Sima Yi misheard "Jing Province" as "Bing Province". Cao Shuang sensed that Sima Yi no longer posed a threat to him and started to lower his guard against the latter.
On 5 February 249, Cao Shuang and his two brothers, Cao Xi (曹羲) and Cao Xun (曹訓), left the imperial capital Luoyang to accompany the emperor Cao Fang to pay respects to his ancestors at the Gaoping Tombs (
Execution[edit]
Sima Yi and his sons seized the opportunity to launch a coup d'état and take command of the military forces stationed in Luoyang. Sima Yi first sent his supporters to take control of the positions held by Cao Shuang and his brothers: Gao Rou replaced Cao Shuang as Minister over the Masses (
Huan Fan, one of Cao Shuang's advisers, managed to escape from Luoyang with the official seal of General-in-Chief and bring it to Cao Shuang. As his family members were being held hostage in Luoyang, Cao Shuang entered a dilemma on whether he should surrender to Sima Yi or not. However, after Sima Yi promised him that he and his family would not be harmed, Cao Shuang surrendered and relinquished his power to Sima Yi. On 9 February 249, Cao Shuang's fate was sealed. After gaining power, Sima Yi broke his promise, had Cao Shuang and his family arrested and put to death on charges of treason.
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b Cao Fang's biography in the Sanguozhi recorded that Cao Shuang and his associates – Ding Mi (
丁 謐), Deng Yang, He Yan, Bi Gui, Li Sheng and Huan Fan – were executed along with their extended families on the wuxu day of the 1st month of the 1st year of the Jiaping era of Cao Fang's reign.[1] This date corresponds to 9 February 249 in the Gregorian calendar. - ^ According to some sources, Cao Shuang moved Empress Dowager Guo to Yongning Palace, effectively keeping her under house arrest and away from the young emperor Cao Fang. However, historians such as Hu Sanxing and Wang Maohong doubted this, as the Sanguozhi said that Empress Dowager Guo had lived in Yongning Palace since the ascension of Cao Fang, so there would be no move for her, and such sources might be fabricated by Jin dynasty historians to cast Cao Shuang in a more unfavourable light for "abducting the empress dowager".
References[edit]
- ^ ([
嘉平 元 年春 正月 ]戊 戌 ,有司 奏 収 黃門 張 當 付 廷尉,考 實 其辭,爽與謀 不軌 。又 尚書 丁 謐、鄧颺、何 晏、司 隷校尉 畢軌、荊州刺史 李 勝 、大 司 農 桓範皆 與 爽通姦 謀 ,夷 三 族 。) Sanguozhi vol. 4. - ^
The Emperor said, “Is Cao Shuang competent for the task?” Cao Shuang perspired and was unable to speak. Liu Fang stepped on his foot and whispered into his ear, “Say, 'I will serve the dynasty to my death.'” Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Achilles Fang.
- ^ (
七 年 春 ,魏 大將軍 曹爽率 步 騎 十 餘 萬 向 漢 川 ,前 鋒 已 在 駱谷。) Sanguozhi vol. 43. - ^ (
正 始 五 年 ,爽乃西 至 長安 ,大發 卒 六 七 萬 人 ,從 駱谷入 。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.