"Emperor Wen of Wei" redirects here. For the emperor of Western Wei (Yuan Baoju), see Emperor Wen of Western Wei.
Emperor Wen of Wei 魏文帝
A Tang dynasty painting of Cao Pi and two ministers flanking him, by Yan Liben
Emperor of Wei
Reign
11 December 220[1] – 29 June 226
Successor
Cao Rui
King of Wei (魏王) (under the Han Empire)
Tenure
15 March 220 – 11 December 220
Predecessor
Cao Cao
Imperial Chancellor (丞相) (under the Han Empire)
Tenure
15 March 220 – 11 December 220
Predecessor
Cao Cao
Born
c.late 187[2] Qiao County, Pei State, Han Empire[2]
Died
June 29, 226(226-06-29) (aged 38–39) [3] Luoyang, Wei Empire
Burial
Shouyang Mausoleum (首陽陵), Yanshi, Henan
Consorts
Empress Wenzhao
Empress Wende
Lady Li
Lady Pan
Lady Zhu
Lady Qiu
Lady Ren
Lady Liu (elder)
Lady Liu (younger)
Consort Xu
Consort Su
Consort Zhang
Consort Song
Consort Yin
Consort Chai
Issue
Cao Rui
Cao Xie
Cao Rui
Cao Jian
Cao Lin
Cao Li
Cao Yong
Cao Gong
Cao Yan
Princess Dongxiang
Names
Family name: Cao (曹) Given name: Pi (丕) Courtesy name: Zihuan (子桓)
Era name and dates
Huangchu (黄初): 220–226
Posthumous name
Emperor Wen (文帝)
Temple name
Gaozu (高祖)
Dynasty
Cao Wei
Father
Cao Cao
Mother
Empress Wuxuan
Cao Pi
"Cao Pi" in Chinese characters
Chinese
曹丕
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Cáo Pī
Gwoyeu Romatzyh
Tsaur Pi
Wade–Giles
Ts'ao2 P'i1
IPA
[tsʰǎʊ pʰí]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization
Tsòuh Pēi
Jyutping
Cou4 Pei1
IPA
[tsʰou˩ pʰei˥]
Southern Min
Tâi-lô
Tsô Phi
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
Dzaw Pʰi
In this Chinese name, the family name is Cao.
Cao Pi (pronunciationⓘ) (c.late 187[2] – 29 June 226[3]),[4] courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty, but the eldest son among all the children born to Cao Cao by his concubine (later wife), Lady Bian. According to some historical records, he was often in the presence of court officials in order to gain their support.[citation needed] He was mostly in charge of defence[clarification needed] at the start of his career. After the defeat of Cao Cao's rival Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu, he took Yuan Xi's widow, Lady Zhen, as a concubine, but in 221 Lady Zhen died and Guo Nüwang became empress.
On 25 November 220,[5] Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian, the last ruler of the Eastern Han dynasty, to abdicate in his favour, after which on 11 December 220[1] he proclaimed himself emperor and established the state of Cao Wei. Cao Pi continued the wars against the states of Shu Han and Eastern Wu, founded by his father's rivals Liu Bei and Sun Quan respectively, but did not make significant territorial gain in the battles. Unlike his father, Cao Pi concentrated most of his efforts on internal administration rather than on waging wars against his rivals. During his reign, he formally established Chen Qun's nine-rank system as the base for civil service nomination, which drew many talents into his government. On the other hand, he drastically reduced the power of princes, stripping off their power to oppose him, but at the same time, rendering them unable to assist the emperor if a crisis arose within the state. After Cao Pi's death, his successor Cao Rui granted him the posthumous name "Emperor Wen" and the temple name "Shizu".
Cao Pi was also an accomplished poet and scholar, just like his father Cao Cao and his younger brother Cao Zhi. He wrote Yan Ge Xing (燕歌行), the first Chinese poem in the style of seven syllables per line (七言詩). He also wrote over a hundred articles on various subjects.
^ abde Crespigny (2007), p. 555.
^ abcCao Pi's biography in Sanguozhi mentioned that he was born in the winter (10th to 12th month) of the 4th year of the Zhongping era (184–189) in the reign of Emperor Ling of Han. (中平四年冬,生于譙。) Sanguozhi, vol. 02. The period corresponds to 19 Nov 187 to 14 Feb 188 in the Julian calendar.
^ abCao Pi's biography in Sanguozhi mentioned that he died on the dingsi day of the 5th lunar month in the 7th year of the Huangchu era (220–226) in his reign. He was 40 years old (by East Asian age reckoning) at the time of his death. ([黃初七年五月]丁巳,帝崩于嘉福殿,時年四十。)Sanguozhi vol. 02
CaoPi (pronunciation) (c.late 187 – 29 June 226), courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of...
foundation for what was to become the state of Cao Wei (220–265), established by his son and successor CaoPi, who ended the Eastern Han dynasty and inaugurated...
Luoyang, the state was established by CaoPi (Emperor Wen) in 220, based upon the foundations laid by his father, CaoCao, towards the end of the Eastern Han...
remarried CaoPi, the first ruler of Wei. Based on conflicting accounts of his age, Pei Songzhi calculated that, in order to be CaoPi's son, Cao Rui could...
and laid the foundation for the state of Cao Wei. As Cao Zhi once engaged his elder brother CaoPi in a power struggle to succeed their father, he was...
August 221), personal name unknown, was the first wife of CaoPi, the first ruler of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period. In 226, she was posthumously...
months after CaoCao's death, CaoCao's successor, CaoPi, forced Emperor Xian to abdicate the throne to him. He then established the state of Cao Wei with...
warlord CaoCao, who was also his older second cousin. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei – founded by CaoCao's son and successor, CaoPi – during...
Cao Cao's death and the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, Cao Zhen served under CaoPi and Cao Rui, the first two emperors of Wei. He is best known for...
220 when CaoCao's son and heir, CaoPi, pressured Emperor Xian into abdicating in his favour. CaoPi became the emperor of a new state, Cao Wei. In response...
This "crown prince" was not CaoCao's son CaoPi but an unnamed son of Emperor Xian, the figurehead Han emperor under CaoCao's control. This Wan (皖) was...
period of China. He was a grandson of CaoPi, the first emperor of Wei. Described as intelligent and studious, Cao Mao made repeated attempts to seize back...
imperial seal. This got CaoPi worried that his brother wanted to usurp his throne so CaoPi decided to kill him. CaoPi knew that Cao Zhang was their mother's...
Liang. CaoCao, the founder of the Wei kingdom and his four sons were influential poets, especially Cao Zhi (192–232) and CaoPi (187–226). CaoPi wrote...
the warlord CaoCao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He served briefly in the state of Cao Wei, founded by CaoCao's successor CaoPi, in the early...
warlord CaoCao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei under its first two rulers, CaoPi and Cao Rui, during...
soon after Cao Cao's son, CaoPi, usurped the throne from Emperor Xian (the last Han emperor) and established the state of Cao Wei, an event marking the...
CaoCao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He served for a few months under CaoCao's successor, CaoPi, before his death. As one of Cao Cao's...
retreat. CaoPi later promoted Cao Xiu to Governor of Yang Province. After CaoPi died in June 226, Cao Xiu continued serving under Cao Rui, CaoPi's son and...
(中堅將軍). When CaoCao died in March 220, Xu Chu was so overwhelmed with sorrow that he vomited blood. Later that year, CaoCao's son CaoPi ended the Eastern...
what was to become the state of Cao Wei (220–266 CE), which was established by his son and successor, CaoPi. CaoCao died in 220 CE in Luoyang at the...
Three Kingdoms period under the first two rulers, CaoPi and Cao Rui, before his death at the start of Cao Rui's reign. Xu Huang is best noted for breaking...
warlords and divide the empire. The Han dynasty came to an end in 220 AD when CaoPi, king of Wei, usurped the throne from Emperor Xian. According to the Records...
legacies. CaoCao was an accomplished poet, as were his sons CaoPi and Cao Zhi. CaoCao was also a patron of poets such as Xu Gan. Of CaoCao's works, only...
is known for his roles as Sima Zhao in The Advisors Alliance (2017) and CaoPi in Secret of the Three Kingdoms (2018), Chen Renxiang in Winter Begonia...