Cao Wei 曹魏 |
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The territories of Cao Wei (in yellow), 262 | ||||
Capital | Luoyang | |||
Language(s) | Chinese | |||
Religion | Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion | |||
Government | Monarchy | |||
Emperor | ||||
- 220 - 226 | Cao Pi | |||
- 226 - 239 | Cao Rui | |||
- 239 - 254 | Cao Fang | |||
- 254 - 260 | Cao Mao | |||
- 260 - 265 | Cao Huan | |||
Historical era | Three Kingdoms | |||
- Cao Pi taking over the throne of the Later Han Dynasty | 10 December 220 | |||
- Abdication to the Jin Dynasty | 4 February 265 | |||
Population | ||||
- est. | 4,400,000 | |||
Currency | Chinese coin, Chinese cash |
Cao Wei | |||||||||||||
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Traditional Chinese | 曹魏 | ||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 曹魏 | ||||||||||||
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Cao Wei (220 CE - 265 CE) was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid. Its name came from 213, when Cao Cao's feudal holdings were given the name Wei; historians often add the prefix Cao (曹, from Cao Cao's family name) to distinguish it from the other states in Chinese history also known as Wei, such as the earlier Wei state during the Warring States Period, and the later Northern Wei state. In 220, when Cao Pi deposed the last emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Wei became the name of the new dynasty he founded, which was seized and controlled by the Sima family in 249, until it was overthrown and became part of the Jin Dynasty in 265.
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History
During the decline of the Han Dynasty, the northern part of China was under the control of Cao Cao, the chancellor to the last Han ruler, Emperor Xian. In 213, Cao Cao was granted the title of "Duke of Wei" and given ten cities as his domain. This area was named "Wei". At that time, the southern part of China was already divided into two areas controlled by two warlords. In 216, Cao Cao was promoted to "King of Wei".
On March 15, 220, Cao Cao died and his son Cao Pi inherited the title of "King of Wei". Later that year on December 11, Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian to abdicate and took over the throne, founding the Wei Dynasty. However, Liu Bei of Shu Han immediately contested Cao Pi's claim to the Han throne, and Sun Quan of Eastern Wu followed suit in 222.
Cao Pi ruled for six years until his death in 226. He was succeeded by his son Cao Rui, who died in 239, and was in turn succeeded by Cao Fang. In 249, during Cao Fang's reign, the regent Sima Yi seized state power from his co-regent Cao Shuang in a coup known as the Incident at Gaoping Tombs. This event marked the collapse of imperial authority in Wei, as Cao Fang's role had been reduced to a puppet ruler while Sima Yi wielded state power firmly in his hands. Sima Yi died in 251 and passed on his authority to his oldest son Sima Shi, who continued ruling as regent. Sima Shi deposed Cao Fang in 254 and replaced him with Cao Mao. After Sima Shi died in the following year, his younger brother Sima Zhao inherited his power and status as regent. In 260, Cao Mao attempted to seize back state power from Sima Zhao in a coup, but was killed by Sima's subordinate Cheng Ji (成濟).
After Cao Mao's death, Cao Huan was enthroned as the fifth ruler of Wei. However, Cao Huan was also a figurehead under Sima Zhao's control much like his predecessor. In 263, Wei armies led by Zhong Hui and Deng Ai conquered Shu. Two years later, Sima Zhao's son Sima Yan forced Cao Huan to abdicate in his favour, replacing Wei with the Jin Dynasty.
As Gogeryeo consolidated its power, it proceeded to act to conquer the territories on the Korean peninsula which were under Chinese rule.[1] Goguryeo initiated the Goguryeo–Wei Wars in 242, trying to cut off Chinese access to its territories in Korea by attempting to take a Chinese fort. However, the Chinese Wei state responded by invading and defeated Goguryeo. Hwando was detroyed in revenge by the Chinese Wei forces in 244.[2]
Culture
Sometime between the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Cao Wei Dynasty, kaishu, a style of Chinese calligraphy, appeared, with its first known master being Zhong Yao, who also served as a politician in Wei.[3]
Ruling Family
According to the Wei Shu and Tung Pa, the Cao family of Cao Wei were descended from Huangdi via Emperor Zhuanxu, from which the Cao family originated. They were of the same lineage as to Emperor Shun. Another account says that the Cao family was descended from Emperor Shun. This account was attacked by Chiang Chi who claimed it was people of the Tian 田 surname who were descended from Shun and not the Cao. He also claimed (Gui) Kuei 媯 was Shun's family name.[4][5]
List of territories
Commanderies | |||||||||||
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Fanyang 范陽 |
Dai 代 |
Yuyang 漁陽 |
Right Beiping 右北平 |
Liaoxi 遼西 |
Lelang 樂浪 |
Shanggu 上谷 |
Yan (state) 燕國 |
Changli 昌黎 |
Xuantu 玄菟 |
Liaodong 遼東 |
Daifang 帶方 |
Commanderies | ||||||||||||
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Wei 魏 |
Yangping 陽平 |
Guangping 廣平 |
Qinghe 清河 |
Julu 鉅鹿 |
Zhao (state) 趙國 |
Changshan 常山 |
Anping 安平 |
Pingyuan 平原 |
Leling (state) 樂陵 |
Hejian 河間 |
Bohai 渤海 |
Zhongshan (state) 中山國 |
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List of sovereigns
Posthumous names | Family (in bold) name and first names | Year(s) of reigns | Era names and their range of years |
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Chinese convention: family and first names, and less commonly "Wei" + posthumous name + "di" | |||
Emperor Wen of Wei (Chinese: 文; pinyin: Wén) | Cao Pi (Chinese: 曹丕; pinyin: Cáo Pī) | 220-226 | Huangchu (simplified Chinese: 黄初; traditional Chinese: 黃初; pinyin: Huángchū) 220-226 |
Emperor Ming of Wei (Chinese: 明; pinyin: Míng) | Cao Rui (Chinese: 曹叡; pinyin: Cáo Rùi) | 226-239 | Taihe (Chinese: 太和; pinyin: Tàihé) 227-233 Qinglong (simplified Chinese: 青龙; traditional Chinese: 青龍; pinyin: Qīnglóng) 233-237 |
Shao (Chinese: 少; pinyin: Shào) or Prince of Qi of Wei (simplified Chinese: 齐王; traditional Chinese: 齊王; pinyin: Qí Wáng) | Cao Fang (Chinese: 曹芳; pinyin: Cáo Fāng) | 239-254 | Zhengshi (Chinese: 正始; pinyin: Zhèngshĭ) 240-249 |
Duke of Gaoguixiang of Wei (simplified Chinese: 高贵乡公; traditional Chinese: 高貴鄉公; pinyin: Gāogùixīang Gōng) | Cao Mao (Chinese: 曹髦; pinyin: Cáo Máo) | 254-260 | Zhengyuan (Chinese: 正元; pinyin: Zhèngyúan) 254-256 |
Emperor Yuan of Wei (Chinese: 元; pinyin: Yúan) | Cao Huan (Chinese: 曹奐; pinyin: Cáo Hùan) | 260-265 | Jingyuan (Chinese: 景元; pinyin: Jĭngyúan) 260-264 |
See also
- Shu Han
- Eastern Wu
- Three Kingdoms
- List of people of the Three Kingdoms
- Timeline of the Three Kingdoms period
- Romance of the Three Kingdoms
- Records of Three Kingdoms
References
- ^ Charles Roger Tennant (1996). A history of Korea (illustrated ed.). Kegan Paul International. p. 22. ISBN 0-7103-0532-X. http://books.google.com/books?ei=x6MxT-X5G-Lz0gG7hfTVBw&id=tKTtAAAAMAAJ&dq=Wei.+In+242%2C+under+King+Tongch%276n%2C+they+attacked+a+Chinese+fortress+near+the+mouth+of+the+Yalu+in+an+attempt+to+cut+the+land+route+across+Liao%2C+in+return+for+which+the+Wei+invaded+them+in+244+and+sacked+Hwando&q=hwando. Retrieved 2012 February ninth. "capital on the middle reaches of the Yalu near the modern Chinese town of Ji'an, calling it 'Hwando'. By developing both their iron weapons and their political organization, they had reached a stage where in the turmoil that accompanied the break-up of the Han empire they were able to threaten the Chinese colonies now under the nominal control of the"
- ^ Charles Roger Tennant (1996). A history of Korea (illustrated ed.). Kegan Paul International. p. 22. ISBN 0-7103-0532-X. http://books.google.com/books?ei=x6MxT-X5G-Lz0gG7hfTVBw&id=tKTtAAAAMAAJ&dq=Wei.+In+242%2C+under+King+Tongch%276n%2C+they+attacked+a+Chinese+fortress+near+the+mouth+of+the+Yalu+in+an+attempt+to+cut+the+land+route+across+Liao%2C+in+return+for+which+the+Wei+invaded+them+in+244+and+sacked+Hwando&q=244+sacked. Retrieved 2012 February ninth. "Wei. In 242, under King Tongch'ŏn, they attacked a Chinese fortress near the mouth of the Yalu in an attempt to cut the land route across Liao, in return for which the Wei invaded them in 244 and sacked Hwando."
- ^ Qiú Xīguī (2000). Chinese Writing. Translation of 文字學概論 by Mattos and Norman. Early China Special Monograph Series No. 4. Berkeley: The Society for the Study of Early China and the Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley. ISBN 1-55729-071-7; p.142-3
- ^ Howard L. Goodman (1998). Ts'ao P'i transcendent: the political culture of dynasty-founding in China at the end of the Han (illustrated ed.). Psychology Press. p. 70. ISBN 0-9666300-0-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=vbIc4BEGY2AC&pg=PA70&dq=yellow+emperor+family+tree&hl=en&sa=X&ei=eNN7T8jJIuTX0QHf5LiHDA&ved=0CFMQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=yellow%20emperor%20family%20tree&f=false. Retrieved 4-1-2012.
- ^ http://houseofchinn.com/History(2).html
- de Crespigny, Rafe. "To Establish Peace: being the Chronicle of the Later Han dynasty for the years 201 to 220 AD as recorded in Chapters 64 to 69 of the Zizhi tongjian of Sima Guang". Volume 2. Faculty of Asian Studies, The Australian National University, Canberra. 1996. ISBN 0-7315-2526-4.
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