cáo 曹

Cao Can (?–190 BC) His courtesy name was Jingbo. He was a native of Pei in the early Han Dynasty. He and Xiao He assisted Emperor Gaozu in pacifying the world together. He was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Pingyang. After Xiao He, he became the prime minister and followed all of Xiao He's regulations. After his death, he was posthumously given the title of Yi. Cao E (130–143) She was a native of Shangyu in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Her father drowned in the river and his body could not be found. At the age of fourteen, she wailed along the river for seventeen days and nights and then threw herself into the river. Five days later, she emerged from the river holding her father's body. She is widely known as a filial daughter in legend. Cao Cao Cao Pi (187–226) His courtesy name was Zihuan. He was the son of Emperor Wu of the Wei Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period. In the 16th year of Jian'an in the Han Dynasty, he served as the General of the Five Officials and concurrently as the Deputy Prime Minister. After his father's death, he succeeded to the position of Prime Minister. In the 25th year of Jian'an, he replaced the Han Dynasty and ascended the throne, reigning for seven years. He was fond of literature and had a wide range of knowledge and a good memory. He wrote more than a hundred pieces including *Discourses on Governance*, poems, odes, and letters. After his death, he was posthumously given the title of Emperor Wen. Cao Zhi (192–232) His courtesy name was Zijian. He was the third son of Emperor Wu of the Wei Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period and the younger brother of Emperor Wen. He could write articles at the age of ten and was very much loved by Emperor Wu. After Emperor Wen ascended the throne, he envied Cao Zhi's talent and did not reuse him, and enfeoffed him as the King of Chen. Cao Zhi was quick-witted and had rich and flowery diction, especially good at writing poems. Many poets of the Six Dynasties were influenced by him. Xie Lingyun once said, "There is a total of one dan of talent in the world, and Zijian alone has eight dou of it." After his death, he was posthumously given the title of Si, and is commonly known as the Prince of Chensi. He wrote ten volumes of *Collected Works of Cao Zijian*. Cao Xueqin (1719–1764) His given name was Zhan, courtesy name Mengruan, and he had the sobriquets Qinxi and Qinpu. He was from the Plain White Banner of the Han Army in the Qing Dynasty and was the grandson of Cao Yin. He was good at poetry and painting. He came from a noble family, but later his family declined. In memory of the past, it is said that he wrote eighty chapters of *Dream of the Red Chamber*. He died of illness before finishing it. Gao E completed the remaining forty chapters, making a total of one hundred and twenty chapters, which became very popular. Cao Guojiu He is one of the legendary Eight Immortals. He practiced Taoism among the mountains and rocks and attained enlightenment after meeting the two immortals Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin. It is said that he was the younger brother of Empress Dowager Cao of the Song Dynasty, so he is called Cao Guojiu.