Cao Chun

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Cao Chun
Cavalry general of Cao Cao
Born 170
Died 210
Names
Simplified Chinese 曹纯
Traditional Chinese 曹純
Pinyin Cáo Chún
Wade-Giles Ts'ao Shun
Courtesy name Zihe (子和)

Cao Chun (170 – 210) was a cavalry general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. He commanded the elite mounted force – the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry (虎豹骑) – in several campaigns against Yuan Tan, Ta Dun and Liu Bei.

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[edit] Life

Born in 170, Cao Chun was a younger brother of Cao Ren. When Cao Chun was thirteen, their father died and the brothers took over the family estates and several hundred servants in their employ, whom Cao Chun managed well. Being well-learned himself, Cao Chun also befriended scholars, who flocked to him.

At seventeen, Cao Chun entered the Han imperial court in Luoyang as the Attendant at the Yellow Gates (黄门侍郎, a spokesman for the emperor). In 189, Cao Chun joined his elder cousin Cao Cao's army and followed him to war against Dong Zhuo, the tyrannical warlord who held the emperor hostage.

During a siege on Yuan Tan in Nanpi (南皮) in early 205, Cao Chun commanded the elite mounted force – the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. In the initial stage of the confrontation, Cao Cao's troops suffered significant losses to skirmishes by the enemy but eventually prevailed. Cao Chun's men took the head of Yuan Tan.

In the subsequent northern expedition against the Wuhuan tribe, Cao Chun's force again excelled in battle. The riders captured Ta Dun, chief of the Wuhuan. For his credits, Cao Chun was enfeoffed as Tinghou[1] of Gaoling (高陵亭侯) with stipends from 300 households.

In 208, Cao Chun accompanied Cao Cao south on the campaign to take the Jingzhou. At Xiangyang, Cao Chun and his men was sent ahead to pursue the retreating force of Liu Bei. They caught Liu Bei at Changban and in the ensuing encounter, captured Liu Bei's two daughters and supplies, as well as some enemy troops.

Cao Chun pressed on south to secure the strategic city of Jiangling, which had a cache of armaments and a sizeable river fleet. He then returned to his hometown, where he died in 210. According to the Book of Wei, Cao Cao favored Cao Chun so much that he refused to appoint anyone to succeed the commandership of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry.

In 220, Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi conferred Cao Chun the posthumous title of Marquis Wei (威侯), literally meaning the awe-inspiring marquis. Cao Chun's son Cao Yan (曹演) also served in the military and was eventually promoted to Lingjun General (领军将军) and Xianghou[1] of Pingle (平乐乡侯).

[edit] The Cao Clan

[edit] Direct descendants

  • Cao Yan (曹演)
    • Cao Liang (曹亮)

[edit] Immediate family

  • Cao Ren (elder brother)
    • Cao Tai (曹泰)
      • Cao Chu (曹初)
    • Cao Kai (曹楷)
    • Cao Fan (曹范)

[edit] Extended family

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b The title of marquis was divided into three grades under the Kingdom of Wei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period. These are, in ascending order of prestige, tinghou (亭侯), xianghou (乡侯) and xianhou (县侯).
  2. ^ For a complete list of Cao Cao's descendants, see Cao Cao.

[edit] References

[edit] See also