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| {{Short description|Chinese Han dynasty general (168–223)}} | |||
| {{Infobox Three Kingdoms biography | |||
| {{Infobox officeholder | |||
| |name=Cao Ren | |||
| | name = Cao Ren | |||
| |image= | |||
| | native_name = 曹仁 | |||
| |imagesize= | |||
| | image = Cao Ren Qing illustration.jpg | |||
| |caption= | |||
| | image_size = 200px | |||
| |Title=General | |||
| | caption = A ] illustration of Cao Ren | |||
| |Kingdom=] | |||
| | alt = | |||
| |birth_date=168 | |||
| | office = Grand Marshal (大司馬) | |||
| |death_date=223 (aged 55) | |||
| | term_start = {{Start date|14 December 221}} | |||
| |Simp=曹仁 | |||
| | term_end = {{End date|6 May 223}} | |||
| |Trad=曹仁 | |||
| | monarch = ] | |||
| |Pinyin=Cáo Rén | |||
| | office1 = General-in-Chief (大將軍) | |||
| |WG=Ts'ao Jen | |||
| | term_start1 = {{Start date|May / June}} | |||
| |Zi=Zixiao (子孝) | |||
| | term_end1 = {{End date|14 December 221}} | |||
| |Post=Marquis Zhong | |||
| | monarch1 = ] | |||
| | office2 = General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍) | |||
| | term_start2 = {{Start date|220}} | |||
| | term_end2 = {{End date|May / June 221}} | |||
| | monarch2 = ] | |||
| | office3 = General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) | |||
| | term_start3 = {{Start date|{{circa}} 210s}} | |||
| | term_end3 = {{End date|220}} | |||
| | monarch3 = ] | |||
| | chancellor3 = ] | |||
| | birth_date = 168{{efn|name=birth and death dates|Cao Ren's biography in the ''Sanguozhi'' recorded that he died in the 4th year of the Huangchu era of Cao Pi's reign.<ref>(黃初四年薨， ...) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> Cao Pi's biography in the ''Sanguozhi'' recorded a more precise date: The ''dingwei'' day of the 3rd month of the 4th year of the Huangchu era of Cao Pi's reign.<ref>(丁未，大司馬曹仁薨。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 2.</ref> This date corresponds to 6 May 223 in the Gregorian calendar. The ''Wei Shu'' further recorded that Cao Ren was 56 years old (by ]) when he died.<ref>(魏書曰：仁時年五十六。) ''Wei Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> By calculation, Cao Ren's year of birth should be 168.}} | |||
| | death_date = {{death date|223|5|6|df=y}} (aged 55){{efn|name=birth and death dates}} | |||
| | father = Cao Chi | |||
| | children = {{unbulleted list|Cao Tai|Cao Kai|Cao Fan}} | |||
| | relatives = {{unbulleted list|] (brother)|] (cousin)}} | |||
| | occupation = General | |||
| | blank1 = ] | |||
| | data1 = Zixiao (子孝) | |||
| | blank2 = ] | |||
| | data2 = Marquis Zhong (忠侯) | |||
| | blank3 = Peerage | |||
| | data3 = Marquis of Chen<br>(陳侯) | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| {{ |
{{family name hatnote|]|lang=Chinese}} | ||
| '''Cao Ren''' (168 – 223<ref>{{cite book|author=de Crespigny, Rafe|title=A biographical dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23–220 AD)|publisher=Brill|year=2007|id=ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0|page=46}}</ref>) was a military general serving under the warlord ] during the late ] and ] era of ]. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the ]. He was also credited with the establishment of the state of ], and was assigned as the Grand Commander when ] ascended the throne. | |||
| '''Cao Ren''' ({{audio|Cao Ren.ogg|pronunciation}}) (168 – 6 May 223),{{efn|name=birth and death dates}}{{sfnp|de Crespigny|2007|p=46}} ] '''Zixiao''', was a military general serving during the late ] of China under the warlord ], who was also his older ].<ref>(曹仁字子孝，太祖從弟也。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> He continued serving in the state of ] – founded by Cao Cao's son and successor, ] – during the ] period. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the ]. He was appointed as the Grand Marshal (大司馬) when Cao Pi ascended the throne, and was also credited by the latter for the establishment of Wei. However, Cao Ren was also once derided as a mediocre commander by ], a general from Wei's rival state ].<ref>(... 桓喻之曰：「凡兩軍交對，勝負在將，不在衆寡。諸君聞曹仁用兵行師，孰與桓邪？兵法所以稱客倍而主人半者，謂俱在平原，無城池之守，又謂士衆勇怯齊等故耳。今人旣非智勇，加其士卒甚怯，又千里步涉，人馬罷困，桓與諸軍，共據高城，南臨大江，北背山陵，以逸待勞，為主制客，此百戰百勝之勢也。雖曹丕自來，尚不足憂，況仁等邪！」) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 56.</ref> | |||
| ==Biography== | |||
| ==Early life== | |||
| Cao Ren was a younger second cousin of ].<ref>(曹仁字子孝，太祖從弟也。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> His grandfather Cao Bao (曹襃) and father Cao Chi (曹熾) served in the ] of the ].<ref>(魏書曰：仁祖襃，潁川太守。父熾，侍中、長水校尉。) ''Wei Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> He had a younger ], ]. As their father died when they were still young, Cao Ren and Cao Chun lived with another family. They inherited their family fortune when they became older. They were known for being wealthy and having hundreds of servants and ]s.<ref>(英雄記曰： ... 年十四而喪父，與同產兄仁別居。承父業，富於財，僮僕人客以百數， ...) '']'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| As a youth, Cao Ren was fond of horse-riding, archery and hunting. When chaos broke out in China towards the ], Cao Ren rallied a militia of over 1,000 men and they wandered around the region near the ] and ] rivers. Cao Ren and his followers eventually joined Cao Cao around 190 when the latter was raising an army to join the ]. Cao Ren held the rank of a Major of Separate Command (別部司馬) under Cao Cao but he was actually an acting Sharp Edge Colonel (厲鋒校尉).<ref>(少好弓馬弋獵。後豪傑並起，仁亦陰結少年，得千餘人，周旋淮、泗之間，遂從太祖，為別部司馬，行厲鋒校尉。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| ===Early life and career=== | |||
| Born in the county of Qiao (谯, present day ], ]), Cao Ren was a younger cousin of Cao Cao. His grandfather and father had both held civil and military posts for ]. Cao Ren was fond of hunting on horseback and archery, and behaved unlawfully in his youth.<ref>It was recorded in ''Records of Three Kingdoms'' that Cao Ren did not comply with the law during his youth, but became a straight general who never violated the military code after he grew up.</ref> During the ], he gathered more than a thousand young men under his flag and wandered the area between ] and ] (泗水). | |||
| ==Campaigns in central China== | |||
| In 190, Cao Cao started raising an army to join the coalition against ], the tyrannical warlord who was holding the emperor hostage in the imperial capital of ]. Cao Ren and his followers then joined Cao Cao. Throughout the early 190s he accompanied Cao Cao on various campaigns around northern China, against Dong Zhuo, ], ] (陶谦) and ]. Although much hardships were experienced, Cao Cao largely defeated most of his enemies in central China, and Cao Ren had shown his talent during these early campaigns, often leading a separate command to accomplish his tasks. He was particularly credited most in the campaign against Tao, which he led the vanguard in battles to slaughter anyone on his way. | |||
| {{further|Campaign against Yuan Shu|Cao Cao's invasion of Xu Province|Battle of Yan Province|War between Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu}} | |||
| Throughout the 190s, Cao Ren followed ] on various campaigns against rival warlords in central China. He made great contributions in the campaign against ] between 197 and 199. When Cao Cao invaded ] from 193–194 to attack the provincial governor ], Cao Ren was in charge of the cavalry and he led the vanguard. He defeated Tao Qian's general Lü You (呂由) and led his force to rendezvous with Cao Cao's main army at Pengcheng (彭城; present-day ], ]), where they scored a major victory over Tao Qian's forces. Cao Ren and his cavalry later defeated Tao Qian's subordinates in various battles at the counties in Xu Province.<ref>(太祖之破袁術，仁所斬獲頗多。從征徐州，仁常督騎，為軍前鋒。別攻陶謙將呂由，破之，還與大軍合彭城，大破謙軍。從攻費、華、即墨、開陽，謙遣別將救諸縣，仁以騎擊破之。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> During the conflict between Cao Cao and ], Cao Ren attacked Lü Bu's subordinate Liu He (劉何) at Gouyang (勾陽) and captured the enemy commander alive.<ref>(太祖征呂布，仁別攻勾陽，拔之，生獲布將劉何。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| ===Middle career=== | |||
| In 196, after Cao Cao was entrusted with the custody of ] in ], he gave Cao Ren the position of Grand Administrator of ] (广阳太守). However, Cao Ren never exercised governorship over his jurisdiction because he was retained in Xuchang as Cao Cao had better use of his military skills. Next year, Cao Ren followed Cao Cao to attack ], and was authorized to lead a separate command to raid the counties around, where he hijacked and enslaved several thousand residents. Zhang feigned surrender upon Cao Cao's arrival outside ], and attacked his camp one night. Caught unprepared, Cao Cao lost many troops and several trusted subjects, including his bodyguard ], his own eldest son ], and beloved nephew Cao An'man. Zhang Xiu then pursued Cao Cao as the latter retreated north. When the morale was low, Cao Ren inspired the soldiers and encouraged them to fight, and the Cao forces eventually repelled Zhang in a counterattack. | |||
| After Cao Cao had defeated the ], he received ] (who had escaped from the clutches of ] and ]) and set up the new capital at Xu (許; present-day ], ]) in 196. Cao Ren was appointed as the Administrator (太守) of ] (廣陽郡) for his achievements. However, Cao Ren never exercised governorship over his jurisdiction because Cao Cao appreciated his military skills and kept him by his side in Xu. Cao Ren was still in charge of the cavalry even though he held the position of a civil official as a Consultant (議郎).<ref>(太祖平黃巾，迎天子都許，仁數有功，拜廣陽太守。太祖器其勇略，不使之郡，以議郎督騎。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| During the ] in 200, ] sent ] with an army to support the rebellions against Cao Cao in Yinjiang (氵隱 疆; southwest of modern ]), roughly 8.3 km south of the capital. Cao Cao became concerned about such developments being on his doorstep, so he sent Cao Ren to quell the uprising. Cao Ren observed that Liu Bei could not have too much control over his new men given by Yuan Shao, and targeted the rebel leader ] and had him killed in battle; Liu Bei was subsequently defeated. Yuan then tried to cut off Cao Cao from the west by sending ] (韓猛)<ref>Variously recorded as Han Xun (韓荀) or Han Ruo (韓若). Leban, p. 364</ref> southwest. Cao Ren again responded to the threat by defeating Han at Mount Jiluo (雞洛山; 50 ''li'' northeast of Mi county, Henan). He then led a cavalry with Shi Huan (史渙) to harass Yuan's line of supply as a countermove. | |||
| The following year, Cao Ren followed ] on a campaign against the warlord ], and was authorised to lead a separate force to raid the counties around Zhang Xiu's base in Wan (宛; or Wancheng, present-day ], ], ]) and he captured over 3,000 civilians. Zhang Xiu surrendered to Cao Cao initially, but rebelled later and launched a surprise attack, which led to the ]. Cao Cao was defeated and he retreated after his forces succeeded in repelling further attacks by Zhang Xiu. However, as they were withdrawing, Zhang Xiu attacked again and Cao Cao's men were unable to drive the enemy away. The morale of Cao Cao's army started falling but Cao Ren helped to raise the soldiers' spirits by encouraging and inspiring them. Cao Cao was very impressed with Cao Ren, and he managed to defeat Zhang Xiu later in a counterattack.<ref>(太祖征張繡，仁別徇旁縣，虜其男女三千餘人。太祖軍還，為繡所追，軍不利，士卒喪氣，仁率厲將士甚奮，太祖壯之，遂破繡。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| ===As a defender for Cao Wei=== | |||
| ====Effort to defend Jiangling==== | |||
| {{Main|Battle of Jiangling}} | |||
| In 208, after he lost the ] to the southern warlord, ], Cao Cao retreated north, leaving Cao Ren and ] to defend the strategic city of ] against the advance of ] troops. The enemy commander ] dispatched a several thousand-strong vanguard force to challenge them under the city wall. Realizing the morale was low after the heavy loss at Red Cliff, Cao Ren sent his aide ] (牛金) with 300 volunteers into battle, in hope they would display bravery and boost the morale, however, Niu was soon surrounded, whereupon Cao Ren rode out with dozens of horsemen and successfully rescued his subordinate. Upon his return, Cao Ren's subjects exclaimed, "General, you are truly a man from Heaven!" He then sent a strong cavalry force to besiege Sun Quan's general, ] at Yiling. The subsequent development of the battle was much to his disappointment: Zhou led most of the main force to Gan's rescue and destroyed his cavalry; while Cao Ren himself, along with Xu Huang, were not able to take Zhou's weakened maincamp guarded by ]. After a year of intense fighting, the loss on Cao Cao's side had accumulated to an unbearable level, and Cao Ren was ordered to retreat. | |||
| ==Campaign against Yuan Shao== | |||
| Cao Ren then joined Cao Cao's campaign on pacifying Liang Province, and was appointed as the Commander to oversee the defense of Tong Pass before Cao Cao's arrival at the battlefield. After the subjugation of some local uprisings, Cao Ren was given the staff of authority and held the position of General who Conquers the South (征南将军) and garrisoned at ] (樊), a city on the shores of the ] that is vital to the defense of Luoyang from the direction of Jing Province. | |||
| {{main|Battle of Guandu}} | |||
| In 200, when the forces of ] and ] were locked in a stalemate at the ], Yuan sent ] with an army to support the rebellions against Cao Cao in Yinjiang (氵隱疆; southwest of present-day ], ]), roughly 8.3 km south of the capital. Cao Cao became worried about such developments in the territories under his control, so he sent Cao Ren to suppress the uprisings. Cao Ren observed that the rebels dared to create trouble because they had Liu Bei's support, but the men under Liu were newly recruited and inexperienced, so it was not difficult to defeat them. Cao Ren targeted the rebel chief ] and killed him in battle, and subsequently defeated Liu Bei as well. Yuan Shao attempted to cut off Cao Cao's route to the west by sending Han Meng (韓猛)<ref>Other historical sources recorded his name as "Han Xun" (韓荀) or "Han Ruo" (韓若). Leban, p. 364</ref> southwest. Cao Ren responded to the threat by defeating Han Meng at Jiluo Hill (雞洛山; located 50 '']'' northeast of present-day ], Henan). Yuan Shao became afraid and did not dare to send out his troops. Cao Ren and ] (史渙) later led a force to attack a convoy transporting supplies to Yuan Shao's camp and destroyed the food supplies.<ref>(太祖與袁紹乆相持於官渡，紹遣劉備徇氵隱彊諸縣，多舉衆應之。自許以南，吏民不安，太祖以為憂。仁曰：「南方以大軍方有目前急，其勢不能相救，劉備以彊兵臨之，其背叛固宜也。備新將紹兵，未能得其用，擊之可破也。」太祖善其言，遂使將騎擊備，破走之，仁盡復收諸叛縣而還。紹遣別將韓荀鈔斷西道，仁擊荀於雞洛山，大破之。由是紹不敢復分兵出。復與史渙等鈔紹運車，燒其糧穀。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| ====Effort to defend Fan==== | |||
| {{Main|Battle of Fancheng}} | |||
| In 219, Liu Bei's most trusted general ] came in force to take Fan. Cao Ren was able to remain his line of defense with the help from ] and ] at the onset of the siege. However, heavy rain in summer caused the Han River to flood, as a consequence, the entirety of Yu's ground force was captured by Guan's navy. In addition to that, most of the food stock was destroyed by the flood, and the remaining was depleting fast. Since Xu Huang refused to lead the reinforcement to the scene right away, Cao Ren once thought about giving up Fan fortress, but his strategist, ] reminded him that the water level would go down sooner or latter and that Sun Quan would attack Guan's rear any time; thus, Cao Ren told his men that he was willing to defend the city with his own life, and everyone was touched, and agreed to hold out until Xu made his move. By the time the flood subsided, Xu had already defeated Guan Yu. Most generals requested pursuit, but Man told Cao Ren to abort further pursuit to let Guan retreat and battle with Sun Quan, and Cao Ren agreed to Man's strategy. | |||
| After Cao Cao's victory at Guandu, Cao Ren continued to join Cao Cao in his campaigns against Yuan Shao's heirs in the early 3rd century. During one battle near Hu Pass (壺關; present-day ], ]), Cao Cao gave orders that all the enemy troops would be buried alive after the city fell. However, after several days of siege, Cao Cao's forces were unable to capture the city. Cao Ren then told Cao Cao, "When we besiege a city, we must leave the defenders with a final option of surrendering. Now, as you've already said that the defenders would be slaughtered after the city is taken, all of them would definitely put up fierce resistance. Besides, the city's fortifications are strong and the defenders have much supplies, so our forces would suffer heavy casualties if we attack, and we will be held up here if we switch to a defensive stance. It's not a wise choice to besiege a city whose defenders are willing to fight to the death." Cao Cao heeded Cao Ren's advice, and the enemy surrendered later. After the campaign, Cao Ren received the title of a "Marquis of a Chief Village" (都亭侯) for his contributions.<ref>(河北旣定，從圍壺關。太祖令曰：「城拔，皆坑之。」連月不下。仁言於太祖曰：「圍城必示之活門，所以開其生路也。今公告之必死，將人自為守。且城固而糧多，攻之則士卒傷，守之則引日乆；今頓兵堅城之下，以攻必死之虜，非良計也。」太祖從之，城降。於是錄仁前後功，封都亭侯。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| ===Late life and career=== | |||
| After ] succeeded Cao Cao, he made Cao Ren Grand General, and later promoted him to the Minister of War (大司马) to oversee the numerous armies along the ]. Cao Ren established his headquarter in ], and launched an all-out offensive against Sun Quan's general at ] during the three-pronged attack coordinated by Cao Pi. However, the defender of Ruxukou, ], decisively defeated Cao Ren with a much smaller force. | |||
| ==Battle of Jiangling, and campaigns in northwest China== | |||
| Cao Ren died in 223 and was posthumously enfeoffed as '''Marquis Zhong''', literally meaning the loyal marquis. Indeed this was largely how he was remembered – a steadfastly loyal commander who obeyed and enforced laws and commands strictly. | |||
| {{main|Battle of Jiangling (208)}} | |||
| In 208, after losing to ] and ] at the ], Cao Cao retreated north and left Cao Ren and ] to defend the strategic Jiangling ] (江陵郡; in present-day ], ]) from the advances of Sun Quan's forces, which were led by ]. Cao Ren was serving as acting General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) then. Zhou Yu despatched a several thousand-strong vanguard to challenge Cao Cao's forces at Jiangling. Cao Ren was aware that his army's morale was low, since they were recently defeated at Red Cliffs, so he ordered his subordinate ] to lead 300 volunteer soldiers into battle, in the hope that they would display bravery and boost his men's morale. Niu Jin and his men were heavily outnumbered and surrounded by the enemy. Cao Ren's Chief Clerk (長史), ] (陳矯), turned pale when he saw the situation from the top of the city walls. However, unlike what everyone thought, Niu Jin managed to create havoc around the Wu's army with just 100 men left by then. Cao Ren experienced a surge of fury and courage after watching how Niu Jin with so little men could make the entire Wu army three times the strength get so tired battling just 300 of his own men, so he ordered every troop in the city to be prepared to go into battle. Chen Jiao and the others attempted to dissuade him from braving danger, but Cao Ren ignored them and every soldiers in his command was ordered to charged into the enemy formation. Cao Ren successfully rescued Niu Jin and his surviving men and even turned back to save his remaining soldiers who were still trapped in the enemy formation. Sun Quan's forces retreated. When Cao Ren returned, his subordinates exclaimed, "General, you're truly a man from Heaven!" The troops were awed by Cao Ren's bravery, and Cao Cao was very impressed when he heard about this incident. Cao Ren's marquis title was changed to "Marquis of Anping Village" (安平亭侯).<ref>(從平荊州，以仁行征南將軍，留屯江陵，拒吳將周瑜。瑜將數萬衆來攻，前鋒數千人始至，仁登城望之，乃募得三百人，遣部曲將牛金逆與挑戰。賊多，金衆少，遂為所圍。長史陳矯俱在城上，望見金等垂沒，左右皆失色。仁意氣奮怒甚，謂左右取馬來，矯等共援持之。謂仁曰：「賊衆盛，不可當也。假使棄數百人何苦，而將軍以身赴之！」仁不應，遂被甲上馬，將其麾下壯士數十騎出城。去賊百餘步，迫溝，矯等以為仁當住溝上，為金形勢也，仁徑渡溝直前，衝入賊圍，金等乃得解。餘衆未盡出，仁復直還突之，拔出金兵，亡其數人，賊衆乃退。矯等初見仁出，皆懼，及見仁還，乃歎曰：「將軍真天人也！」三軍服其勇。太祖益壯之，轉封安平亭侯。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| ==Modern references== | |||
| ]'s '']''.]] | |||
| Cao Ren is featured in the ] video game series, '']'' and '']''. He is portrayed as a short-statured, peace-loving man who cares deeply for the peasants and labourers of Cao Wei. In ] and ], he wears armor similar to that of a European knight, and fights using a shield that has a short, double-edged sword on it, which can be removed for combat. In ] he is more heavily armored appearing similar to a large battery and wields a double ended ]. In Dynasty Warriors 7 he is now totally covered in armor with only his face exposed and now uses a flail. | |||
| Around 211, Cao Ren participated in Cao Cao's campaigns against a coalition of northwestern warlords led by ] and ], which led to the ]. Cao Ren held the appointment of acting General Who Stabilises the West (安西將軍) and commanded the defence at Tong Pass (潼關; present-day ], ], ]) before Cao Cao reached the frontline.<ref>(太祖討馬超，以仁行安西將軍，督諸將拒潼關，破超渭南。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| In Warriors Orochi, Cao Ren is a warrior under Orochi. However, he regrets not finding Cao Cao. He later becomes part of Nobunaga's resistance movement against Orochi. Cao Ren is later reunited with Wei in the sequel and helps to protect He Fei and Komaki-Nagakute against enemies. In Dream Mode, he works with Sun Jian, Sun Ce, Maeda Toshiie, and Shibata Katsuiie in protecting Oichi from Liu Biao and Yuan Shao. | |||
| When Su Bo (蘇伯) and Tian Yin (田銀) rebelled in 212,<ref>''Zizhi Tongjian'' vol. 66.</ref> Cao Ren was appointed acting General of Valiant Cavalry (驍騎將軍) and he led seven armies to attack the rebels and defeated them.<ref>(蘇伯、田銀反，以仁行驍騎將軍，都督七軍討銀等，破之。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| In the collectible card game ] there is a card named Cao Ren, Wei Commander, in the ] set. | |||
| ==Battle of Fancheng== | |||
| ==Family== | |||
| {{main|Battle of Fancheng}} | |||
| *Grandfather: Cao Bao (曹褒), served as Administrator of Yingchuan | |||
| Cao Ren was reappointed acting General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) was ordered to garrison at Fan (樊; also called Fancheng, in present-day ], ], ]) and oversee Cao Cao's forces in ]. Cao Ren suppressed a rebellion led by Hou Yin (侯音) before massacring the population of Wan (宛; present-day ], ], ]) between late 218 and early 219,<ref>(冬十月，宛守將侯音等反，執南陽太守，劫略吏民，保宛。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 1.</ref><ref>(初，曹仁討關羽，屯樊城，是月使仁圍宛。 ... 二十四年春正月，仁屠宛，斬音。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 1.</ref> he was then officially commissioned as General Who Attacks the South and he continued to garrison at Fan.<ref>(復以仁行征南將軍，假節，屯樊，鎮荊州。侯音以宛叛，略傍縣衆數千人，仁率諸軍攻破音，斬其首，還屯樊，即拜征南將軍。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> <!-- Details on Hou Yin's rebellion. Maybe can create an article about it in the future. <ref>(曹瞞傳曰：是時南陽間苦繇役，音於是執太守東里襃，與吏民共反，與關羽連和。南陽功曹宗子卿往說音曰：「足下順民心，舉大事，遠近莫不望風；然執郡將，逆而無益，何不遣之。吾與子共戮力，比曹公軍來，關羽兵亦至矣。」音從之，即釋遣太守。子卿因夜踰城亡出，遂與太守收餘民圍音，會曹仁軍至，共滅之。) ''Cao Man Zhuan'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 1.</ref> --> | |||
| *Father: Cao Chi (曹熾), served as Palace Attendant and Colonel of Changshui, posthumously granted title of Marquis of Chenmu. | |||
| In the autumn of 219, ]'s general ], who was in charge of Liu's territories in southern Jing Province, led an army north to attack Fan. Cao Cao sent the general ] to lead seven armies to resist Guan Yu, but the armies were destroyed in a flood when the ] overflowed due to heavy rains. Yu Jin surrendered to Guan Yu while his subordinate ] refused and was executed by Guan. Cao Ren was left with a few thousand troops to defend Fan. Guan Yu and his forces sailed towards Fan on boats and besieged the fortress. By then, Cao Ren and his troops had been completely isolated inside Fan as they had lost contact with outside, while their supplies were running out and there were no reinforcements in sight. Cao Ren encouraged his men to fight to the death and they were very inspired by his words. By the time reinforcements led by ] arrived, the water level had subsided slightly. While Xu Huang was attacking Guan Yu, Cao Ren seized the opportunity to counterattack and break the siege. Guan Yu failed to conquer Fan so he retreated.<ref>(關羽攻樊，時漢水暴溢，于禁等七軍皆沒，禁降羽。仁人馬數千人守城，城不沒者數板。羽乘船臨城，圍數重，外內斷絕，糧食欲盡，救兵不至。仁激厲將士，示以必死，將士感之皆無二。徐晃救至，水亦稍減，晃從外擊羽，仁得潰圍出，羽退走。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| *Siblings: | |||
| **], younger brother, served Cao Cao | |||
| ==Service under Cao Pi== | |||
| *Children: | |||
| {{see also|Cao Pi's invasions of Eastern Wu}} | |||
| **Cao Tai (曹泰), oldest son, appointed General Who Suppresses the East, granted title of Marquis of Ningling | |||
| **Cao Kai (曹楷), second son, granted a marquis title | |||
| **Cao Fan (曹范), third son, granted a marquis title | |||
| Although Cao Ren behaved brashly and had no regard for laws when he was young, but after he joined the Cao Cao's Army, he started following rules and regulations strictly and he went by the book in everything he did. Once, when Cao Cao's son ] was on away on a campaign against the ], his brother ] wrote to him, "Shouldn't you follow rules and regulations in the same way Cao Ren does?"<ref>(仁少時不脩行檢，及長為將，嚴整奉法令，常置科於左右，案以從事。鄢陵侯彰北征烏丸，文帝在東宮，為書戒彰曰：「為將奉法，不當如征南邪！」) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| *Grandchildren: | |||
| **Cao Chu (曹初), son of Cao Tai | |||
| Cao Cao died in 220 and was succeeded as King of Wei by Cao Pi. Later that year, Cao Pi, with the support of all the officials, made ] to pass the throne to him, finally putting an end to the crumbling ], and established the state of ], the strongest of the three Kingdoms. Cao Ren was appointed as General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍) and was placed in charge of military affairs in ], ] and Yi provinces. He also received the title "Marquis of Chen" (陳侯) and was given 2,000 more taxable households in his marquisate, making it a total of 3,500 households.<ref>(及即王位，拜仁車騎將軍，都督荊、揚、益州諸軍事，進封陳侯，增邑二千，并前三千五百戶。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| ==Appointments and titles held== | |||
| *Senior Major (別部司馬) | |||
| Cao Ren moved to Wan (宛; present-day ], ], ]) in northern Jing Province and garrisoned there. Later, when ] sent Chen Shao (陳邵) to attack ], Emperor Wen(Cao pi) ordered Cao Ren to lead an army to Xiangyang to resist Sun Quan's forces. Cao Ren and ] defeated Chen Shao and their forces entered Xiangyang. Cao Ren had the general Gao Qian (高遷) oversee the relocation of civilians from the southern bank of the ] to the north. Emperor Wen appointed Cao Ren as General-in-Chief (大將軍). Later, Emperor Wen ordered Cao Ren to move to Linying (臨潁) and promoted him to Grand Marshal (大司馬). Cao Ren was placed in charge of the armies along the Wu River (烏江) and he garrisoned at ].<ref>(後召還屯宛。孫權遣將陳邵據襄陽，詔仁討之。仁與徐晃攻破邵，遂入襄陽，使將軍高遷等徙漢南附化民於漢北，文帝遣使即拜仁大將軍。又詔仁移屯臨潁，遷大司馬，復督諸軍據烏江，還屯合淝。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> In 222, Cao Ren led several tens of thousands men to assail Sun Quan's garrison at Ruxu (濡須; north of present-day ], ]), where the defending general, ], had only 5,000 troops remaining inside the city walls.<ref>(黃武元年，魏使大司馬曹仁步騎數萬向濡須，仁欲以兵襲取州上，偽先揚聲，欲東攻羨溪。桓分兵將赴羨溪，旣發，卒得仁進軍拒濡須七十里間。桓遣使追還羨溪兵，兵未到而仁奄至。時桓手下及所部兵，在者五千人， ...) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 56.</ref> However, Cao Ren was deemed only as an inferior commander by Zhu Huan and his colleagues, so the defenders put up a staunch defence. Even though Cao Ren had a complete numerical advantage, the ] concluded with Zhu Huan as the victor – Cao Ren lost not only over 1,000 men, but also two of his subordinates, Chang Diao (常雕) and ].<ref>(桓部兵將攻取油船，或別擊雕等，桓等身自拒泰，燒營而退，遂梟雕，生虜雙，送武昌，臨陣斬溺，死者千餘。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 56.</ref> | |||
| *Colonel of Sharp Edge (厲鋒校尉) | |||
| *Administrator of Guangyang (廣陽太守) | |||
| ==Death== | |||
| *Marquis of Du (都亭侯) | |||
| Cao Ren died on 6 May 223{{efn|name=birth and death dates}}<ref>(黃初四年薨，謚曰忠侯。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> at the age of 56 (by ]).<ref>(魏書曰：仁時年五十六。) ''Wei Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> He was posthumously granted the title "Marquis Zhong" (忠侯), which literally means "loyal marquis". He was best remembered for his bravery and courage, which placed him above ] among all of Cao Cao's generals.<ref>(傅子曰：曹大司馬之勇，賁、育弗加也。張遼其次焉。) ''Fu Zi'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| *General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) | |||
| *Marquis of Anping (安平亭侯) | |||
| ==Family== | |||
| *General Who Pacifies the West (安西將軍) | |||
| Cao Ren's grandfather Cao Bao (曹褒) served as the Administrator (太守) of ] (潁川郡) in the Eastern Han dynasty. Cao Ren's father Cao Chi (曹熾) also served as a Palace Attendant (侍中) and Changshui Colonel (長水校尉) in the Eastern Han dynasty, and was posthumously awarded the title "Marquis Mu of Chen" (陳穆侯) by ].<ref>(追賜仁父熾謚曰陳穆侯，置守冢十家。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> Cao Ren's younger brother ] was also a general under ]. | |||
| *General of Agile Cavalry (驍騎將軍) | |||
| *General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍) | |||
| Cao Ren's titles were inherited by his son Cao Tai (曹泰), who served as General Who Guards the East (鎮東將軍) and later had his marquis title changed to "Marquis of Ningling" (寗陵侯). Cao Tai was succeeded by his son Cao Chu (曹初). Cao Ren's other sons (Cao Tai's younger brothers) Cao Kai (曹楷) and Cao Fan (曹範) also received marquis titles.<ref>(子泰嗣，官至鎮東將軍，假節，轉封寗陵侯。泰薨，子初嗣。又分封泰弟楷、範，皆為列侯，而牛金官至後將軍。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 9.</ref> | |||
| *Marquis of Chen (陳侯) | |||
| *General-in-Chief (大將軍) | |||
| ==In popular culture== | |||
| *Grand Marshal (大司馬) | |||
| <!-- PLEASE DO NOT INTRODUCE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS PERSON'S ROLE IN THE GAMES ALREADY MENTIONED IN THIS SECTION. --> | |||
| *Marquis Zhong (忠侯) - granted to Cao Ren posthumously | |||
| Cao Ren is featured as a playable character in ]'s '']'' and '']'' video game series. | |||
| In the collectible card game '']'' there is a card named "Cao Ren, Wei Commander" in the '']'' set. | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | |||
| ==Notes== | |||
| {{notelist}} | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
| * |
* ] (3rd century). '']'' (''Sanguozhi''). | ||
| * {{cite book|last=de Crespigny|first=Rafe|author-link=Rafe de Crespigny|title=A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-220 AD|date=2007|publisher=Brill|location=Leiden|isbn=9789004156050}} | |||
| * ] (5th century). '']'' (''Sanguozhi zhu''). | |||
| * ] (1084). '']''. | |||
| {{People of the end of Han Dynasty}} | |||
| {{People of Cao Wei}} | {{People of Cao Wei}} | ||
| {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see ]. --> | |||
| | NAME = Cao Ren | |||
| | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | |||
| | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | |||
| | DATE OF BIRTH = 168 | |||
| | PLACE OF BIRTH = | |||
| | DATE OF DEATH = 223 | |||
| | PLACE OF DEATH = | |||
| }} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Cao, Ren}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Cao, Ren}} | ||
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Latest revision as of 02:54, 27 November 2024
Chinese Han dynasty general (168–223)| Cao Ren | |
|---|---|
| 曹仁 | |
 A Qing dynasty illustration of Cao Ren | |
| Grand Marshal (大司馬) | |
| In office 14 December 221 (14 December 221) – 6 May 223 (6 May 223) | |
| Monarch | Cao Pi |
| General-in-Chief (大將軍) | |
| In office May / June (May / June) – 14 December 221 (14 December 221) | |
| Monarch | Cao Pi |
| General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍) | |
| In office 220 (220) – May / June 221 (May / June 221) | |
| Monarch | Cao Pi |
| General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) | |
| In office c. 210s (c. 210s)–220 (220) | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Chancellor | Cao Cao |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 168 |
| Died | (223-05-06)6 May 223 (aged 55) |
| Children |
|
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | |
| Occupation | General |
| Courtesy name | Zixiao (子孝) |
| Posthumous name | Marquis Zhong (忠侯) |
| Peerage | Marquis of Chen (陳侯) |
Cao Ren (pronunciation) (168 – 6 May 223), courtesy name Zixiao, was a military general serving during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China under the warlord Cao Cao, who was also his older second cousin. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei – founded by Cao Cao's son and successor, Cao Pi – during the Three Kingdoms period. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the end of the Han dynasty. He was appointed as the Grand Marshal (大司馬) when Cao Pi ascended the throne, and was also credited by the latter for the establishment of Wei. However, Cao Ren was also once derided as a mediocre commander by Zhu Huan, a general from Wei's rival state Eastern Wu.
Early life
Cao Ren was a younger second cousin of Cao Cao. His grandfather Cao Bao (曹襃) and father Cao Chi (曹熾) served in the government of the Eastern Han dynasty. He had a younger full brother, Cao Chun. As their father died when they were still young, Cao Ren and Cao Chun lived with another family. They inherited their family fortune when they became older. They were known for being wealthy and having hundreds of servants and retainers.
As a youth, Cao Ren was fond of horse-riding, archery and hunting. When chaos broke out in China towards the end of the Han dynasty, Cao Ren rallied a militia of over 1,000 men and they wandered around the region near the Huai and Si rivers. Cao Ren and his followers eventually joined Cao Cao around 190 when the latter was raising an army to join the campaign against Dong Zhuo. Cao Ren held the rank of a Major of Separate Command (別部司馬) under Cao Cao but he was actually an acting Sharp Edge Colonel (厲鋒校尉).
Campaigns in central China
Further information: Campaign against Yuan Shu, Cao Cao's invasion of Xu Province, Battle of Yan Province, and War between Cao Cao and Zhang XiuThroughout the 190s, Cao Ren followed Cao Cao on various campaigns against rival warlords in central China. He made great contributions in the campaign against Yuan Shu between 197 and 199. When Cao Cao invaded Xu Province from 193–194 to attack the provincial governor Tao Qian, Cao Ren was in charge of the cavalry and he led the vanguard. He defeated Tao Qian's general Lü You (呂由) and led his force to rendezvous with Cao Cao's main army at Pengcheng (彭城; present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu), where they scored a major victory over Tao Qian's forces. Cao Ren and his cavalry later defeated Tao Qian's subordinates in various battles at the counties in Xu Province. During the conflict between Cao Cao and Lü Bu, Cao Ren attacked Lü Bu's subordinate Liu He (劉何) at Gouyang (勾陽) and captured the enemy commander alive.
After Cao Cao had defeated the Yellow Turban rebels, he received Emperor Xian (who had escaped from the clutches of Li Jue and Guo Si) and set up the new capital at Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan) in 196. Cao Ren was appointed as the Administrator (太守) of Guangyang Commandery (廣陽郡) for his achievements. However, Cao Ren never exercised governorship over his jurisdiction because Cao Cao appreciated his military skills and kept him by his side in Xu. Cao Ren was still in charge of the cavalry even though he held the position of a civil official as a Consultant (議郎).
The following year, Cao Ren followed Cao Cao on a campaign against the warlord Zhang Xiu, and was authorised to lead a separate force to raid the counties around Zhang Xiu's base in Wan (宛; or Wancheng, present-day Wancheng District, Nanyang, Henan) and he captured over 3,000 civilians. Zhang Xiu surrendered to Cao Cao initially, but rebelled later and launched a surprise attack, which led to the Battle of Wancheng. Cao Cao was defeated and he retreated after his forces succeeded in repelling further attacks by Zhang Xiu. However, as they were withdrawing, Zhang Xiu attacked again and Cao Cao's men were unable to drive the enemy away. The morale of Cao Cao's army started falling but Cao Ren helped to raise the soldiers' spirits by encouraging and inspiring them. Cao Cao was very impressed with Cao Ren, and he managed to defeat Zhang Xiu later in a counterattack.
Campaign against Yuan Shao
Main article: Battle of GuanduIn 200, when the forces of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were locked in a stalemate at the Battle of Guandu, Yuan sent Liu Bei with an army to support the rebellions against Cao Cao in Yinjiang (氵隱疆; southwest of present-day Xuchang, Henan), roughly 8.3 km south of the capital. Cao Cao became worried about such developments in the territories under his control, so he sent Cao Ren to suppress the uprisings. Cao Ren observed that the rebels dared to create trouble because they had Liu Bei's support, but the men under Liu were newly recruited and inexperienced, so it was not difficult to defeat them. Cao Ren targeted the rebel chief Liu Pi and killed him in battle, and subsequently defeated Liu Bei as well. Yuan Shao attempted to cut off Cao Cao's route to the west by sending Han Meng (韓猛) southwest. Cao Ren responded to the threat by defeating Han Meng at Jiluo Hill (雞洛山; located 50 li northeast of present-day Xinmi, Henan). Yuan Shao became afraid and did not dare to send out his troops. Cao Ren and Shi Huan (史渙) later led a force to attack a convoy transporting supplies to Yuan Shao's camp and destroyed the food supplies.
After Cao Cao's victory at Guandu, Cao Ren continued to join Cao Cao in his campaigns against Yuan Shao's heirs in the early 3rd century. During one battle near Hu Pass (壺關; present-day Huguan County, Shanxi), Cao Cao gave orders that all the enemy troops would be buried alive after the city fell. However, after several days of siege, Cao Cao's forces were unable to capture the city. Cao Ren then told Cao Cao, "When we besiege a city, we must leave the defenders with a final option of surrendering. Now, as you've already said that the defenders would be slaughtered after the city is taken, all of them would definitely put up fierce resistance. Besides, the city's fortifications are strong and the defenders have much supplies, so our forces would suffer heavy casualties if we attack, and we will be held up here if we switch to a defensive stance. It's not a wise choice to besiege a city whose defenders are willing to fight to the death." Cao Cao heeded Cao Ren's advice, and the enemy surrendered later. After the campaign, Cao Ren received the title of a "Marquis of a Chief Village" (都亭侯) for his contributions.
Battle of Jiangling, and campaigns in northwest China
Main article: Battle of Jiangling (208)In 208, after losing to Sun Quan and Liu Bei at the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao retreated north and left Cao Ren and Xu Huang to defend the strategic Jiangling Commandery (江陵郡; in present-day Jingzhou, Hubei) from the advances of Sun Quan's forces, which were led by Zhou Yu. Cao Ren was serving as acting General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) then. Zhou Yu despatched a several thousand-strong vanguard to challenge Cao Cao's forces at Jiangling. Cao Ren was aware that his army's morale was low, since they were recently defeated at Red Cliffs, so he ordered his subordinate Niu Jin to lead 300 volunteer soldiers into battle, in the hope that they would display bravery and boost his men's morale. Niu Jin and his men were heavily outnumbered and surrounded by the enemy. Cao Ren's Chief Clerk (長史), Chen Jiao (陳矯), turned pale when he saw the situation from the top of the city walls. However, unlike what everyone thought, Niu Jin managed to create havoc around the Wu's army with just 100 men left by then. Cao Ren experienced a surge of fury and courage after watching how Niu Jin with so little men could make the entire Wu army three times the strength get so tired battling just 300 of his own men, so he ordered every troop in the city to be prepared to go into battle. Chen Jiao and the others attempted to dissuade him from braving danger, but Cao Ren ignored them and every soldiers in his command was ordered to charged into the enemy formation. Cao Ren successfully rescued Niu Jin and his surviving men and even turned back to save his remaining soldiers who were still trapped in the enemy formation. Sun Quan's forces retreated. When Cao Ren returned, his subordinates exclaimed, "General, you're truly a man from Heaven!" The troops were awed by Cao Ren's bravery, and Cao Cao was very impressed when he heard about this incident. Cao Ren's marquis title was changed to "Marquis of Anping Village" (安平亭侯).
Around 211, Cao Ren participated in Cao Cao's campaigns against a coalition of northwestern warlords led by Ma Chao and Han Sui, which led to the Battle of Tong Pass. Cao Ren held the appointment of acting General Who Stabilises the West (安西將軍) and commanded the defence at Tong Pass (潼關; present-day Tongguan County, Weinan, Shaanxi) before Cao Cao reached the frontline.
When Su Bo (蘇伯) and Tian Yin (田銀) rebelled in 212, Cao Ren was appointed acting General of Valiant Cavalry (驍騎將軍) and he led seven armies to attack the rebels and defeated them.
Battle of Fancheng
Main article: Battle of FanchengCao Ren was reappointed acting General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) was ordered to garrison at Fan (樊; also called Fancheng, in present-day Fancheng District, Xiangfan, Hubei) and oversee Cao Cao's forces in Jing Province. Cao Ren suppressed a rebellion led by Hou Yin (侯音) before massacring the population of Wan (宛; present-day Wancheng District, Nanyang, Henan) between late 218 and early 219, he was then officially commissioned as General Who Attacks the South and he continued to garrison at Fan.
In the autumn of 219, Liu Bei's general Guan Yu, who was in charge of Liu's territories in southern Jing Province, led an army north to attack Fan. Cao Cao sent the general Yu Jin to lead seven armies to resist Guan Yu, but the armies were destroyed in a flood when the Han River overflowed due to heavy rains. Yu Jin surrendered to Guan Yu while his subordinate Pang De refused and was executed by Guan. Cao Ren was left with a few thousand troops to defend Fan. Guan Yu and his forces sailed towards Fan on boats and besieged the fortress. By then, Cao Ren and his troops had been completely isolated inside Fan as they had lost contact with outside, while their supplies were running out and there were no reinforcements in sight. Cao Ren encouraged his men to fight to the death and they were very inspired by his words. By the time reinforcements led by Xu Huang arrived, the water level had subsided slightly. While Xu Huang was attacking Guan Yu, Cao Ren seized the opportunity to counterattack and break the siege. Guan Yu failed to conquer Fan so he retreated.
Service under Cao Pi
See also: Cao Pi's invasions of Eastern WuAlthough Cao Ren behaved brashly and had no regard for laws when he was young, but after he joined the Cao Cao's Army, he started following rules and regulations strictly and he went by the book in everything he did. Once, when Cao Cao's son Cao Zhang was on away on a campaign against the Wuhuan, his brother Cao Pi wrote to him, "Shouldn't you follow rules and regulations in the same way Cao Ren does?"
Cao Cao died in 220 and was succeeded as King of Wei by Cao Pi. Later that year, Cao Pi, with the support of all the officials, made Emperor Xian to pass the throne to him, finally putting an end to the crumbling Han dynasty, and established the state of Cao Wei, the strongest of the three Kingdoms. Cao Ren was appointed as General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍) and was placed in charge of military affairs in Jing, Yang and Yi provinces. He also received the title "Marquis of Chen" (陳侯) and was given 2,000 more taxable households in his marquisate, making it a total of 3,500 households.
Cao Ren moved to Wan (宛; present-day Wancheng District, Nanyang, Henan) in northern Jing Province and garrisoned there. Later, when Sun Quan sent Chen Shao (陳邵) to attack Xiangyang, Emperor Wen(Cao pi) ordered Cao Ren to lead an army to Xiangyang to resist Sun Quan's forces. Cao Ren and Xu Huang defeated Chen Shao and their forces entered Xiangyang. Cao Ren had the general Gao Qian (高遷) oversee the relocation of civilians from the southern bank of the Han River to the north. Emperor Wen appointed Cao Ren as General-in-Chief (大將軍). Later, Emperor Wen ordered Cao Ren to move to Linying (臨潁) and promoted him to Grand Marshal (大司馬). Cao Ren was placed in charge of the armies along the Wu River (烏江) and he garrisoned at Hefei. In 222, Cao Ren led several tens of thousands men to assail Sun Quan's garrison at Ruxu (濡須; north of present-day Wuwei County, Anhui), where the defending general, Zhu Huan, had only 5,000 troops remaining inside the city walls. However, Cao Ren was deemed only as an inferior commander by Zhu Huan and his colleagues, so the defenders put up a staunch defence. Even though Cao Ren had a complete numerical advantage, the battle concluded with Zhu Huan as the victor – Cao Ren lost not only over 1,000 men, but also two of his subordinates, Chang Diao (常雕) and Wang Shuang.
Death
Cao Ren died on 6 May 223 at the age of 56 (by East Asian age reckoning). He was posthumously granted the title "Marquis Zhong" (忠侯), which literally means "loyal marquis". He was best remembered for his bravery and courage, which placed him above Zhang Liao among all of Cao Cao's generals.
Family
Cao Ren's grandfather Cao Bao (曹褒) served as the Administrator (太守) of Yingchuan Commandery (潁川郡) in the Eastern Han dynasty. Cao Ren's father Cao Chi (曹熾) also served as a Palace Attendant (侍中) and Changshui Colonel (長水校尉) in the Eastern Han dynasty, and was posthumously awarded the title "Marquis Mu of Chen" (陳穆侯) by Cao Pi. Cao Ren's younger brother Cao Chun was also a general under Cao Cao.
Cao Ren's titles were inherited by his son Cao Tai (曹泰), who served as General Who Guards the East (鎮東將軍) and later had his marquis title changed to "Marquis of Ningling" (寗陵侯). Cao Tai was succeeded by his son Cao Chu (曹初). Cao Ren's other sons (Cao Tai's younger brothers) Cao Kai (曹楷) and Cao Fan (曹範) also received marquis titles.
In popular culture
Cao Ren is featured as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi video game series.
In the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering there is a card named "Cao Ren, Wei Commander" in the Portal Three Kingdoms set.
See also
Notes
- ^ Cao Ren's biography in the Sanguozhi recorded that he died in the 4th year of the Huangchu era of Cao Pi's reign. Cao Pi's biography in the Sanguozhi recorded a more precise date: The dingwei day of the 3rd month of the 4th year of the Huangchu era of Cao Pi's reign. This date corresponds to 6 May 223 in the Gregorian calendar. The Wei Shu further recorded that Cao Ren was 56 years old (by East Asian age reckoning) when he died. By calculation, Cao Ren's year of birth should be 168.
References
- (黃初四年薨， ...) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (丁未，大司馬曹仁薨。) Sanguozhi vol. 2.
- (魏書曰：仁時年五十六。) Wei Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- de Crespigny (2007), p. 46.
- (曹仁字子孝，太祖從弟也。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (... 桓喻之曰：「凡兩軍交對，勝負在將，不在衆寡。諸君聞曹仁用兵行師，孰與桓邪？兵法所以稱客倍而主人半者，謂俱在平原，無城池之守，又謂士衆勇怯齊等故耳。今人旣非智勇，加其士卒甚怯，又千里步涉，人馬罷困，桓與諸軍，共據高城，南臨大江，北背山陵，以逸待勞，為主制客，此百戰百勝之勢也。雖曹丕自來，尚不足憂，況仁等邪！」) Sanguozhi vol. 56.
- (曹仁字子孝，太祖從弟也。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (魏書曰：仁祖襃，潁川太守。父熾，侍中、長水校尉。) Wei Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (英雄記曰： ... 年十四而喪父，與同產兄仁別居。承父業，富於財，僮僕人客以百數， ...) Yingxiong Ji annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (少好弓馬弋獵。後豪傑並起，仁亦陰結少年，得千餘人，周旋淮、泗之間，遂從太祖，為別部司馬，行厲鋒校尉。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (太祖之破袁術，仁所斬獲頗多。從征徐州，仁常督騎，為軍前鋒。別攻陶謙將呂由，破之，還與大軍合彭城，大破謙軍。從攻費、華、即墨、開陽，謙遣別將救諸縣，仁以騎擊破之。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (太祖征呂布，仁別攻勾陽，拔之，生獲布將劉何。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (太祖平黃巾，迎天子都許，仁數有功，拜廣陽太守。太祖器其勇略，不使之郡，以議郎督騎。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (太祖征張繡，仁別徇旁縣，虜其男女三千餘人。太祖軍還，為繡所追，軍不利，士卒喪氣，仁率厲將士甚奮，太祖壯之，遂破繡。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- Other historical sources recorded his name as "Han Xun" (韓荀) or "Han Ruo" (韓若). Leban, p. 364
- (太祖與袁紹乆相持於官渡，紹遣劉備徇氵隱彊諸縣，多舉衆應之。自許以南，吏民不安，太祖以為憂。仁曰：「南方以大軍方有目前急，其勢不能相救，劉備以彊兵臨之，其背叛固宜也。備新將紹兵，未能得其用，擊之可破也。」太祖善其言，遂使將騎擊備，破走之，仁盡復收諸叛縣而還。紹遣別將韓荀鈔斷西道，仁擊荀於雞洛山，大破之。由是紹不敢復分兵出。復與史渙等鈔紹運車，燒其糧穀。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (河北旣定，從圍壺關。太祖令曰：「城拔，皆坑之。」連月不下。仁言於太祖曰：「圍城必示之活門，所以開其生路也。今公告之必死，將人自為守。且城固而糧多，攻之則士卒傷，守之則引日乆；今頓兵堅城之下，以攻必死之虜，非良計也。」太祖從之，城降。於是錄仁前後功，封都亭侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (從平荊州，以仁行征南將軍，留屯江陵，拒吳將周瑜。瑜將數萬衆來攻，前鋒數千人始至，仁登城望之，乃募得三百人，遣部曲將牛金逆與挑戰。賊多，金衆少，遂為所圍。長史陳矯俱在城上，望見金等垂沒，左右皆失色。仁意氣奮怒甚，謂左右取馬來，矯等共援持之。謂仁曰：「賊衆盛，不可當也。假使棄數百人何苦，而將軍以身赴之！」仁不應，遂被甲上馬，將其麾下壯士數十騎出城。去賊百餘步，迫溝，矯等以為仁當住溝上，為金形勢也，仁徑渡溝直前，衝入賊圍，金等乃得解。餘衆未盡出，仁復直還突之，拔出金兵，亡其數人，賊衆乃退。矯等初見仁出，皆懼，及見仁還，乃歎曰：「將軍真天人也！」三軍服其勇。太祖益壯之，轉封安平亭侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (太祖討馬超，以仁行安西將軍，督諸將拒潼關，破超渭南。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- Zizhi Tongjian vol. 66.
- (蘇伯、田銀反，以仁行驍騎將軍，都督七軍討銀等，破之。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (冬十月，宛守將侯音等反，執南陽太守，劫略吏民，保宛。) Sanguozhi vol. 1.
- (初，曹仁討關羽，屯樊城，是月使仁圍宛。 ... 二十四年春正月，仁屠宛，斬音。) Sanguozhi vol. 1.
- (復以仁行征南將軍，假節，屯樊，鎮荊州。侯音以宛叛，略傍縣衆數千人，仁率諸軍攻破音，斬其首，還屯樊，即拜征南將軍。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (關羽攻樊，時漢水暴溢，于禁等七軍皆沒，禁降羽。仁人馬數千人守城，城不沒者數板。羽乘船臨城，圍數重，外內斷絕，糧食欲盡，救兵不至。仁激厲將士，示以必死，將士感之皆無二。徐晃救至，水亦稍減，晃從外擊羽，仁得潰圍出，羽退走。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (仁少時不脩行檢，及長為將，嚴整奉法令，常置科於左右，案以從事。鄢陵侯彰北征烏丸，文帝在東宮，為書戒彰曰：「為將奉法，不當如征南邪！」) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (及即王位，拜仁車騎將軍，都督荊、揚、益州諸軍事，進封陳侯，增邑二千，并前三千五百戶。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (後召還屯宛。孫權遣將陳邵據襄陽，詔仁討之。仁與徐晃攻破邵，遂入襄陽，使將軍高遷等徙漢南附化民於漢北，文帝遣使即拜仁大將軍。又詔仁移屯臨潁，遷大司馬，復督諸軍據烏江，還屯合淝。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (黃武元年，魏使大司馬曹仁步騎數萬向濡須，仁欲以兵襲取州上，偽先揚聲，欲東攻羨溪。桓分兵將赴羨溪，旣發，卒得仁進軍拒濡須七十里間。桓遣使追還羨溪兵，兵未到而仁奄至。時桓手下及所部兵，在者五千人， ...) Sanguozhi vol. 56.
- (桓部兵將攻取油船，或別擊雕等，桓等身自拒泰，燒營而退，遂梟雕，生虜雙，送武昌，臨陣斬溺，死者千餘。) Sanguozhi vol. 56.
- (黃初四年薨，謚曰忠侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (魏書曰：仁時年五十六。) Wei Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (傅子曰：曹大司馬之勇，賁、育弗加也。張遼其次焉。) Fu Zi annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (追賜仁父熾謚曰陳穆侯，置守冢十家。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- (子泰嗣，官至鎮東將軍，假節，轉封寗陵侯。泰薨，子初嗣。又分封泰弟楷、範，皆為列侯，而牛金官至後將軍。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-220 AD. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004156050.
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.