Cao Ren

Cao Ren ( Chinese  曹仁 , Pinyin Cáo Rén , W.-G. Ts'ao Jen , majority name 子孝 , Zixiào , Tzu-hsiao ; * 168 in Qiao (today: Bozhou , Anhui ), † 223 ), was a general of Chinese warlords Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period .

Life

Cao Ren was born in Qiao (today's Bozhou , Anhui ). He was a 2nd cousin of Cao Cao and his father and grandfather had held important civil and military posts. In his youth, Cao Ren used to hunt on horseback. During the Yellow Turban Uprising , he gathered more than 1,000 young men under his flag and crossed the area between the Huai and Si Rivers.

Ascent of Cao Cao

In 190, Cao Cao joined the coalition against Dong Zhuo and raised an army. Cao Ren and his troops followed him and with Cao Cao were able to free the young emperor Xian , whom Dong Zhuo had kidnapped.

In the 90s he followed Cao Cao on various campaigns in the north, against Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shu , Tao Qian and Lü Bu . Cao Ren proved his worth on these campaigns and often fought on the front lines.

After Cao Cao took control of Emperor Xian in 1966 , he took him into custody in Xuchang . He made Cao Ren the Grand Administrator of Guanyang . Cao Ren stayed in Xuchang to serve Cao Cao in the best possible way.

In 197, Cao Cao was attacked by Zhang Xiu at his Wan Castle camp . In the surprise, Cao Cao lost many men in battle and was only able to escape because his bodyguard Dian Wei , his son Cao Ang, and his nephew Cao Anmin died . After the retreat, Cao Cao pursued Zhang Xiu north. Cao Ren then managed to defeat Zhang Xiu.

At the Battle of Guandu (200), Yuan Shao ordered his guest, Liu Bei , to raid Cao Cao's area. With the cavalry, Cao Ren defeated Liu Bei. Yuan Shao later tried again to attack Cao Cao from behind and was repulsed by Cao Ren. Cao Ren then set about ransacking Yuan Shao's supply depot.

After the battle of Chibi

After losing the Battle of Chibi in 208, Cao Cao withdrew to the north and left Cao Ren at the strategically important city of Jiangling to defend against Wu troops. The enemy commander Zhou Yu attacked the city with several thousand men, and Cao Cao sent Cao Ren his assistant Niu Jin with about 300 men, who quickly turned against the defenders. Cao Ren rode out with dozen of horsemen and rescued Niu Jin.

In the 10s, Cao Ren was given the position of General of the South and command of Fancheng , a city on the Han River that was essential to the defense of Jing Province. In 219, Liu Bei's Supreme General Guan Yu launched a campaign against Fan . He cut off communications and supplies to the city and had dams built on the Han River to flood Fan. Cao Ren retired to the highest walls in the city and held out despite the dwindling supplies until Relief General Xu Huang came. Together with him, he was able to force Guan Yu to withdraw.

After succeeding his father Cao Cao to the throne in 220, Cao Pi made Cao Ren general of the chariots and cavalry and gave him military command of the provinces of Jing, Yang and Yi. Cao Ren was later appointed commander in chief and minister of defense. In his final years he defended Hefei against several attacks by Sun Quan .

Cao Ren died in 223 and was posthumously appointed Marquis Zhong .

progeny

• Cao Tai
  • Cao Chu
• Cao Kai
• Cao fan

literature

• Chen Shou : Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms . Yue Lu Shu She, Changsha 2002, ISBN 7-80665-198-5 .

Web links

• Family Trees Cao and Xiahou (English)

Note: This article places the family name before the person's first name. This is the usual order in Chinese. Cao is the family name here, Ren is the first name.