CAO REN

Names
Simplified Chinese:	曹仁
Traditional Chinese:	曹仁
Pinyin:	Cáo Rén
Wade-Giles:	Ts'ao Jen
Zi:	Zixiao (子孝)

'Cao Ren' (168 – 223) was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant part in the civil wars leading to the disintegration of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the establishment of the Kingdom of Wei.

Contents

Life

The Cao clan

Direct Descendants

Immediate family

Extended family

Reference

Modern references

See also

Life

Born in the county of Qiao (谯, present day Bozhou, Anhui), Cao Ren was a younger cousin of Cao Cao. His grandfather and father had both held significant civil and military posts. Cao Ren was fond of hunting on horseback in his youth. During the years of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he gathered more than a thousand young men under his flag and wandered the area between Huai River and Si River (泗水).
In 190, Cao Cao started raising an army to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo, the tyrannical warlord who was holding the emperor hostage in the imperial court. 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, Yuan Shu, Tao Qian (陶谦) and Lü Bu. Cao Ren performed very well during these early campaigns, often pitching himself in the forefront of battles.
In 196, after Cao Cao was entursted with the custody of Emeperor Xian in Xuchang, he gave Cao Ren the position of Grand Administrator of Guangyang (广阳太守). However, Cao Cao kept Cao Ren in Xuchang as he had greater use of the brave yet crafty man.
In 197, Cao Cao's camp was attacked by Zhang Xiu outside Wan. Caught unprepared, Cao Cao lost many troops and several trusted subjects, including his bodyguard Dian Wei and his own son Cao Ang. Zhang Xiu then pursued Cao Cao as the latter retreated north. Under such adverse circumstance, Cao Ren inspired the soldiers through his own bravery in battle and eventually defeated Zhang Xiu in a counterattack.
During the Battle of Guandu in 200, Yuan Shao incited Liu Bei to harass the rear of Cao Cao's territory. Leading a cavalry force, Cao Ren defeated Liu Bei. Later, Yuan Shao attempted to attack Cao Cao's rear again, which was once more thwarted by Cao Ren. Cao Ren also undertook the task of harassing Yuan Shao's line of supply.
In 208, after he lost the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao retreated north, leaving Cao Ren to defend the strategic city of Jiangling against the advance of Wu troops. The enemy commander Zhou Yu dispatched a several thousand-strong vanguard force to attack the city. Cao Ren sent his aide Niu Jin (牛金) with 300 men into battle, which soon turned against the defenders. Cao Ren then rode out with dozens of horsemen and successfully rescued Niu Jin. Upon his return, Cao Ren's subjects exclaimed, "General, you are truly a man from Heaven!"
Throughout most of the 210s Cao Ren held the position of General who Conquers the South (征南将军) and garrisoned at Fan (樊), a strategic city on the shores of the Han River that is vital to the defense of Jingzhou (荆州).
In 219, Liu Bei's most trusted general Guan Yu came in force to take Fan. He cut off communications and supply lines to the city and diverted the Han River to flood its walls. The food stock was depleting fast but Cao Ren roused his men and held out until a relief force under Xu Huang arrived. By this time the flood had subsided. Combined with Xu Huang's strength, Cao Ren forced Guan Yu to retreat.
After Cao Pi succeeded Cao Cao, he made Cao Ren General of Chariots and Cavalry (车骑将军), to be in charge of all military affairs of Jingzhou, Yangzhou (扬州) and Yizhou (益州). Cao Ren was later promoted to General-in-Chief (大将军) and subsequently Minister of Defense (大司马). In his last years, Cao Ren defended Hefei against a number of Sun Quan's offensives.
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.

The Cao clan

Direct Descendants

★ Cao Tai (曹泰)

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★ Cao Chu (曹初)

★ Cao Kai (曹楷)

★ Cao Fan (曹范)

Immediate family

★ Cao Chun (younger brother)

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★ Cao Yan (曹演)

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★
★ Cao Liang (曹亮)

Extended family

★ Cao Cao¹ (elder cousin)

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★ Cao Pi

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★
★ Cao Rui

★
★
★
★ Cao Fang

★
★
★
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★ Cao Mao

★
★
★
★
★
★ Cao Huan

★
★ Cao Zhang

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★ Cao Zhi

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★ Cao Xiong

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★ Cao Ang

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★ Cao Chong

★ Cao Hong (cousin) (曹洪)

★ Cao Xiu (distant nephew)

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★ Cao Zhao (曹肇)

★ Cao Zhen (distant nephew)

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★ Cao Shuang

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★ Cao Xi (曹羲)

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★ Cao Xun (曹训)

★ Cao Anmin (distant nephew) (曹安民)
¹ For a complete list of Cao Cao's sons, see Cao Cao.

Reference

★ San Guo Zhi, Chen Shou, , , Yue Lu Shu She, 2002, ISBN 7-80665-198-5

Modern references

Cao Ren is featured in the Koei video game series, ''Dynasty Warriors''. He is portrayed as a short-statured, peace-loving man who cares deeply for the peasants and labourers of Cao Wei. Although he does not entirely approve of Cao Cao's methods, he believes that his cousin is the only man capable of uniting the land and bringing an end to the chaos. Unlike many of his fellow officers, Cao Ren is a humble and good man, without pride or sense of entitlement. He usually takes to the front in battle and is always seen clad in armoured clothing and helms.
Cao Ren wields an oddly unique weapon called a "buckler blade" (or lantern shield), a form of shield containing a blade that can be either swung attached to the buckler, or removed and used in much the same manner as a sword. Cao Ren calls this weapon the "Roc." Cao's most prominent role and the focus of his "Musou Mode" (story mode) comes during the Battle of Fan Castle, where Cao must hold off the enchroaching Shu Han forces led by Guan Yu. Playing as Cao requires that he defend the besieged Fan Castle from Guan's vastly numerically superior army alongside Pang De. This must be accomplished whilst simultaneously eliminating the enemy force diverting flood waters towards the castle and securing an access route for Xu Huang and Lü Meng's relief forces.

See also

★ Three Kingdoms

★ Han dynasty

★ Personages of the Three Kingdoms

★ ''Records of Three Kingdoms''

★ ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''