Cao Zhang

史载（Historical Record）

Cao Zhang, styled Ziwen, was the second son of Cao Cao, the Martial Emperor of Wei, and Empress Dowager Bian; younger brother of Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, and elder brother of Cao Zhi, the Prince of Chensi ^c:2147. From an early age he displayed extraordinary military talent, excelling at riding and archery, possessing remarkable physical strength, and even able to fight fierce beasts bare-handed; he was generous and bold by nature, undaunted by danger. Cao Cao had reservations about this martial spirit, holding that he "does not care to study books or admire the way of the sages, but loves to ride sweating horses and wield the sword—this is the use of a single man; what is there worthy in it!" and once urged him to study the Book of Songs and the Book of Documents. Cao Zhang, however, was firm in his ambition, once declaring: "A true man should become a Wei Qing or a Huo Qubing, leading a hundred thousand horsemen to gallop across the desert, drive out the Rong and Di, achieve merit, and establish a name—how could he be a court scholar?" When Cao Cao once asked his sons about their aspirations, Cao Zhang plainly stated that he "loved to be a general," and expounded his way of generalship: "To don armor and wield sharp weapons, to face danger without flinching, to lead the soldiers; rewards must be carried out, punishments must be kept faithful." Cao Cao laughed heartily upon hearing this and praised his ambition ^c:5560.

In the twenty-first year of Jian'an (216 CE), Cao Zhang was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yanling ^c:5560. In the twenty-third year of Jian'an (218 CE), the Wuhuan of Dai Commandery rebelled, and Cao Zhang was appointed General of the Household of the North, acting General of Agile Cavalry, and ordered to campaign northward. Before departing, Cao Cao earnestly admonished him: "At home we are father and son, but in receiving duties we are sovereign and subject; act in all things according to the king's law—be on your guard!" When Cao Zhang entered the territory of Zhuo Commandery, he encountered a surprise raid by several thousand rebel Hu cavalry. At that time his troops and horses had not yet assembled, and he had only a thousand foot soldiers and a few hundred cavalry. Adopting Tian Yu's advice, he held firm at a strategic pass, forcing the enemy to retreat and scatter. Then Cao Zhang led his army in pursuit, taking the lead himself, fighting hand to hand, and not a single arrow missed; the Hu horsemen he shot down lay one after another. After half a day of fierce battle, Cao Zhang's armor had been struck by arrows in several places, but his fighting spirit only rose higher, and he pursued the victory as far as Sanggan, more than two hundred li from Dai Commandery. Although the chief clerk and the generals held that they had newly entered a distant land, their men and horses were weary, and that being under orders not to pass Dai, they should not press deep, Cao Zhang insisted: "Leading an army on campaign, one acts only where advantage lies—what of orders? The Hu have not gone far; pursue them and we will surely smash them. To follow orders and let the enemy go is not the mark of a good general." He thereupon ordered that "whoever sets out behind shall be beheaded," and in a single day and night caught up with the enemy and routed them, beheading and capturing several thousand. After the battle, Cao Zhang rewarded his officers and men with twice the standard measure, and the army's morale was greatly heartened. At that time the Xianbei chieftain Kebineng was observing the course of the battle with tens of thousands of horsemen; seeing Cao Zhang's divine valor and skill in battle, sweeping all before him, he requested to submit. With this, the north was wholly pacified ^c:2145.

After Cao Zhang withdrew his army, Cao Cao summoned him at Chang'an. When Cao Zhang passed through Ye, the heir apparent Cao Pi advised him "not to boast of yourself; respond always as though you were lacking." Cao Zhang followed his words and attributed the merit to the generals. Cao Cao was overjoyed, and stroking his beard, praised him: "My yellow-bearded boy is truly a marvel!" ^c:2145 After Cao Cao returned east, he made Cao Zhang acting General of Elite Cavalry to guard Chang'an. When Cao Cao fell gravely ill at Luoyang, he summoned Cao Zhang by post-relay, but before Cao Zhang could arrive, Cao Cao had already passed away ^c:5562. After Cao Pi ascended the throne as King, Cao Zhang and the other nobles went to their fiefs. In the second year of Huangchu (221 CE), Cao Zhang was advanced in rank to duke, with five thousand households added, totaling ten thousand households together with the former ^c:5562. In the third year of Huangchu (222 CE), he was made King of Rencheng ^c:5562. In the fourth year of Huangchu (223 CE), Cao Zhang came to court at the capital, but died suddenly in his residence, with the posthumous title Wei (Awe-inspiring) ^c:5562. As to the cause of his death, the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Wei Clan records that Cao Zhang had inquired after the imperial seal and harbored unusual ambitions, and so when he came to court he could not at once obtain an audience, and died suddenly in anger ^c:5562. His son Cao Kai succeeded to his position, and was later reassigned to the state of Rencheng, with a stipend of five counties and two thousand five hundred households ^c:5562.

演中（In the Novel）

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Zhang's image is artistically elaborated upon the historical basis, especially in strengthening his military ability and character traits and adding dramatic episodes. He first appears during Cao Cao's Campaign Against Hanzhong. When Cao Cao was besieged by Liu Bei's army and Xu Chu was wounded, the situation being critical, Cao Cao cursed Liu Bei: "Sandal-peddling brat, always sending your adopted sons to resist me! If I summon my yellow-bearded boy, your adopted son will be reduced to minced flesh!" ^c:2148 Soon after, Cao Zhang led reinforcements and arrived in time, lifting the siege on Cao Cao. In the novel, Cao Zhang is not only brave and skilled in battle but also vividly drawn; Cao Cao calls him the "yellow-bearded boy," showing that his beard's color differed from that of ordinary men and hinting at his fierce character ^c:2148.

The Romance describes Cao Zhang's military ability in even more exaggerated terms. In the battle to rescue Cao Cao, he fought Liu Feng, and "in only three bouts, Feng was badly beaten and turned back." Then, facing off against Wu Lan, Cao Zhang "with one halberd-thrust stabbed Wu Lan from his horse," displaying his extraordinary martial prowess ^c:2149. The novel also describes in detail Cao Zhang's northern campaign against the Wuhuan, emphasizing that he "took the lead in battle array, slaughtering all the way to Sanggan, and the north was wholly pacified," largely consistent with history but placing more emphasis on his personal heroism ^c:2149.

At Cao Cao's deathbed, the Romance's account of Cao Cao's appraisal of his sons again mentions Cao Zhang. Cao Cao held that "my second son Cao Zhang is brave but lacks strategy," distinguishing him from the "ostentatious and lacking in sincerity" Cao Zhi and the "sickly and hard to preserve" Cao Xiong, ultimately choosing the "sincere, magnanimous, and respectful" Cao Pi to inherit the great enterprise ^c:2150.

After Cao Cao died, Cao Zhang led a hundred thousand troops from Chang'an to attend the funeral. Cao Pi was greatly alarmed at the news, fearing that "my yellow-bearded younger brother, ever fierce by nature and deeply versed in martial arts, now leads troops from afar—he must mean to contend with me for the throne." ^c:5565 Jia Kui stepped forward and, facing Cao Zhang, with the stern words "a family has its eldest son, a state has its appointed heir; the late king's seal is not something a marquis ought to inquire after," subdued Cao Zhang. Cao Zhang finally declared, "I have come to attend the funeral and harbor no other intent," dismissed his accompanying officers and men, entered the palace alone to pay his respects to Cao Pi, and handed over all his own troops and horses to Cao Pi. Cao Pi ordered Cao Zhang to return to Yanling and guard it himself ^c:11267. This episode is not clearly recorded in the histories; it is a literary invention by the Romance to highlight the legitimacy of Cao Pi's succession and Jia Kui's resourcefulness, and it also portrays Cao Zhang as one who, though fierce, ultimately put the larger interest first.

关键关系

* Cao Cao (kin_of): Father and son. Cao Cao both admired and worried about Cao Zhang's military ability, once urging him to study, but ultimately still called him "my yellow-bearded boy is truly a marvel!" ^c:2145 In the Romance, Cao Cao even placed high hopes on his valor, saying, "When my yellow-bearded boy comes, defeating Liu Bei is certain!" ^c:2149
* Empress Dowager Bian (kin_of): Mother and son. Cao Zhang was a son borne by Empress Dowager Bian ^c:2147.
* Cao Pi (sibling_of): Brothers. Cao Pi once admonished Cao Zhang, before Cao Cao, "not to boast of yourself; respond always as though you were lacking" ^c:2145. In the Romance, Cao Pi showed wariness at Cao Zhang's arrival, fearing he would contend for the throne, but in the end Cao Zhang submitted ^c:11267 (novel only).
* Cao Wei (member_of): Cao Zhang was a member of the Cao Wei imperial clan, enfeoffed as Marquis of Yanling and King of Rencheng, and achieved illustrious military merit for Cao Wei ^c:5560.
* Tian Yu (colleague_of): During the northern campaign against the Wuhuan, Cao Zhang adopted Tian Yu's strategy, holding firm at a strategic pass and successfully repelling the enemy ^c:2145.
* Kebineng (opponent_of/subordinate_of): The Xianbei chieftain Kebineng observed Cao Zhang's battle with the Wuhuan, and seeing his valor, led his forces to submit ^c:2145.

标志性场景

* Generous ambition, loving to be a general: In his youth Cao Zhang displayed exceptional physical strength and skill in archery and riding; his aspirations were generous and bold, and he did not admire Confucian learning but set his heart on becoming a general like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. When Cao Cao asked about his aspirations, he plainly stated that he "loved to be a general," and expounded his way of generalship—"to don armor and wield sharp weapons, to face danger without flinching, to lead the soldiers; rewards must be carried out, punishments must be kept faithful"—making Cao Cao laugh heartily in praise ^c:5560.
* Northern campaign against the Wuhuan, routing the enemy: In the twenty-third year of Jian'an, Cao Zhang led his army on a northern campaign against the Wuhuan of Dai Commandery; at a disadvantage in numbers, he adopted Tian Yu's strategy, then took the lead and fought hand to hand, routing the Hu cavalry, beheading and capturing several thousand, causing the Xianbei chieftain Kebineng to submit and pacifying the north ^c:2145. This battle fully displayed Cao Zhang's outstanding military command and personal valor.
* "My yellow-bearded boy is truly a marvel!": When Cao Zhang returned from the northern campaign, Cao Cao summoned him at Chang'an. Because Cao Zhang, following Cao Pi's advice, attributed the merit to the generals, Cao Cao was overjoyed, and stroking his beard, praised him: "My yellow-bearded boy is truly a marvel!" ^c:2145 This phrase became Cao Zhang's signature epithet and reflected Cao Cao's affection and approval of him.
* Lifting the siege at Xiegu, slaying Wu Lan in battle: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Zhang led his army to arrive in time at Xiegu in Hanzhong, rescuing Cao Cao, who had been besieged by Liu Bei's army. He fought Liu Feng, defeating him in three bouts, and then in the melee "with one halberd-thrust stabbed Wu Lan from his horse," displaying his extraordinary martial prowess and his filial valor in saving his father ^c:2149 (novel only).
* Subdued by Jia Kui, submitting to Cao Pi: After Cao Cao died, Cao Zhang led a great army to attend the funeral, arousing Cao Pi's suspicions. Jia Kui faced Cao Zhang and, with the words "a family has its eldest son, a state has its appointed heir," successfully persuaded Cao Zhang to abandon his thoughts of contending for the throne and hand his military authority to Cao Pi, reflecting Cao Zhang's character in ultimately putting the larger interest first ^c:11267 (novel only).