Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Statesman and General

Wei Cao 衞操

First attested AD 295; died AD 310

Passages: 13
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wei Cao was a statesman and General.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Deyuan	德元	Deyuan
Alternate name		衛操

Life and dates

Death

AD 310 穆帝三年
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 96

Attested activity

AD 295 to AD 316 桓、穆之世
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 223
AD 304 to AD 316 桓帝時及劉淵、石勒之亂
Dated from the passage context · Book of Wei 28, passages 4, 7
AD 310 穆帝三年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Wei 28, passage 96

Family

Kin of Wei Xiong (衞雄)
nephew 從子
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 5

Career and standing

gate officer 牙門將
Appointed · Authority Wei Guan (衞瓘)
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 4
chief minister 輔相
Appointed · Authority Emperor Huan (桓帝)
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 6
Right General 右將軍
Promoted
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 9
Marquis of Dingxiang 定襄侯
Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 9

Places and affiliations

At Dai 代 · Relation Native of
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 2
At Dahang city 大邗城 · Relation Activity at
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 226

Learning and skills

Skill chivalry and strategy 通俠，有才略
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 3

Works and attributed material

stele south of Dahang city 大邗城南碑
Relation Sponsor
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 226
urged support for Jin
Advice · Speaker · With Emperor Huan (桓帝)
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 7
urged the emperors to welcome Jin people
Advice · Speaker · With Emperor Huan (桓帝), Emperor Mu (穆帝)
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 5

Events and relationships

Erected stele
AD 295 to AD 316 桓、穆之世 · Ritual · Sponsor · At south of Dahang city 大邗城南 · With Yiyi (猗㐌)
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passages 226, 229
Returned to the state with kinsmen and neighbors
Migration
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 5
Sent repeatedly to Dai
Diplomatic · Envoy · Authority Wei Guan (衞瓘)
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 4

Assessments and attributes

Assessment man of purpose and insight · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 223
AD 306 光熙元年秋
Item stele south of Da Hang 大邗城南碑 · Relation Erected
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passages 10, 283

Source notes

Historiographers altered Wei Cao's stele; Qian argues original lacked Wei title and named Yiyi/Yilu with Jin offices rather than Huan/Mu emperors
Field stele-text · Witness Person Id Qian (錢氏)
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passages 226, 228-229

References in the histories

Search passages

History

13 passages

Book of Wei, Chapter 28Volume 23: Wei Cao, Mo Han, Liu Kuren · 13 passages

衛操莫含劉庫仁 Biographies of Wei Cao, Mo Han, and Liu Kuren

衞操，字德元，代人也。 Wei Cao, whose style was Deyuan, came from Dai.

晉征北將軍衞瓘以操為牙門將，數使於國，頗自結附。 Jin's General Who Pacifies the North, Wei Guan, appointed Cao gate officer and often sent him on missions to the Dai state, where Cao gradually built ties of his own.

始祖崩後，與從子雄及其宗室鄉親姬澹等十數人，同來歸國，說桓穆二帝招納晉人，於是晉人附者稍眾。 When the founding ancestor passed away, Cao came home with his nephew Xiong and a dozen-odd kinsmen and neighbors, among them Ji Dan, and urged the Huan and Mu emperors to welcome Jin subjects. From then on Jin adherents grew steadily in number.

東瀛公司馬騰聞而善之，表加將號。 Sima Teng of the Eastern Garrison command, hearing this, praised the policy and memorialized the throne to grant Cao further military rank.

桓帝崩後，操立碑於大邗城南，[1]以頌功德，云：「魏，軒轅之苗裔。」 After Emperor Huan's death, Cao set up a monument south of Da Hang and [1], to hymn his achievements, began: "The Wei are offspring of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan."

操展文謀，雄奮武烈。 Cao laid out plans in letters; Xiong flamed in deeds of war.

桓穆二帝並禮重操。 Both Emperor Huan and Emperor Mu treated Cao with high ceremonial honor.

始操所與宗室鄉親入國者：衞懃，安樂亭侯； Those who had first entered the state with Cao among his kinsmen and neighbors included Wei Qin, Marquis of Anle Ting;

既與衞操俱入國，桓帝壯其膂力，並以為將，常隨征伐，大著威名。 When they entered the realm with Wei Cao, Emperor Huan was impressed by their strength and made them generals; they fought at his side on campaign after campaign and won a towering reputation.

衞操卒後，俱為左右輔相。 After Wei Cao's death they served together as the left and right hands of government.

操、含託身馳驟之秋，自立功名之地，[4]可謂志識之士矣。 Cao and Han threw themselves into the hurrying age of war and carved out a place of merit and renown, [4] — true men of purpose and sight.

操立碑於大邗城南錢氏考異卷三八云：「此傳載衞操所立碑……惜為史臣改竄，失其本真。 Wei Cao set up a stele south of Dahang city. In Qian's Textual Notes, juan 38, we read: "This biography records the stele Wei Cao erected; alas, the historiographers altered it and its original authenticity was lost.