Lady Ding 丁夫人
| Occupation | RNConsort · Lady | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R3 |
Profile
Lady Ding was the wife of Cao Cao. She has no biography of her own in the Records, and appears once, in the passage on Empress Bian (Wuxuan) in the Biographies of the Empresses and Consorts (Records of Wei 5). Early in the Jian'an era, when Lady Ding was deposed, Cao Cao made Empress Bian his principal wife in her place. Records, Wei 5 §9
Chen Shou's main text does not record her origins, her children, the reason she was deposed or her death, nor does he assess her. In the Romance she appears only in Chapter 68, as Cao Cao's childless principal wife, with no chapter title bearing her name. The Romance relates that in the 21st year of Jian'an (216), after Cao Cao became King of Wei, he put Lady Ding away and installed Lady Bian as Queen of Wei. Records, Wei 5 §9Romance, Ch. 68 §28–29
In the Records
According to the Biographies of the Empresses and Consorts, Empress Bian was a native of Kaiyang in Langya and came originally from a family of entertainers; when she was twenty, Cao Cao took her at Qiao as a concubine. When Dong Zhuo caused disorder and Cao Cao slipped away east in disguise, and Yuan Shu passed on the news that Cao Cao was dead, Cao Cao's attendants who had come to Luoyang all wished to go home. Empress Bian stopped them, saying that whether Lord Cao was alive or dead was not yet known, and when Cao Cao heard of this he thought well of her. Records, Wei 5 §8–9
Early in the Jian'an era, when Lady Ding was deposed, Cao Cao at last made Empress Bian his principal wife in succession to her. Cao Cao had Empress Bian raise all the various sons who had no mother. Empress Bian became Queen in the 24th year of Jian'an (219), and the edict of appointment said that Lady Bian had cared for and raised the various sons and possessed the virtue befitting a mother. Records, Wei 5 §9 · 11
This single line is the only place Lady Ding appears in Chen Shou's main text. Her origins, her children, the reason she was deposed and what happened afterwards, and her death are not recorded, and there is no assessment of her. Records, Wei 5 §9
In the Romance
In Chapter 68 of the Romance, in the 5th month, in summer, of the 21st year of Jian'an (216), when the ministers submit a memorial to Emperor Xian praising Cao Cao, Duke of Wei, and urging that his rank be raised to king, Emperor Xian has Zhong Yao draft the edict and invests Cao Cao as King of Wei. After feigning refusal three times, Cao Cao accepts the rank of King of Wei, builds the palace of the King of Wei at Ye Commandery and discusses the naming of an heir. Romance, Ch. 68 §28
The Romance says that at this time Cao Cao's principal wife, Lady Ding, had no children. Cao Ang, the son born to his concubine Lady Liu, had died at Wancheng during the campaign against Zhang Xiu, and Lady Bian had borne four sons: Pi, Zhang, Zhi and Xiong. Cao Cao therefore puts Lady Ding away and installs Lady Bian as Queen of Wei. Lady Ding does not appear in the Romance after this. Romance, Ch. 68 §29
Where the Romance differs
When she was deposed: In Chapter 68 of the Romance, Lady Ding is put away when Cao Cao, having become King of Wei in the 21st year of Jian'an (216), is discussing the naming of an heir. In the Biographies of the Empresses and Consorts in the Records, Lady Ding was deposed early in the Jian'an era. Romance, Ch. 68 §28–29Records, Wei 5 §9
Lady Bian's position: In Chapter 68 of the Romance, Lady Ding is put away and Lady Bian is at once installed as Queen of Wei. In the Biographies of the Empresses and Consorts in the Records, when Lady Ding was deposed early in the Jian'an era Empress Bian was made principal wife in succession to her, and it was in the 24th year of Jian'an (219) that Empress Bian was made Queen. Romance, Ch. 68 §29Records, Wei 5 §9 · 11
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
- LEA3131±0
- STR3131±0
- INT3538+3
- POL3333±0
- CHA3840+2
- VIR4548+3
- ADP3335+2
- SCH3535±0
- DIP3335+2
- DIS3333±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.
10 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wifeCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wifeCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wifeCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wifeCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being a principal wife who was put awayCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wifeCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being put away as principal wifeCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wifeCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wifeCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wife, deposed early in the Jian'an eraWei 5 §9
NNo direct record — estimated from her being Cao Cao's principal wifeCh. 68 §29
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Family
| Spouse | Cao Cao Romance |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.