RNominated as Filial and Incorrupt at the age of twentyWei 20 §4
NGave his own horse to Cao Cao so he could escape, and died struck by arrowsCh. 16 §54
Cao Ang 曹昂
| Occupation | ROther · Filial and Incorrupt | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wei |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | Pei Commandery Qiao County Unverified |
| Died | R197 Unverified | Place of death | RNWan County |
| Cause of death | RKilled NKilled in battle Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R12 |
Profile
Cao Ang, courtesy name Zixiu, was the eldest son of Cao Cao. His mother was Lady Liu, and at the age of twenty he was nominated as Filial and Incorrupt. Records, Wei 20 §2 · 4Records, Wei 1 §43
In the 1st month, in spring, of the 2nd year of Jian'an (197), he followed Cao Cao to Wan, and when Zhang Xiu, who had surrendered, rebelled again and Cao Cao's army was defeated, he was killed together with Cao Cao's nephew Cao Anmin. As he had no son, Cao Wan, son of Cao Jun, Duke An of Fan, was later made his heir; in the Huangchu era he was posthumously enfeoffed as Duke Dao of Feng and then Prince Dao of Feng, and in the 3rd year of Taihe (229) his posthumous name was changed to Prince Min. Records, Wei 1 §43Records, Wei 20 §4
In the assessment of this volume, Chen Shou only lamented the ills of the system under which the princes and dukes of Wei had the name of a fief but not the substance, and did not assess Cao Ang separately. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 16 and appears in 4 of its 120 chapters; no chapter title bears his name. In Chapter 16, during the night battle at the city of Wan, he gives his own horse to Cao Cao, who has lost his, and dies struck by a hail of arrows. Records, Wei 20 §93Romance, Ch. 16 §54
In the Records
Emperor Wu had twenty-five sons, and among them Lady Liu bore Cao Ang, Prince Min of Feng, and Cao Shuo, Prince Shang of Xiang. Cao Ang's courtesy name was Zixiu, and at the age of twenty he was nominated as Filial and Incorrupt. Records, Wei 20 §2 · 4
When Zhang Ji, attacking Rang to the south, was struck by a stray arrow and died, his clansman's son Zhang Xiu took command of his followers, stationed himself at Wan and allied with Liu Biao. When Taizu campaigned south and halted his army on the Yu River, Zhang Xiu and the others surrendered with all their followers. Records, Wei 8 §56–57
In the 1st month, in spring, of the 2nd year of Jian'an (197), Taizu reached Wan, where Zhang Xiu surrendered but soon regretted it and rebelled again. The Biography of Zhang Xiu records the course of events: when Taizu took Zhang Ji's wife, Zhang Xiu bore a grudge; when Taizu heard that he was displeased, he secretly laid a plan to kill him, but the plan leaked and Zhang Xiu launched a surprise attack on Taizu. Records, Wei 1 §43Records, Wei 8 §57
Taizu fought back, but his army was defeated and he was hit by a stray arrow, and his eldest son Cao Ang and his nephew Cao Anmin were killed. The Biography of Cao Ang records that he followed Taizu on the southern campaign and was killed by Zhang Xiu, and the Biography of Zhang Xiu records that Taizu's army was defeated and two of his sons died. In the same battle Dian Wei died fighting to hold the camp gate, and Taizu withdrew with light cavalry. Records, Wei 1 §43Records, Wei 20 §4Records, Wei 8 §57Records, Wei 18 §64–66
Taizu led his troops back to Wuyin, and when Zhang Xiu came with cavalry to raid, he struck and defeated him. Zhang Xiu fled to Rang and joined forces with Liu Biao. Taizu told his generals that the mistake of not taking hostages at once after accepting the surrender of Zhang Xiu and the others had brought him to this, and said that from now on he would not be defeated again; then he returned to Xu. Records, Wei 1 §43
Cao Ang had no son. In the 2nd year of Huangchu (221) he was posthumously enfeoffed with the posthumous name Duke Dao of Feng. In the 3rd year of Huangchu (222), Cao Wan, son of Cao Jun, Duke An of Fan, was made Cao Ang's heir and enfeoffed as Duke of Zhongdu, and in the same year his fief was moved and he became Duke of Zhangzi. In the 5th year of Huangchu (224) Cao Ang's title was raised and he was posthumously made Prince Dao of Feng, and in the 3rd year of Taihe (229) his posthumous name was changed to Prince Min. Records, Wei 20 §4
In the 6th year of Jiaping (254), Cao Wan succeeded to Cao Ang's rank as Prince of Feng. In the Zhengyuan and Jingyuan eras his fief was increased several times, reaching 2,700 households together with what he had before. When Cao Wan died he was given the posthumous name Prince Gong, and his son Cao Lian succeeded him. Records, Wei 20 §4–5
In the assessment of this volume, Chen Shou lamented the ills of the system, saying that the princes and dukes of Wei had only the name of a fief and not the substance of a state, that they were hemmed in by prohibitions and surveillance no differently from prisoners, and that their ranks and titles were never settled but changed year by year. He has no words assessing Cao Ang separately. Records, Wei 20 §93
In the Romance
In Chapter 16 of the Romance, after Zhang Ji's death his nephew Zhang Xiu takes Jia Xu as his adviser and stations himself in the city of Wan, and Cao Cao raises 150,000 troops and goes to attack him in person. On Jia Xu's advice Zhang Xiu surrenders, and Cao Cao enters the city of Wan and stays there; following the words of his elder brother's son Cao Anmin, he has Lady Zou, the wife of Zhang Ji, brought to him. Learning of this, Zhang Xiu flies into a rage and lays a plot with Jia Xu. His subordinate general Hu Cher proposes a plan to slip in behind the drunken Dian Wei and first steal his pair of iron halberds, and that night, while Dian Wei, woken from sleep, cannot find his pair of halberds, Zhang Xiu's troops burst into Cao Cao's camp. Romance, Ch. 16 §40 · 42–50
While Dian Wei dies holding the camp gate, Cao Cao flees on horseback out the back of the camp, and Cao Anmin, following on foot, is cut down by enemy soldiers on the bank of the Qingshui River. Cao Cao is struck in the right arm by an arrow, and when he crosses the river and reaches the bank, an arrow hits his horse in the eye and the horse falls headlong. At this moment his eldest son Cao Ang gives Cao Cao the horse he has been riding, and while Cao Cao escapes on it, Cao Ang is struck by a hail of arrows and dies. Romance, Ch. 16 §52–54
In Chapter 18, Cao Cao, who has come again to attack Zhang Xiu and been heavily defeated by Jia Xu's plan, slowly drives his troops on as Liu Biao sets out to cut off his line of retreat, and reaches the Qing River. Saying that he lost his great general Dian Wei here the year before, he wails aloud on horseback, and only after finishing the sacrifice to Dian Wei does he make offerings to his nephew Cao Anmin and his eldest son Cao Ang, and he even makes offerings to the soldiers killed in battle and to the Dayuan horse that died from arrows. Romance, Ch. 18 §4–7
In Chapter 68, when Cao Cao, having become King of Wei in the 21st year of Jian'an (216), deliberates on naming his heir, the Romance states that his principal wife Lady Ding had no children, and that Cao Ang, borne by his concubine Lady Liu, had died in the city of Wan when Cao Cao attacked Zhang Xiu. It goes on to list the four sons borne by Lady Bian and says that Cao Cao put away Lady Ding and made Lady Bian Queen of Wei. Romance, Ch. 68 §28–29
In Chapter 78, Cao Cao, gravely ill, calls Cao Hong, Chen Qun, Jia Xu, Sima Yi and others to his bedside to entrust his family affairs to them, and says that his eldest son Cao Ang, borne by Lady Liu, unfortunately died early in the city of Wan. Then he says that of the four sons borne by Lady Bian only Cao Pi is fit to carry on his work, and urges them to assist him. Romance, Ch. 78 §28–30
Where the Romance differs
How he died: In Chapter 16 of the Romance, Cao Ang gives his own horse to Cao Cao, who has lost his, and dies struck by a hail of arrows. The Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records state only that Cao Cao was hit by a stray arrow and that his eldest son Cao Ang and his nephew Cao Anmin were killed, and the Biography of Cao Ang records that he was killed by Zhang Xiu. Chen Shou's main text says nothing of Cao Ang giving up his horse. Romance, Ch. 16 §54Records, Wei 1 §43Records, Wei 20 §3–5
Why Zhang Xiu rebelled: In Chapter 16 of the Romance, when Cao Cao, following Cao Anmin's words, has Lady Zou, the wife of Zhang Ji, brought to him, Zhang Xiu, enraged at the insult, plots a surprise attack with Jia Xu. In the Biography of Zhang Xiu in the Records, when Taizu took Zhang Ji's wife, Zhang Xiu bore a grudge; Taizu, hearing of it, secretly laid a plan to kill Zhang Xiu, and when it leaked, Zhang Xiu launched a surprise attack. The surname of Zhang Ji's wife and Cao Anmin's bringing her are not in Chen Shou's main text. Romance, Ch. 16 §44–47Records, Wei 8 §57
Cao Anmin, who died with him: Chapter 16 of the Romance calls Cao Anmin the son of Cao Cao's elder brother and depicts him following Cao Cao on foot and being cut down on the bank of the Qingshui River. The Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records record him as the son of Cao Cao's younger brother (dizi) and say only that he was killed together with Cao Ang. Romance, Ch. 16 §44 · 53Records, Wei 1 §43
Lady Ding and Lady Bian: In Chapter 68 of the Romance, after Cao Cao becomes King of Wei in the 21st year of Jian'an (216), the statement that Cao Ang is dead and Lady Ding has no children is followed by Cao Cao putting away Lady Ding and making Lady Bian Queen of Wei. In the Biographies of Empresses and Consorts in the Records, Lady Ding was set aside early in the Jian'an era and Lady Bian became his principal wife, and Lady Bian was made queen in the 24th year of Jian'an (219). Chen Shou's main text does not give the reason Lady Ding was set aside. Romance, Ch. 68 §29Records, Wei 5 §9 · 11
Posthumous enfeoffment and heir: In the Records, Cao Ang had no son, so in the 2nd year of Huangchu (221) he was posthumously enfeoffed as Duke Dao of Feng, Cao Wan, son of Cao Jun, became his heir, and his posthumous title passed through Prince Dao of Feng before being changed to Prince Min in the 3rd year of Taihe (229). The Romance mentions him in Chapters 68 and 78 only as the eldest son who died early at the city of Wan, and does not record his posthumous enfeoffment or heir. Records, Wei 20 §4Romance, Ch. 68 §29Romance, Ch. 78 §29
Filial and Incorrupt: The Biography of Cao Ang in the Records records that he was nominated as Filial and Incorrupt at the age of twenty. In the Romance, Cao Ang first appears in the battle at the city of Wan in Chapter 16 and dies at once, and his nomination as Filial and Incorrupt does not appear. Records, Wei 20 §4Romance, Ch. 16 §54
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.
Records total408 / 1000Rank 562 of 996 · Top 57%Romance total399 / 1000Rank 520 of 1,113 · Top 47%
Romance adaptation index−9Romance total − Records total
- LEA3531−4
- STR3840+2
- INT4038−2
- POL4031−9
- CHA4540−5
- VIR5882+24
- ADP4040±0
- SCH4235−7
- DIP3531−4
- DIS3531−4
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
9 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — no record of commandWei 1 §43
NNo direct record — no record of commandCh. 16 §54
RNo direct record — estimated from his service on campaignWei 20 §4
NNo direct record — estimated from his service on campaignCh. 16 §54
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 20 §4
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 16 §54
RNo direct record — no record of administrationWei 20 §4
NNo direct record — no record of administrationCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 20 §4
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 78 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 1 §43
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 16 §54
RNo direct record — estimated from his nomination as Filial and IncorruptWei 20 §4
NNo direct record — no record of learningCh. 68 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 20 §4
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 16 §54
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 20 §4
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 16 §54
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 (4)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Wei · Records · Records vol. 20 「隨太祖南征，爲張繡所害」
Family
| Parents | Lady Liu(劉氏) Romance, Cao Cao Novel & History |
|---|---|
| Siblings | Cao Jun(曹均) Records, Cao Yu Records, Cao Hui Records, Cao Zheng Records, Cao Xiong Novel & History, Cao Biao Records, Cao Jie Romance, Cao Jun(曹峻) Records, Cao Lin(曹林) Records, Cao Pi Novel & History, Cao Chong Records, Cao Zhi Novel & History, Cao Gan Records, Cao Zhang Novel & History, Cao Gun Records, Princess Qinghe Romance |
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.
Related events (2)
- Battle of Wancheng 197~199 · Command
- Cao Cao Defeated at the Yu River 197 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).