Cao Pi's Usurpation of the Han 曹丕代漢

When Cao Cao died at Luoyang in the 1st month of the 25th year of Jian'an (220), Cao Pi, Crown Prince of Wei, succeeded him as Chancellor and King of Wei and changed the 25th year of Jian'an to the 1st year of Yankang. In the 2nd month Cao Pi made Jia Xu Grand Commandant, Hua Xin Chancellor of State and Wang Lang Imperial Counselor. When a yellow dragon appeared at Qiao County in the 3rd month, Yin Deng, who had remembered the saying, made about the yellow dragon at Qiao County in the 5th year of Xiping (176), that a king would arise in that state, said that the saying had come true. Records, Wei 1 §171–172Records, Wei 2 §1–3

In the 6th month Cao Pi set out on a southern campaign, and in the 7th month Sun Quan sent an envoy with tribute and the Shu general Meng Da surrendered with his followers. Cao Pi's army stopped at Qiao County and held a great feast for the Six Armies and for the elders and common people of Qiao. Records, Wei 2 §8 · 10–11

The Han emperor, because the hopes of the multitude rested on Wei, summoned the high ministers and officials, reported to the Temple of Gaozu, and had the acting Imperial Counselor Zhang Yin, bearing the credentials, present the imperial seal and ribbon and hand over the throne. The edict of abdication said that the Mandate of Heaven returns to the virtuous, just as Yao yielded the throne to Shun and Shun to Yu, and that since the divine martial power of King Wu had rescued the realm from its troubles and the King had carried on that work and made his virtue shine, the emperor was yielding the throne according to the rule of Tang Yao. Records, Wei 2 §13–15

An altar was built at Fanyang, and on the gengwu day Cao Pi ascended the altar and took the imperial throne, with the hundred officials in attendance. When the ceremony was over he came down from the altar and watched the firewood burned to complete the rite, changed Yankang to Huangchu and proclaimed a general amnesty. The Annals of Emperor Wen record this following the entries for the guimao and bingwu days of the 11th month in winter, while the Biographies of Empresses and Consorts record that he took the throne in the 10th month of the 1st year of Huangchu. Records, Wei 2 §12 · 16Records, Wei 5 §20

On the guiyou day of the 11th month of the 1st year of Huangchu, Cao Pi enfeoffed the Han emperor as Duke of Shanyang with the 10,000 households of Shanyang town in Henei, allowed him to use the Han calendar, to perform the suburban sacrifices with the rites of the Son of Heaven and not to call himself a subject when submitting writings, and enfeoffed his four sons as marquises. He honored his grandfather the Grand King as Grand Emperor and his father King Wu as Emperor Wu, made Fanyang Pavilion in Yingyin into Fanchang County, and changed official titles, such as renaming Chancellor of State to Minister over the Masses. Hua Xin went at this time from Chancellor of State to Minister over the Masses. In the 12th month construction of the Luoyang palace began, and on the wuwu day Cao Pi went to Luoyang. Records, Wei 2 §17–19Records, Wei 13 §33

The Biography of the First Sovereign records that in the 25th year Emperor Wen of Wei assumed the imperial title and changed the era name to Huangchu, and that when a rumor spread that the Han emperor had been killed, Liu Bei proclaimed mourning, put on mourning dress and conferred the posthumous title of Emperor Xiaomin. After that the officials of Shu submitted memorials urging Liu Bei to take the imperial title. Records, Shu 2 §55