RNo direct record — estimated from his recordWei 19 §67
NWhen an envoy came to charge him, hanged himself in fearCh. 79 §7
Cao Xiong 曹熊
| Occupation | ROther · Prince Huai of Xiao NOther · Marquis of Xiaohuai | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wei |
| Born | N? Unverified | Native place | Pei Commandery Qiao County Unverified |
| Died | N220 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | NSuicide Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R3 |
Profile
Cao Xiong was a son of Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei. His mother was Empress Bian (Wuxuan), who bore Cao Pi (Emperor Wen), Cao Zhang (Prince Wei of Rencheng), Cao Zhi (Prince Si of Chen) and Cao Xiong (Prince Huai of Xiao). He has a short biography in the Biographies of the Princes of Rencheng, Chen and Xiao in Records of Wei 19, which records that he died young and was posthumously enfeoffed as Duke Huai of Xiao in the 2nd year of Huangchu (221) and again, as prince, in the 3rd year of Taihe (229). Records, Wei 20 §2Records, Wei 19 §66–67
Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, his age, or the year and cause of his death, and the assessment at the end of the volume deals only with the Prince of Rencheng and the Prince of Chen. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 78, in the passage where Cao Cao, nearing death, says that his fourth son Cao Xiong is sickly and unlikely to live long, and he appears in 2 of its 120 chapters; his name is not in any chapter title. In Chapter 79, when an envoy is sent to charge him with the offence of not coming to the mourning, it is reported that he hanged himself for fear of punishment. Records, Wei 19 §67 · 69Romance, Ch. 78 §29–30Romance, Ch. 79 §7
In the Records
Emperor Wu had twenty-five sons. Empress Bian (Wuxuan) bore Cao Pi (Emperor Wen), Cao Zhang (Prince Wei of Rencheng), Cao Zhi (Prince Si of Chen) and Cao Xiong (Prince Huai of Xiao). Records, Wei 20 §2
The biography of Cao Xiong, Prince Huai of Xiao, in the Biographies of the Princes of Rencheng, Chen and Xiao records that he died young. In the 2nd year of Huangchu (221) he was posthumously enfeoffed as Duke Huai of Xiao and given his posthumous name, and in the 3rd year of Taihe (229) his rank was raised again and he was posthumously enfeoffed as prince. Records, Wei 19 §66–67
In the 2nd year of Qinglong (234) his son Cao Bing, Prince Ai, succeeded him with a fief of 2,500 households. Cao Bing died in the 6th year, and as he had no son, the fief was abolished. Records, Wei 19 §67
In Chen Shou's main text, Cao Xiong appears only in this biography and in the list of sons at the beginning of the Biographies of the Princes of Emperors Wu and Wen. His courtesy name, his age, the year and cause of his death, and his rank during his lifetime are not recorded. The assessment at the end of Records of Wei 19 says only that the Prince of Rencheng was martial in skill, sturdy and fierce, with the bearing of a commander, and that the Prince of Chen was rich and brilliant in literary talent but could not be modest and guard against danger, so that a rift opened in the end; it does not assess Cao Xiong. Records, Wei 19 §67 · 69Records, Wei 20 §2
In the Romance
In Chapter 78 of the Romance, Cao Cao, gravely ill, calls Cao Hong, Chen Qun, Jia Xu, Sima Yi and others to his bedside and entrusts them with affairs after his death. Cao Cao says that his eldest son Cao Ang, born of Lady Liu, died early at Wancheng, and that Lady Bian has now borne him four sons: Pi, Zhang, Zhi and Xiong. He goes on to say that his third son Cao Zhi is all outward show with little sincerity, his second son Cao Zhang is brave but lacks strategy, and his fourth son Cao Xiong is sickly and unlikely to live long, so that only his eldest son Cao Pi is fit to carry on his work. Romance, Ch. 78 §28–30
When Cao Cao dies in the 1st month, in spring, of the 25th year of Jian'an, the civil and military officials all mourn him, and messengers are sent to announce his death to the heir Cao Pi, Cao Zhang the Marquis of Yanling, Cao Zhi the Marquis of Linzi, and Cao Xiong the Marquis of Xiaohuai. Romance, Ch. 78 §31 · 34
In Chapter 79, after Cao Pi has taken the throne and changed the 25th year of Jian'an to the 1st year of Yankang, Hua Xin reports that the Marquis of Yanling has already handed over his troops and left for his fief, but that the two others, Cao Zhi the Marquis of Linzi and Cao Xiong the Marquis of Xiaohuai, have never come to the mourning and should be charged. Cao Pi sends envoys separately to the two places, and before long the envoy who went to Xiaohuai returns and reports that Cao Xiong, Marquis of Xiaohuai, has hanged himself for fear of punishment. Cao Pi has him buried with full honours and posthumously makes him Prince of Xiaohuai. Romance, Ch. 79 §4 · 7
Cao Pi's mother, Lady Bian, grieves deeply on hearing that Cao Xiong has hanged himself, and when she then hears that Cao Zhi has been seized and that his followers, Ding Yi (丁儀) and others, have been put to death, she is greatly alarmed, leaves her hall and summons Cao Pi. In tears, she asks him to think of the bond between sons of one mother and spare at least Cao Zhi's life. Romance, Ch. 79 §12
Where the Romance differs
Cao Cao's last words: In Chapter 78 of the Romance, Cao Cao, before his death, tells his ministers that his fourth son Cao Xiong is sickly and unlikely to live long. The testamentary order in the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records says such things as that mourning clothes should be put off after the burial and that generals at garrisons should not leave their posts, and says nothing about his sons; the biography of Cao Xiong does not mention any illness either. Romance, Ch. 78 §30Records, Wei 1 §172Records, Wei 19 §67
His death: In Chapter 79 of the Romance, after Cao Cao's death, when an envoy is sent to charge him with not coming to the mourning, Cao Xiong hangs himself for fear of punishment. The Records state only that he died young and do not give the year or cause of his death. Romance, Ch. 79 §7Records, Wei 19 §67
His rank: In Chapters 78 and 79 of the Romance, Cao Xiong is called Marquis of Xiaohuai during his lifetime, and after his death Cao Pi posthumously makes him Prince of Xiaohuai. The Records do not give his rank during his lifetime and state that he was posthumously enfeoffed as Duke Huai of Xiao in the 2nd year of Huangchu (221) and then again as prince in the 3rd year of Taihe (229). Romance, Ch. 78 §34Romance, Ch. 79 §7Records, Wei 19 §67
His successor: Chapter 79 of the Romance records only Cao Xiong's death and posthumous title, and no successor appears. In the Records, his son Cao Bing, Prince Ai, succeeded him in the 2nd year of Qinglong (234) with a fief of 2,500 households, and when Cao Bing died without a son the fief was abolished. Romance, Ch. 79 §7Records, Wei 19 §67
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 total361 / 1000Rank 842 of 996 · Top 85%Romance total329 / 1000Rank 1,015 of 1,113 · Top 92%
Romance adaptation index−32Romance total − Records total
- LEA3131±0
- STR3131±0
- INT3835−3
- POL3533−2
- CHA3835−3
- VIR4235−7
- ADP3828−10
- SCH3835−3
- DIP3533−2
- DIS3533−2
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
9 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a member of the royal house who died youngWei 19 §67
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a sickly princeCh. 78 §30
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a member of the royal house who died youngWei 19 §67
NCao Cao said he was sickly and unlikely to live longCh. 78 §30
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a member of the royal houseWei 19 §67
NNo direct record — estimated from his recordCh. 79 §7
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a member of the royal houseWei 19 §67
NNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Marquis of XiaohuaiCh. 78 §34
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a member of the royal houseWei 19 §67
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a princeCh. 78 §34
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a member of the royal houseWei 19 §67
NFailed to come to his father's mourning and was to be charged for itCh. 79 §7
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a member of the royal houseWei 19 §67
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a princeCh. 78 §34
RNo direct record — estimated from his recordWei 19 §67
NNo direct record — estimated from his recordCh. 79 §7
RNo direct record — estimated from his recordWei 19 §67
NNo direct record — estimated from his recordCh. 79 §12
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 (2)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Wei · Records · Records vol. 19 「黃初二年追封謚蕭懷公」
Family
| Parents | Empress Bian (Wuxuan) Novel & History, Cao Cao Novel & History |
|---|---|
| Siblings | Cao Hui Records, Cao Chong Records, Cao Ang Novel & History, Cao Jie Romance, Cao Jun(曹均) Records, Cao Lin(曹林) Records, Cao Biao Records, Cao Gun Records, Cao Yu Records, Cao Zheng Records, Cao Zhi Novel & History, Cao Zhang Novel & History, Princess Qinghe Romance, Cao Jun(曹峻) Records, Cao Gan Records, Cao Pi Novel & History |
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.