曹丕

Profile

Cao Cao’s heir, who accepted Emperor Xian’s abdication to become the first emperor of Wei. He beat his brother Cao Zhi in the succession contest, then instituted the nine-rank system that shaped bureaucracy for centuries. A genuine man of letters — his Essay on Literature survives — he is counted among the "Three Caos." He died at forty after only seven years on the throne.

Key events

1. 220

   Cao Cao Dies; Cao Pi Ends the Han

   Cao Cao dies at 66; his son Cao Pi accepts Emperor Xian’s abdication and takes the throne of Wei, ending four centuries of Han rule.

   Cao CaoEmperor Xian

History vs. the novelHistoryvsNovel

The novel plays up the petty older brother of the seven-pace-poem tale; the histories show a capable institution-builder and a pioneer of Chinese literary criticism.