User:Lds/Sandbox/Cao Cao quotes

This article contains a collection of selected writings (official statements, published orders, etc.), poems, and quotes from Cao Cao (155–220), a warlord who rose to power towards the final years of the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220) and became the de facto head of government in China. He laid the foundation for what was to become the state of Cao Wei (220–265) – founded by his son and successor, Cao Pi – in the Three Kingdoms period (220–280).

202

 * "I raised an army of righteousness for the purpose of eliminating tyranny and chaos. However, the folks in my native land are all dead. I have been travelling around this area for the whole day and I do not see any familiar faces. I am very saddened by this. Since I formed my righteous army, those soldiers who did not have any heirs when they died should have successors chosen from among their relatives to continue their family lines. The government will grant land, oxen and other farming equipment to their families, and set up schools to educate their children. Shrines should be set up for their descendants to honour their ancestors. If Heaven permits this, I will have no regrets when I die!"
 * An official order issued by Cao Cao when he passed by his hometown in Qiao (present-day Bozhou, Anhui). Published in the first month, 7th year of Jian'an (10 February – 11 March 202).


 * "The late Grand Commandant Qiao Xuan was a man of principle and virtue, one who was kind and compassionate. The state is grateful for his sermons while scholars learn from his lessons. Rest his soul in Heaven, we have fond memories of him. In my younger days, when I was stubborn and obstreperous, I visited him and he received me well. The encouragement he gave me was equivalent to that of Confucius remarking that none of his other students could replace Yan Hui, and that of Li Sheng (李生) praising Jia Fu (賈復). As the saying goes, 'a scholar would die for someone who understands him', I've never forgotten what he said to me. I remember that he once told me, "After I die, if you pass by my grave and do not offer a jar of wine and a chicken as sacrifices to me, you'll get a stomachache after your carriage moves another three steps. Do not blame me if that really happens." Although that was light hearted humour, if we were not very close at that time, how would he have cracked such a joke? Now, as I recall these old memories, I feel grief and sorrow. I am now on a eastern campaign and my army is garrisoned in this village. I am looking at the lands in the north, but my thoughts are at his grave. I hereby offer him these sacrifices and I hope he enjoys them!"
 * Eulogy for Qiao Xuan. Written in the first month, 7th year of Jian'an (10 February – 11 March 202).

209

 * "In recent years, the army has gone on numerous campaigns. Many soldiers have died of plague and never made their way back to their homes. Their families are living in sorrow and anger, while the people are displaced from place to place. Is this a sight that a person of ren desires to behold? There is no other choice. I hereby issue this order: The families of military personnel killed in action who cannot afford to support themselves will receive relief from the government. Officials should also console and provide aid to them. This is in accordance with my intentions."
 * An official order issued by Cao Cao when he passed by Qiao (present-day Bozhou, Anhui) and Hefei. Published on the xinwei (辛未) day, 8th month, 14th year of Jian'an (10 October 209).

210

 * "Since ancient times, there was no ruler who founded a new dynasty or revived a declining one who was not aided by sages or junzis! Was it by sheer coincidence for a ruler who did not step out into the street to meet a wise man? That was because those in power did not actively search for such talents. Now, the Empire has yet to be pacified, so it is a time when persons with talents or abilities are most valued. 'Meng Gong Chuo is more than fit to be chief officer in the families of Zhao and Wei, but he is not fit to be great officer to either of the States Teng or Xue.' If only persons who have high standards of integrity and are from pure backgrounds are allowed to serve in the government, how was it possible for Duke Huan of Qi to achieve hegemony over other lords? Is there no person who possesses great talent but chooses to fish by the river instead? Is there no person who has an affair with his sister-in-law and accepts bribes, and is still recognised for his talent? All of you should help me spot and recommend talented persons who come from lowly backgrounds. As long as they possess talents, they should be offered an opportunity to serve in the government. I will ensure that their abilities are put to good use."
 * Official statement. Published in spring, 15th year of Jian'an (210). [Note that the line about Meng Gong Chuo was quoted from Chapter 14 of the Analects of Confucius.]

211

 * "When I was first nominated as a xiaolian, I was young and I never saw myself as a learned and famous person who used to live as a hermit in the hills. I feared that the world would perceive me as mediocre and incompetent, hence I hoped to become the administrator of a commandery, where I would do my best to govern and educate the people, so as to build up a reputation and make my name known to all members of the scholar-gentry in the Empire. Therefore, when I was serving as the Chancellor of Jinan, I eliminated evil and corrupt practices and made the system fair for potential candidates to join the civil service and for existing officials to be promoted to higher positions. However, in doing so, I offended the local despots and other influential clans in the region. I feared that I might bring trouble to my family so I claimed that I was ill and resigned.


 * I was still young when I resigned. As I looked back at those who were nominated as xiaolians in the same year as me, I saw that some of them were already above the age of 50 but yet no one called them old. After giving it some careful thought, I felt that 20 years from then, when the Empire has been pacified, I will be around the same age as my fellow xiaolians. I returned to my hometown and constructed a small hut 50 li east of Qiao, planning to spend my time reading in summer and autumn and hunting in winter and spring. I only hoped to own a small plot of land in the countryside, live there until I die naturally, and have no connections to the outside world. However, I was never able to realise this dream.


 * Later, I was recalled to the capital to serve as a Commandant and was subsequently promoted to "Colonel Who Arranges the Army". Around that time, I planned to make contributions to the State by suppressing rebellions. I hoped to receive a marquis title and be appointed as 'General Who Attacks the West', such that the following shall be inscribed on my tombstone: 'Tomb of the late Han General Who Attacks the West and Marquis Cao'. That was my ambition then. However, later, Dong Zhuo triggered chaos, so I formed an army of righteousness to attack him. At the time, I could have rallied more troops but I dismissed many of them and refused to further expand my army. This was because I felt that if I had too many troops, I would become overconfident and meet with a disaster when I engaged the enemy. During the Battle of Bian River, I had only a few thousand men with me. Later, when I went to Yang Province to recruit soldiers, I took in no more than 3,000 men. This was because my ambition had its limits.


 * Later, when I took charge of Yan Province, I defeated 300,000 Yellow Turban rebels, received their surrender and incorporated them into my forces. When Yuan Shu was preparing to declare himself 'Emperor' in Jiujiang, his subordinates acknowledged him as their ruler and he renamed the gates of his city to "Gates of Establishing a Dynasty". His dress code was modified to resemble that of an emperor and his two wives fought with each other to become the empress. When the plan was in motion, someone urged Yuan Shu to immediately announce to the world his claim to the throne, but Yuan replied, "I can't because Lord Cao is still around." Later, I led a punitive campaign against him, defeated four of his generals and captured several of his soldiers, driving him towards his downfall and eventual death by illness. When Yuan Shao dominated the territories north of the Yellow River and his military might was at its peak, I estimated my strength and was aware that I could not overcome him. However, I decided to perform my duty to the State, sacrifice myself for the sake of righteousness and leave my name in history. I defeated Yuan Shao by luck and killed two of his sons. There was also Liu Biao, who considered himself a member of the imperial clan, harboured malicious intentions, was indecisive on whether to advance on retreat, observed the situation, and was in control of an entire province. I pacified him and restored peace to the Empire. I was appointed as the Chancellor — the highest honour a subject of an emperor can receive. This has far exceeded my original ambition.


 * As I make this personal statement today, I may sound arrogant, but my actual purpose is to eliminate whatever censures and criticisms others have towards me, which is why I am being very frank and candid in this statement. If I did not exist in this Empire, who knows how many men would have proclaimed themselves emperors and kings. There may be some people who see my expanding influence and do not subscribe to the belief of Heaven's will, so they speak ill of me behind my back and claim that I have wild designs on imperial power. These unfounded canards and speculations often make me feel uneasy. The reason why Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin are still highly praised even until today is because they respected and honoured the King of Zhou even though they were militarily powerful. The Analects mentioned: '(King Wen) possessed two of the three parts of the empire, and with those he served the dynasty of Yin. The virtue of the house of Zhou may be said to have reached the highest point indeed.' That was because he, despite being a powerful noble, was able to remain subordinate to a weaker ruler. In the past, when Yue Yi left the Yan state and came to the Zhao state, the king of Zhao wanted him to help him conquer Yan, but Yue Yi knelt down and tearfully said, "I served King Zhao (of Yan) in the same manner as I serve Your Highness now. If I am deemed guilty and exiled to another place, I will not, till death, bear to harm the common people in Zhao, much less the descendants of the people in Yan." When Huhai wanted to execute Meng Tian, Meng said, "It has been three generations since me, my father and my grandfather have earned the trust of the kings of Qin. As of now, I command over 300,000 troops and I am capable of rebelling, but I am also aware that I must remain loyal to Qin until my death so as not to disgrace my ancestors and tarnish the grace I received from the Late Emperor." Whenever I read the stories of these two men, there was never a time when I was not moved to tears. My grandfather, my father and I have served as important subjects in the imperial court and can be regarded as highly trusted by the emperors. By the time Zihuan and his brothers succeed me, my family will have served the Han Empire for more than three generations.


 * I am not sharing my thoughts with you gentlemen only because I often say these things to my wives and concubines as well, so that everyone knows my intentions better. I told them, "After I die, all of you should remarry. I hope that you can help me spread my wishes and make them known to everyone." I said these words from the very bottom of my heart. The reasons why I am willing to be so sincere are because I was inspired by how the Duke of Zhou expressed his feelings through the book Golden Coffer and also because I am afraid that others would not believe me. Nevertheless, it is certainly not possible for me to relinquish my command of the military forces and return to my Wuping marquis fief. Why? Because I fear that I will be harmed if I give up my military power. This is also for the sake of my descendants and due to the fact that the State will be in danger if I were to fall from power. I have no choice but to accept these nominal honours in order to protect myself. I have no other choice but to do this. Previously, the imperial court offered to enfeoff three of my sons as marquises but I firmly refused. Now, I have changed my mind not because I am attracted to the prestige of these honours. Rather, I hope that they can render external support to me, and hence ensure the long-term safety of the imperial court and myself.


 * Whenever I read about Jie Zitui rejecting rewards from Duke Wen of Jin and about Shen Baoxu refusing remuneration from King Zhao of Chu, I would put down the book, sigh, and use these examples to reflect on myself. I relied on the Empire's mighty spirit, represented the Emperor in military campaigns, and defeated enemies who were more powerful and numerically superior as compared to myself. I accomplished everything I wanted to do and effectuated everything I planned to do. As such, I cleared the Empire and lived up to the Emperor's expectations. This shows that Heaven stands by the Han Empire and all that has happened was not caused by people. What great deeds have I done to deserve four counties as my marquis fief and tax revenue from 30,000 households? The rivers and lakes are not peaceful yet so I cannot give up my power. However, I can reduce the amount of land I have been awarded with. Now, I return the three counties of Yangxia, Zhe and Ku, along with the 20,000 taxable households in them, to the imperial court, keeping only my original 10,000 households in Wuping County. I hope that in doing so, I can put an end to whatever disapproval others have towards me and reduce the amount of blame they wish to put on me."
 * A personal essay by Cao Cao. Published on the jihai (己亥) day, 11th month, 15th year of Jian'an (1 January 211). [Commonly referred to as the Order on declining to accept the counties and explaining personal goals (讓縣自明本志令).]

215

 * "Persons of virtue may not be able to reach greater heights; persons who made great achievements may not be virtuous. Was Chen Ping a man of virtue? Did Su Qin keep promises? Nevertheless, Chen Ping contributed to the founding of the Han dynasty, while Su Qin helped a weak Yan state in difficult times. Based on these stories, should talented persons with shortcomings be not highly regarded? All officials should consider this point carefully and be clear about it, such that persons with talents are not lost and their abilities wasted."
 * "The penal system is closely tied to people's lives. If the disciplinary officers in the army are not fit to perform their duties and yet continue to be in charge of life and death in the military, I feel very worried. Such offices should be held by people who are well-versed in law."
 * Official orders. Published on the yiwei (乙未) day, 12th month, 19th year of Jian'an (5 February 215).

216

 * "In the past, Yi Zhi and Fu Yue were from lowly backgrounds, Guan Zhong was a former enemy of Duke Huan of Qi, but yet all of them had their talents put to good use. Xiao He and Cao Shen started off as county-level officials, Chen Ping had a disgraceful and shameful past, but yet they all contributed to the founding of a dynasty and left their names in history. Wu Qi lusted for his commission as a general, killed his wife to earn the trust (of Duke Mu of Lu), spent his family fortune on attempting to obtain an official post, and did not attend his mother's funeral when she died. Despite so, when he was in Wei, Qin were afraid of making military advances towards the east; when he was in Chu, the Three Jins did not dare to have any designs on the south. If you know of any persons who satisfy the following criteria, please recommend all of them and leave none behind: persons who may not have very high standards of integrity but display valour in battle, possess exemplary talents and abilities, or are capable of serving as generals or administrators; persons who have disgraceful and shameful pasts or are of poor moral character, but are yet capable of serving as civil or military officers.
 * Official order. Published in the 8th month, 21st year of Jian'an (31 August – 28 September 216).

218

 * "Last winter, there was a plague and it inflicted much harm on the people. As many men are already serving in the military, there are few left to tend to the fields. I am very concerned about this. I hereby issue these orders: The following people are entitled to receive relief from the government for the rest of their lives: women who are above the age of 70 and have no husbands or sons; girls who are below the age of 12 and whose parents and male siblings are deceased; physically disabled people who have no families and do not own any inheritance from their fathers. Relief is to be provided to children up to the age of 12 and to those living in poverty and cannot support themselves. Elderly people who need to be attended to, are above the age of 90, or have difficulty moving around, should have at least one person at home to take care of them."
 * Official order. Published in the 4th month, 23rd year of Jian'an (13 May – 10 June 218).


 * "Since ancient times, dead people have always been buried in lands that are barren. As of now, I designate the plains west of the Ximen Bao shrine as a state cemetery. The elevation of the land shall remain as it is; it is not necessary to add earth to make the land higher or plant trees in the area. The Rites of Zhou mentioned that tomb keepers are the people in charge of maintaining state cemeteries. The tombs of nobles are situated around those of kings and emperors while the tombs of officials are situated behind those of nobles. This is called "companion burial" according to Han customs. Deceased civil and military officers who had made great contributions to the State will be buried in the state cemetery. The cemetery grounds should be expanded so that it can accommodate all of them."
 * Official order. Published in the 6th month, 23rd year of Jian'an (11 July – 8 August 218).

220

 * "The Empire has yet to be pacified so old customs from ancient times cannot be followed. After my funeral, remove all your mourning garments. All military commanders are not allowed to leave their posts and all officials must continue to perform their best in their duties. I shall be buried in whatever clothes I am wearing when I die. Do not place gold, jade or any precious items in my tomb."
 * Cao Cao's instructions on his funeral. Issued in the 1st month, 25th year of Jian'an (22 February – 21 March 220).

189

 * "Eunuchs have existed throughout history. If rulers didn't favour them and grant them authority, the situation wouldn't be as such. The best way to deal with the eunuchs is to execute their leader, and a low-ranking judicial officer can do that. Why is there a need to summon generals from outside the capital? If he intends to kill all the eunuchs, his plan will definitely be leaked out. I foresee his failure."
 * A remark made by Cao Cao in 189 in response to He Jin's idea of summoning Dong Zhuo to the capital Luoyang to deal with the eunuch faction in the Han imperial court.


 * "I'd rather do wrong to others than allow them to do wrong to me!"
 * A remark made by Cao Cao in 189 after he killed Lü Boshe's family by mistake while he was escaping from Luoyang back to his home in Chenliu (陳留; around present-day Kaifeng, Henan). [The exact words in this quote were altered in Chapter 4 of the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. See the article on Lü Boshe for details.]

190s

 * "We've gathered here today with righteous armies to eliminate tyranny and chaos. Gentlemen, why are you still hesitating? When Dong Zhuo hears of the rise of the Guandong Coalition, he'll make use of (his control of) the imperial family and the strategic advantage of the two capitals (Luoyang and Chang'an) to send his troops east to conquer the Empire; even though his actions are morally abhorrent, he still poses a threat. Now, as he has burnt down the imperial palace and state offices and taken the Emperor hostage, the people are shocked and don't know who to follow. The time for (Dong Zhuo's) doom has come. We can pacify the Empire in one battle and we mustn't lose this opportunity."
 * Said by Cao Cao in 190 during the campaign against Dong Zhuo to the Guandong Coalition members when he saw that they were reluctant to pursue Dong Zhuo while Dong was retreating towards Chang'an.


 * "Gentlemen, please listen to my plan. Bohai (Yuan Shao) will lead the forces of Henei (河內) to Meng Ford (孟津) while the generals in Suanzao will defend Chenggao (成臯) and occupy Aocang (敖倉), Huanyuan (轘轅), Taigu (太谷) and other strategic locations; General Yuan (Yuan Shu) will lead troops from Nanyang (南陽), pass through Wu Pass and terrorise the enemy in the capital province; we should station ourselves in high grounds and heavily fortified places, refrain from directly engaging the enemy, and use deception to confuse the enemy. We'll show them the situation of the Empire, ride on the tide and eliminate the evil, and our goal will be accomplished. Now, we've already raised the flag of righteousness, yet we remain suspicious and refuse to advance further. We'll lose the people's hopes. I feel ashamed for all of you!"
 * Said by Cao Cao in 190 during the campaign against Dong Zhuo to the Guandong Coalition members when he saw that the latter were becoming lax after Dong Zhuo abandoned Luoyang and moved the capital to Chang'an.


 * "Dong Zhuo is notorious for his crimes throughout the Empire. When we took up arms against him and formed this coalition army, the people near and far responded to our call because we had the moral high ground. The Emperor is young and weak, and is under the control of treacherous officials, but he is still not in danger of being overthrown. If he is replaced, how can the Empire be peaceful? All of you may face north, but I'll head west."
 * A reply made in 190 by Cao Cao to Yuan Shao when the latter considered installing Liu Yu on the throne because the reigning Emperor Xian was being held hostage in Chang'an by Dong Zhuo.


 * "How can a person who shows filial piety towards his loved ones not be loyal towards his lord? This is what I'm looking for."
 * Said by Cao Cao in 194 or 195 after his forces captured Bi Chen.


 * "One way to achieve stability in a state is to build up a strong military force and produce sufficient food supplies. The people of Qin pursued an aggressive agricultural policy and succeeded in unifying the Empire while Emperor Xiaowu adopted the tuntian system to pacify the Western Regions. They serve as excellent historical examples for us to follow."
 * Said by Cao Cao in 196 when he introduced the tuntian system.


 * "This is a time for us to recruit heroes. It's not advisable to risk losing the hearts of the people by killing one man."
 * A reply made in 196 by Cao Cao to Cheng Yu when the latter urged him to kill Liu Bei when Liu sought shelter under Cao after his defeat by Lü Bu.


 * "When I received Zhang Xiu's surrender, I failed to make him hand over a person as a hostage, which was why I ended up in this situation. I know the reason for my defeat. Gentlemen, watch me, I'll not be defeated again from now on."
 * Said by Cao Cao in 197 to his followers after his defeat at the Battle of Wancheng.

200s

 * "A subject who serves a lord but does not forget his origins is truly a man of righteousness. [...]"
 * Said by Cao Cao in 200 when Zhang Liao told him that Guan Yu would be leaving them to reunite with Liu Bei. [See Guan Yu for details.]


 * "He's just doing his duty to his lord. There's no need to pursue him."
 * Said by Cao Cao in 200 when his subordinates wanted to pursue Guan Yu after Guan left them to reunite with Liu Bei. [See Guan Yu for details.]


 * "Liu Bei, he's my mate. However, he doesn't think fast. If he had set fire earlier, we wouldn't have been able to get out."
 * Said by Cao Cao in late 208 or early 209 when he passed through Huarong Trail (華容道) while retreating after his defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs.


 * "If Guo Fengxiao was around, I would not have ended up like this."
 * A remark made by Cao Cao in 209 after his defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs.

210s

 * "A general should consider his weaknesses, be prepared for situations in which he cannot win, and not rely solely on sheer bravery. Courage is a base instinct he should possess, but he should also use wisdom and strategy when he makes moves. One who knows only bravery is no more than an ordinary man who can fight enemies."
 * A piece of advice Cao Cao gave to Xiahou Yuan when the latter was scoring a series of victories in the 210s in his campaigns in northwestern China.


 * "This rascal wants me to put myself on top of a fire!"
 * A remark made by Cao Cao in late 219 when he received a letter from Sun Quan, in which Sun urged him to take the throne from Emperor Xian of Han.


 * "'These qualities are displayed in government. This then also constitutes the exercise of government.' If the Mandate of Heaven does belong to me, I'll be like King Wen of Zhou."
 * Cao Cao's reply to Xiahou Dun in late 219 when the latter urged him to take the throne from Emperor Xian of Han. [Note that the first two sentences were quoted from Chapter 2 of the Analects of Confucius.]

Jin dynasty

 * "Towards the end of the Han dynasty, chaos broke out throughout China and warlords rose up everywhere. Yuan Shao eyed the four provinces covetously and he appeared to be militarily invincible. Taizu (Cao Cao) carefully planned and executed his strategies, struck the world with his whip, embraced the Legalist policies of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang, and possessed the brilliance of Han Xin and Bai Qi. When he appointed talented persons to official positions, he did so in consideration of their individual competencies and personalities and ignored their backgrounds and past misdeeds, and thus he was able to manage and control imperial power. Among those who had accomplished great tasks, he was the most exceptional in terms of wisdom and sagacity. As such, he can be called an extraordinary man and an outstanding hero of his time."
 * Chen Shou's personal comments in Cao Cao's biography in Records of the Three Kingdoms.

Tang dynasty

 * "[...] With his majestic martial prowess, he shouldered a difficult destiny. His ability to assume the role of a pillar of state was similar to those of others in the past; his contributions towards upholding justice, however, were different from those of others in the past [...]"
 * From an elegiac address written by Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty.


 * "(He) maintained control of the situation in times of peril, foresaw his enemy's movements and cleverly waylaid them. He was exceptionally brilliant for a military leader, but was not competent enough to rule as an emperor."
 * Another elegiac address written by Emperor Taizong of Tang.


 * "[...] this villain murdered the empress and oppressed the emperor. His crimes were a hundred times more heinous than those of Tian Chengzi; the disaster he triggered was a thousand times worse than that caused by Wang Mang."
 * From the Shitong, by the Tang dynasty historian Liu Zhiji.

Song dynasty

 * "The King (Cao Cao) was very skilled in understanding and observing people and seeing through their disguises. He recognised and groomed extraordinary talents and ensured that their abilities were to good use regardless of their backgrounds. On the battlefield, he remained calm and composed; if he did not wish to engage the enemy, he would still wait for an opportunity to make a decisive and overwhelming attack. He heavily rewarded those who deserved to be rewarded; undeserving people who expected to receive something from him had their hopes dashed. He was strict and harsh upholding laws - if someone committed an offence punishable by death, no matter how much that person cried and begged for his life, he was not spared. He lived in a frugal and simple manner and was not fond of aesthetic appeal. As such, he was able to eliminate rivalling warlords and pacify the Empire."
 * Sima Guang's personal comments on Cao Cao in the Zizhi Tongjian.

Modern

 * "Actually, Cao Cao was a very capable person and was at least a hero. I may not side with Cao Cao, but I am nonetheless always very impressed with him."
 * Said by Lu Xun at a public lecture event held in Guangzhou, Guangdong in September 1927. The lecture notes were later included in the Eryi Ji (而已集), a collection of miscellaneous writings done by Lu Xun in 1927.