Cao Wei
Wei (Hanzi: 魏; pinyin: Wèi < Middle Chinese: *ŋjweiC < Eastern Han Chinese: *ŋuiC) (220–266), known as Cao Wei (曹魏) or Former Wei in historiography, was a dynastic state of China and one of the three major states that competed for supremacy over China in the Three Kingdoms period. With its capital initially located at Xuchang, and thereafter Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi (Emperor Wen) in 220, based upon the foundations laid by his father, Cao Cao, towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty.
Wei 魏 | |||||||||
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| 220–266 | |||||||||
The territories of Cao Wei (in yellow), 262 AD. | |||||||||
| Capital | Xuchang (220–226), Luoyang (226–266) | ||||||||
| Common languages | Middle Chinese | ||||||||
| Religion | Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Emperor | |||||||||
• Dec 220 – Jun 226 | Cao Pi | ||||||||
• Jun 226 – Jan 239 | Cao Rui | ||||||||
• Jan 239 – Oct 254 | Cao Fang | ||||||||
• Oct 254 – Jun 260 | Cao Mao | ||||||||
• Jun 260 – Feb 266 | Cao Huan | ||||||||
| Historical era | Three Kingdoms | ||||||||
• Abdication of Emperor Xian of Han | 11 December 220 | ||||||||
• Eastern Wu declaring independence from Wei | 222 | ||||||||
• Cao Wei conquers Shu Han | 263 | ||||||||
• Abdication of Cao Huan | 4 February 266 | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 260 | 4,432,881 (disputed) | ||||||||
| Currency | Chinese coin, Chinese cash (Wu Zhu) | ||||||||
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| Today part of | China North Korea Vietnam | ||||||||
| Cao Wei | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 曹魏 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 曹魏 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | Cáo Wèi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Part of a series on the |
| History of China |
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The name "Wei" first became associated with Cao Cao when he was named the Duke of Wei by the Eastern Han government in 213, and became the name of the state when Cao Pi proclaimed himself emperor in 220. Historians often add the prefix "Cao" to distinguish it from other Chinese states known as "Wei". The authority of the ruling Cao family dramatically weakened in the aftermath of the deposing and execution of Cao Shuang and his siblings, the former being one of the regents for the third Cao Wei emperor, Cao Fang, with state authority gradually falling into the hands of Sima Yi, another Cao Wei regent, and his family, from 249 onwards. The last Wei emperors would remain largely as puppet rulers under the control of the Simas until Sima Yi's grandson, Sima Yan, forced the last Wei ruler, Cao Huan (Emperor Yuan), to abdicate the throne and established the Western Jin dynasty.