Dynasties of ChinaThree KingdomsCao Wei
Jingyuan · Xianxi · Reign 260—266
The puppet emperor established by Sima Zhao, during his reign, Wei destroyed Shu and Han, and finally ended Cao Wei Guozuo with abdication.
Cao Huan, named Jingming, formerly known as Cao Huang, was the grandson of Cao Cao and the son of King Yan Cao Yu. He was granted the title of Duke of Changdao Township. After Cao Mao was murdered in 260, Sima Zhao welcomed the fifteen-year-old as emperor and changed his name to Cao Huan, making him higher in seniority than his predecessor Cao Mao. During his reign, the government was completely controlled by the Sima family: in 263, the Wei army attacked Shu in three directions, and the Shu Han Dynasty was destroyed; in 264, Sima Zhao was promoted to the Jin Dynasty. Sima Zhao died in 265, and his son Sima Yan succeeded to the throne of Jin. In December of the second year of Xianxi (February 266), Cao Huanabdication was forced, and Cao Wei was destroyed. Cao Huan was named King Chenliu and moved to Yecheng. He spent the rest of his life under the preferential treatment of Western Jin. He died in 302 and was posthumously named Emperor Yuan by Western Jin.
PoliticsBeing welcomed as emperor
After Cao Mao was killed, Sima Zhao sent his eldest son Sima Yan north to meet the fifteen-year-old Changdao Township Duke Cao Huang. He ascended the throne in June and changed his name to Cao Huan and Yuan Jingyuan.
PeopleJi Kang was killed
Ji Kang, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Forest, refused to cooperate with the Sima family and was framed by Zhong Hui. He was implicated in the Lu An case and executed (some say in 262). Three thousand students from Taipei University invited him to be their teacher, but he was not allowed to do so. He played "Guangling San" before his execution.
Lasting legacyThe extant Qin music "Guangling San" was found in the Ming Dynasty's "Magical Secret Book". The term "Guangling San Jue" is still used to describe the lost secret art.
Science & technologyLiu Hui's Notes on "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic"
Mathematician Liu Hui wrote annotations for "Nine Chapters on Arithmetic" and created the art of severing a circle. He used a regular polygon inscribed in a circle to approximate the circumference, and found that the pi ratio was approximately 3.14. He also demonstrated the algorithms in the book one by one.
Lasting legacyThe biographies of "Nine Chapters on Arithmetic" that are popular today are all appended with Huihu annotations, which are basic documents for the study of ancient Chinese mathematics.
MilitaryThree ways to destroy Shu
Sima Zhao ordered Zhong Hui to lead more than 100,000 main troops out of Xiegu and Luogu, waiting for Deng Ai and Zhuge Xu to contain Jiang Wei. Deng Ai made a surprise attack from the Yinping Trail, killed Zhuge Zhan in Mianzhu, and advanced to Chengdu. Liu Shan, the last ruler of the Shu Han Dynasty, surrendered.
PoliticsZhong Hui Rebellion
Zhong Hui falsely accused Deng Ai of treason and escorted him to Luoyang. Then he and the surrendered general Jiang Wei rebelled in Chengdu and rebelled. Jiang Wei also died in the rebellion. Deng Ai and his son were killed by guardsmen during the escort.
PoliticsSima Zhao is named King of Jin
In March, Sima Zhao was promoted to the King of Jin, and Pei Xiu and others were ordered to discuss the etiquette and official system, and Jia Chong and others were revised to the laws. In October, Sima Yan was appointed as the crown prince of the King of Jin. All preparations for the Wei Dynasty were ready.
Politicsabdication in Jin
Sima Zhao died in August 265, and Sima Yan succeeded him as king of Jin. In December of the second year of Xianxi (February 266 of the Gregorian calendar), Cao Huanabdication lived in Jinyong City and was named King Chenliu. He later moved to Yecheng and Cao Wei was destroyed.
Yiyang, a native of Jiyang, came from a humble background. He had a stutter in his early years and could not be reused. He once offered advice on farming in the N&S of Huaihe River, and later fought with Jiang Wei in Longyou for a long time. In 263, he sneaked into Yinping and arrived in Chengdu, where he made an emergency landing at Liushan. He was framed by Zhong Hui and was killed on the way to escort.
A native of Changshe, Yingchuan, the son of Grand Tutor Zhong Yao, a man of rare talent and fame, was Sima Zhao's confidant. In 263, he led the main force to conquer Shu. After the fall of Shu, he planned to conquer Shu and establish himself, but was killed by the rebels.
He established Cao Huan as the emperor and empress and took over the power, presided over the campaign to destroy Shu, and promoted himself to the rank of king with his merits. After making all preparations for the Wei Dynasty, he died in August 265 before becoming emperor. After the establishment of Western Jin, he was posthumously honored as Emperor Wen.