Cao Xiu
| Cao Xiu | |
|---|---|
| General of Cao Wei | |
| Born | (Unknown) |
| Died | 228 |
| Names | |
| Traditional Chinese | 曹休 |
| Simplified Chinese | 曹休 |
| Pinyin | Cáo Xiū |
| Wade–Giles | Ts'ao Hsiu |
| Courtesy name | Wenlie (Chinese: 文烈; pinyin: Wénliè; Wade–Giles: Wen-lieh) |
| Posthumous name | Marquis Zhuang (traditional Chinese: 壯侯; simplified Chinese: 壮侯; pinyin: Zhuàng Hóu; Wade–Giles: Chuang Hou) |
Cao Xiu (died 228),courtesy name Wenlie, was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He served the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. A distant nephew of Cao Cao, Cao Xiu was given special attention by the former, who once asserted him befitting the role of a commander. During Liu Bei's Hanzhong Campaign, Cao Xiu outwitted his two opponents, Zhang Fei and Ma Chao. Cao Xiu became a district commander during his late life and led various campaigns against Sun Quan's forces; despite defeating several enemy units, few of the campaigns were met with success. He died in 228 shortly after his disastrous final campaign against Eastern Wu.
According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Cao Xiu lost his father before he turned twenty, when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out. Bringing along his old mother, Cao Xiu moved south across the Yangtze River away from the rebel-infested north. When Cao Cao was raising an army to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo in 190, Cao Xiu heeded the call. Cao Cao was pleased to see his distant nephew, whom he described as the thousand-li horse of his clan. Since then, Cao Cao had Cao Xiu reside with his future successor, Cao Pi, and treated Cao Xiu like his own son. Beside Cao Zhen and Cao Chun, Cao Xiu was also responsible for leading the elite Tiger and Leopard Cavalry during military operations.
Cao Xiu participated mainly in campaigns against the forces of rival warlord Liu Bei during Cao Cao's time, notably against Zhang Fei and Ma Chao. When Cao Hong was threatened by Zhang Fei that his retreat route would be cut off, Cao Xiu saw though the ruse and stated that if Zhang Fei indeed wanted to block their retreat route, he would do so secretly instead of showing his intention so obviously. He then suggested Cao Hong that they should strike the enemy upfront when Zhang Fei and Ma Chao were still dwelling on the fantasy that their tactic would work out. Zhang Fei and Ma Chao retreated back to Han Zhong after being defeated by Cao Hong, and Wu Lan (吳蘭) fled to the Di tribute, and was killed by its ruler. Cao Xiu was later made Commander of the Imperial Guard.
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