View source for Cao Wei

{{short description|Chinese kingdom (220–266) during the Three Kingdoms period}}
{{about|the Three Kingdoms state|the Northern and Southern Dynasties Wei dynasty|Northern Wei|the modern curator|Cao Wei (curator)}}
{{redirect|Former Wei|other states|Wei (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = {{lang|zh|魏}}
| conventional_long_name = Wei
| common_name            = Cao Wei
| era                    = Three Kingdoms
| status                 = Empire
| life_span              = 220–266
| government_type        = [[Monarchy]]
| event_start            = Abdication of [[Emperor Xian of Han]]
| date_start             = 11 December
| year_start             = 220
| event_end              = Abdication of [[Cao Huan]]
| date_end               = 4 February
| year_end               = 266
| p1                     = Han dynasty#Eastern Han{{!}}Eastern Han
| s1                     = Jin dynasty (266–420)#Western Jin (266–316){{!}}Western Jin
| event1                 = Eastern Wu declaring independence from Wei
| date_event1            = 222
| event2                 = [[Conquest of Shu by Wei]]
| date_event2            = 263
| image_map              = Three Kingdoms.png
| image_map_caption      = China in 262, with territories of Cao Wei in yellow
| capital                = {{ubl|[[Xuchang]] (220–226)|[[Luoyang]] (226–266)}}
| common_languages       = [[Eastern Han Chinese]]
| religion               = [[Taoism]], [[Confucianism]], [[Chinese folk religion]]
| currency               = [[Ancient Chinese coinage|Chinese coin]], [[Cash (Chinese coin)|Chinese cash]] ([[Wu Zhu#The Three Kingdoms|Wu Zhu]])
| leader1                = [[Cao Pi]]
| leader2                = [[Cao Rui]]
| leader3                = [[Cao Fang]]
| leader4                = [[Cao Mao]]
| leader5                = [[Cao Huan]]
| year_leader1           = Dec 220 – Jun 226
| year_leader2           = Jun 226 – Jan 239
| year_leader3           = Jan 239 – Oct 254
| year_leader4           = Oct 254 – Jun 260
| year_leader5           = Jun 260 – Feb 266
| title_leader           = [[Emperor of China|Emperor]]
| stat_year1             = 260
| stat_pop1              = 4,432,881 (disputed)<ref>Zou Jiwan ({{zhi|c=鄒紀萬}}), ''Zhongguo Tongshi – Weijin Nanbeichao Shi'' {{lang|zh|中國通史·魏晉南北朝史}}, (1992).</ref>{{efn|This figure, based on numbers given in the ''[[Records of the Three Kingdoms]]'', has been called into question since the census system is claimed to have been flawed. The actual population is likely to be far greater.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Institute of Advanced Studies|editor1-last=Barme|editor1-first=Gerome|title=East Asian History: THE CONTINUATION OF Papers on Far Eastern History|date=December 1991|publisher=[[Australian National University]]|location=Canberra, Australia|pages=149–152|edition=Number 2|url=http://www.eastasianhistory.org/sites/default/files/article-content/02/EAH02_07.pdf|access-date=29 March 2015}}</ref> Tanner (2009) estimates the population of Wei to be over two-thirds of the Han population.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Tanner|first1=Harold M.|title=China: A History|date=13 March 2009|publisher=Hackett|page=142|chapter=The Age of Warriors and Buddhists|quote=When it was established, Wu had only one-sixth of the population of the Eastern Han Empire (Cao Wei held over two-thirds of the Han population).}}</ref>}}
| today                  = {{ubl|[[China]]|[[North Korea]]}}
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| t = {{linktext|曹魏}}
| s = {{linktext|曹魏}}
| w = {{tonesup|Tsʻao2 Wei4}}
| p = Cáo Wèi
| bpmf = {{bpmfsp|ㄘㄠˊ|ㄨㄟˋ}}
| myr = Tsáu Wèi
| tp = Cáo Wèi
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|c|ao|2|-|wei|4}}
| gr = Tsaur Wey
| showflag = p
| y = Chòuh Ngaih
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|c|ou|4|-|ng|ai|6}}
| j = Cou4 ngai6
| tl = Tsô Guī
| poj = Chô Gūi
}}
{{History of China}}

'''Wei''' ({{zh|c=魏}}{{efn|[[Pinyin]]: {{tlit|zh|Wèi}} < [[Middle Chinese]]: {{tlit|ltc|ŋjwei<sup>C</sup>}} < [[Eastern Han Chinese]]: {{tlit|och|*ŋui<sup>C</sup>}}<ref>Schuessler, Axel. (2009) ''Minimal Old Chinese and Later Han Chinese''. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi. p.&nbsp;291</ref>) (220–266)}}), also known as '''Cao Wei''' ({{lang|zh|曹魏}}) or '''Former Wei''',<ref name=ISBN3447035102-p80>{{Cite book |title=The Mirror Illuminating the Royal Genealogies |last1=BSod-nams-rgyal-mtshan |first2=Per K. |last2=Sørensen |isbn=3-447-03510-2 |year=1994 |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag |page=80}}</ref><ref name=THM-v11-p370>{{Cite book |title=T'ien Hsia Monthly |volume=11 |year=1940 |editor-first=Ching-hsiung |editor-last=Wu |publisher= Kelly and Walsh |page=370}}</ref> was one of the major [[Dynasties in Chinese history|dynastic states in China]] during the [[Three Kingdoms]] period. The state was established in 220 by [[Cao Pi]] based upon the foundations laid by his father [[Cao Cao]] during the [[end of the Han dynasty]]. Its capital was initially located at [[Xuchang]], and was later moved to [[Luoyang]].

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 (disambiguation)|Wei]]''. The authority of the ruling Cao family dramatically weakened following the deposition and execution of [[Cao Shuang]], a regent for the dynasty's third emperor [[Cao Fang]]. Beginning in 249, another regent in [[Sima Yi]] gradually consolidated state authority for himself and his relatives, with the last Wei emperors largely being [[puppet ruler|puppet]]s of the Sima family. In 266, Sima Yi's grandson [[Emperor Wu of Jin|Sima Yan]] forced [[Cao Huan|Emperor Yuan]] to abdicate, proclaiming himself to be emperor of the newly established [[Jin dynasty (266–420)|Jin dynasty]]; he would be posthumously known as Emperor Wu (of Jin).

==History==
{{More citations needed|section|talk={{{talk|}}}|small={{{small|}}}|find={{#if:{{{find|}}}|{{{find|}}}|none}}|find2={{{find2|{{{unquoted|}}}}}}|date=December 2024|name=More citations needed section}}

===Beginnings and founding===
{{see also|End of the Han dynasty}}

Towards the [[End of the Han dynasty|end of the Eastern Han dynasty]], northern China came under the control of [[Cao Cao]], the [[Chancellor (China)|chancellor]] to the last Han ruler, [[Emperor Xian of Han|Emperor Xian]]. In 213, Emperor Xian granted Cao Cao the title of "[[Gong (title)|Duke]] of Wei" (魏公) and gave him ten cities as his dukedom. The area was named "Wei". At that time, the southern part of China was divided into two areas controlled by two other warlords, [[Liu Bei]] and [[Sun Quan]]. In 216, Emperor Xian promoted Cao Cao to the status of a [[vassal]] king – "King of Wei (魏王)".

Cao Cao died on 15 March 220 and his vassal king title was inherited by his son [[Cao Pi]]. Later that year, on 11 December, Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian to abdicate in his favour and took over the throne, establishing the state of Wei. However, Liu Bei immediately contested Cao Pi's claim to the Han throne and declared himself "Emperor of [[Shu Han|Han]]" a year later. Sun Quan was nominally a vassal king under Wei, but he declared independence in 222 and eventually proclaimed himself "Emperor of [[Eastern Wu|Wu]]" in 229.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

To distinguish the state from other historical Chinese states of the same name, historians have added a relevant character to the state's original name, making the state that called itself "Wei" (魏) known as "Cao Wei" (曹魏).

===Reigns of Cao Pi and Cao Rui===
Cao Pi ruled for six years until his death on 29 June 226<ref>([黃初七年五月]丁巳，帝崩于嘉福殿，時年四十。) ''Sanguozhi'', vol. 02</ref> and was succeeded by his son, [[Cao Rui]], who ruled until his death on 22 January 239.<ref>([景初三年]春正月丁亥，....即日，帝崩于嘉福殿.) ''Sanguozhi'', vol.3</ref> Throughout the reigns of Cao Pi and Cao Rui, Wei had been fighting numerous wars with its two rival states – Shu and Wu.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Between 228 and 234, [[Zhuge Liang]], the Shu chancellor and regent, led [[Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions|a series of five military campaigns]] to attack Wei's western borders (within present-day [[Gansu]] and [[Shaanxi]]), with the aim of conquering [[Chang'an]], a strategic city which lay on the road to the Wei capital, [[Luoyang]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} The Shu invasions were repelled by the Wei armies led by the generals [[Cao Zhen]], [[Sima Yi]], [[Zhang He]] and others; Shu did not make any significant gains in the expeditions.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

On its southern and eastern borders, Wei engaged Wu in a series of armed conflicts throughout the 220s and 230s, including the battles of [[Battle of Dongkou|Dongkou]] (222–223), [[Battle of Jiangling (223)|Jiangling]] (223) and [[Battle of Shiting|Shiting]] (228).{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} However, most of the battles resulted in stalemate and neither side managed to significantly expand its territory.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

===Sima Yi's Liaodong Campaign===
{{main|Sima Yi's Liaodong campaign}}
[[File:Figure, horse (AM 8189-12).jpg|thumb|Cao Wei horse figure.]]
After [[Guanqiu Jian]] failed to subjugate the Gongsun clan of the [[Liaodong Commandery]],<ref>{{cite book |quote= The Emperor sent a sealed edict to summon Gongsun Yuan. In the end, Gongsun Yuan arose in an armed rebellion, meeting Guanqiu Jian at Liaosui. It so happened that it rained for more than ten days and the water of Liaosui rose greatly. Guanqiu Jian fought him, but was unsuccessful and withdrew his troops to Youbeiping. |title= Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms |author= Achilles Fang }}</ref> it was [[Sima Yi]] who, in June 238, as the Grand Commandant (太尉), launched an invasion with 40,000 troops at the behest of Emperor [[Cao Rui]] against Liaodong,<ref>{{cite book |quote= The Emperor summoned Sima Yi from Chang'an and had him lead an army of forty thousand men in a campaign against Liaodong. |title= Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms |author= Achilles Fang }}</ref> which at this point had been firmly rooted under Gongsun control for 4 decades. After a three-month long siege, involving some assistance from the [[Goguryeo]] Kingdom, Sima Yi managed to capture the capital city of [[Xiangping]], resulting in the conquest of the commandery by late September of the same year.<ref>{{cite book |quote= On the day ren-wu (September 29), Xiangping fell. Gongsun Yuan and his son Gongsun Xiu, leading several hundred mounted men, got through the encirclement and fled towards the southeast. The large Wei forces instantly struck at them and killed Gongsun Yuan and his son on the Liangshui. |title= Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms |author= Achilles Fang }}</ref>

===Goguryeo–Wei Wars===
{{main|Goguryeo–Wei War}}

Around that time, as the Korean kingdom [[Goguryeo]] consolidated its power, it proceeded to conquer the territories on the Korean peninsula which were under Chinese rule.<ref name=tennant>{{cite book |year=1996|quote=capital on the middle reaches of the Yalu near the modern Chinese town of Ji'an, calling it 'Hwando'. By developing both their iron weapons and their political organization, they had reached a stage where in the turmoil that accompanied the break-up of the Han empire they were able to threaten the Chinese colonies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tKTtAAAAMAAJ&q=hwando |isbn=0-7103-0532-X |publisher=Kegan Paul International|title=A history of Korea|author=Charles Roger Tennant |author-link = Roger Tennant|page=22}}</ref> Goguryeo initiated the [[Goguryeo–Wei Wars]] in 242, trying to cut off Chinese access to its territories in Korea by attempting to take a Chinese fort. However, Wei responded by invading and defeated Goguryeo. [[Hwando]] was destroyed in a reprisal raid by Wei forces in 244.<ref name=tennant/> The invasions sent its king fleeing, and broke the tributary relationships between Goguryeo and the other tribes of Korea that formed much of Goguryeo's economy. Although the king evaded capture and eventually settled in a new capital, Goguryeo was reduced to such insignificance that for half a century there was no mention of the state in Chinese historical texts.<ref name="byington93">Byington, Mark E. [https://web.archive.org/web/20111005153543/http://english.historyfoundation.or.kr/Data/Jnah/J4_1_S4.pdf "Control or Conquer? Koguryŏ's Relations with States and Peoples in Manchuria,"] ''Journal of Northeast Asian History'' volume 4, number 1 (June 2007):93.</ref>

===Fall of Wei===
{{further|Incident at Gaoping Tombs|Three Rebellions in Shouchun|Coup of Cao Mao|Zhong Hui's Rebellion}}
[[File:Celadon standing man figure, Haidian Museum, Wei Dynasty.jpg|thumb|left|Celadon standing figures, Haidian Museum, Cao Wei Dynasty.]]
In 249, during the reign of Cao Rui's successor, [[Cao Fang]], the regent Sima Yi seized state power from his co-regent, Cao Shuang, in a coup. This event marked the collapse of imperial authority in Wei, as Cao Fang's role had been reduced to that of a puppet ruler while Sima Yi wielded state power firmly in his hands.  [[Wang Ling (Three Kingdoms)|Wang Ling]], a Wei general, tried to rebel against Sima Yi, [[Wang Ling's Rebellion|but was swiftly dealt with]], and took his own life. Sima Yi died on 7 September 251,<ref>([嘉平三年]秋八月戊寅，崩于京师，时年七十三。) ''Jin Shu'', vol.01</ref> passing on his authority to his eldest son, [[Sima Shi]], who continued ruling as regent.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Sima Shi deposed Cao Fang in 254, on grounds of planning to stage a rebellion, and replaced him with [[Cao Mao]]. In response, [[Guanqiu Jian]] and [[Wen Qin]] staged a rebellion, [[Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin's Rebellion|but were crushed by Sima Shi]] in an event that nevertheless took a heavy toll on Sima Shi's health, having undergone eye surgery prior to the insurrection, causing him to die on 23 March 255,<ref>([正元二年]闰月疾笃，使文帝总统诸军。辛亥，崩于许昌，时年四十八。) ''Jin Shu'', vol.02</ref> but not before handing his power and regency over to his younger brother, [[Sima Zhao]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

[[Zhuge Dan's Rebellion|In 258, Sima Zhao quelled Zhuge Dan's rebellion]], marking an end to what are known as the [[Three Rebellions in Shouchun]]. In 260, Cao Mao attempted to seize back state power from Sima Zhao in a coup, but was killed by Cheng Ji, a military officer who was serving under [[Jia Chong]], a subordinate to the Simas. After Cao Mao's death, [[Cao Huan]] was enthroned as the fifth ruler of Wei. However, Cao Huan was also a mere figurehead under Sima Zhao's control, much like his predecessor. 
In 263, Wei armies led by [[Zhong Hui]] and [[Deng Ai]] [[Conquest of Shu by Wei|conquered Shu]]. Afterwards, Zhong Hui and former Shu general [[Jiang Wei]] [[Zhong Hui's Rebellion|grouped and plotted together]] in order to oust Sima Zhao from power, however, various Wei officials turned against them when it was found out that Jiang Wei had urged Zhong Hui to get rid of these officials before the planned coup. Sima Zhao himself received and finally accepted the nine bestowals and the title ''Duke of Jin'' in 263, and was further bestowed with the title ''King of Jin'' by Cao Huan in 264, but he died on 6 September 265,<ref>([咸熙二年]秋八月辛卯，帝崩于露寝，时年五十五。) ''Jin Shu'', vol.02</ref> leaving the final step of usurpation up to his eldest son, [[Sima Yan]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

On 4 February 266, Sima Zhao's son, Sima Yan, forced Cao Huan to abdicate in his favor, replacing Wei with the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)|Jin dynasty]] on 8 February 266.{{efn|name=Jin starting date|On the ''bingyin'' (丙寅) day of the 12th month of the 1st year of the Taishi era, [[Emperor Wu of Jin|Sima Yan]] became emperor and adopted "Taishi" (泰始) as the [[Chinese era name|era name]] of his reign.<ref>([泰始元年十二月]丙寅，王卽皇帝位，大赦，改元。) ''Zizhi Tongjian'' vol. 79.</ref> This date corresponds to 8 February 266 in the Gregorian calendar.}} Cao Huan himself was spared, though, and continued to live until 302, before dying.<ref>(年五十八，太安元年崩...) ''Wei Shi Pu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'', vol. 04. The year corresponds to 14 Feb 302 to 02 Feb 303 in the Julian calendar.</ref>

==Government==
The system of government in Wei inherited many aspects from [[Government of the Han dynasty|that of the Eastern Han dynasty]]. During his reign, Cao Pi established two separate government bodies – the Central Inspectorate (中書監) and the Imperial Secretariat plenipotentiary (行尚書臺) – to reduce the authority of the Imperial Secretariat (尚書臺) and consolidate the power of the central government.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

During this time, the minister [[Chen Qun]] developed the [[nine-rank system]] for civil service nomination, which was adopted by later dynasties until it was superseded by the [[imperial examination]] system in the [[Sui dynasty]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Cao Pi felt that the Han dynasty collapsed because the Governors (州牧) of the various provinces wielded too much power and fell outside the control of the central government. He reduced the role of a Governor to that of an Inspector (刺史), and permitted the Inspectors to administer only civil affairs in their respective provinces, while military affairs were handled by military personnel based in regional offices or in the capital.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Cao Wei society was feudalized and vassalized. When China was divided in the Period of Disunion, south and north were economically and socially dominated by an aristocratic hereditary class enshrined in law, who were exempt from conscript labor, special kinds of taxes, had legal immunities and other privileges. This situation was created by Cao Wei with rigid social stratification backed by law between shu (庶) (commoner) households and shi (士) (noble) households in the Nine ranks system which was created by Cao Wei and enabled hereditary officeholding by the aristocratic magnate families. Magnates took in farming families and war refugees into their fortress villages as ke (客) (private clients) and as buqu (military retainers) who made up their private militias. These magnates were rich landowners and local warlords and their economic and social power only grew at this time. The military retainers stayed on as private agricultural laborers bonded to the magnate families even after war ended. They did not contribute any labor service or taxes to the central government while their magnate lord received 50% or more of their grain harvest. They effectively were bondservants to their lords.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Glahn |first1=Richard von |title=An Economic History of China: From Antiquity to the Nineteenth Century |date=2016 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1107030565 |page=157|edition=illustrated, reprint |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z02SCwAAQBAJ&dq=%22local+warlords+and+rich+landowners+formed+private+militias+of+military+retainers%22&pg=PA157}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:Cao Wei Tomb, 247 AD (10234398714).jpg|thumb|A Cao Wei tomb, 247 CE]]
The ''[[regular script|kaishu]]'' style of [[Chinese calligraphy]] was developed at some time between the late Eastern Han dynasty and the Cao Wei dynasty, as well as the [[Jian'an poetry]] style. The first known master of the former was [[Zhong Yao]], an official of Wei,<ref>[[Qiu Xigui]] (2000). Chinese Writing. Translated by Mattos and [[Jerry Norman (sinologist)|Jerry Norman]]. Early China Special Monograph Series No. 4. Berkeley: The Society for the Study of Early China and the Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley. {{ISBN|1-55729-071-7}}, pp. 142–143</ref> of the latter; Cao Cao's son, [[Cao Zhi]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Since the beginning of the Cao Wei dynasty, finding their roots in [[Cao Cao]]'s administrative influences, intellectual constraints were relaxed, leading to the formation of new groups of intellectuals, such as the [[Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove]]. These intellectual freedoms were overturned by the time of the [[Jin dynasty (265–420)|Jin dynasty]] (it was [[Sima Yi]] himself who associated with the orthodox Confucianists, who despised these new intellectual groups, and therefore were more willing to offer their support to the Sima clan).{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

==Ruling class==
According to the ''Book of Wei'' by [[Wang Chen (Three Kingdoms)|Wang Chen]], the Cao family descended from the [[Yellow Emperor]] through his grandson [[Zhuanxu]]. They were of the same lineage as [[Emperor Shun]]. Another account says that the Cao family descended from Emperor Shun. This account was attacked by [[Jiang Ji]], who claimed that those with the family name "[[Tian (surname)|Tian]]" descended from Shun, but not those surnamed "[[Cao (Chinese name)|Cao]]".<ref>While [[Chen Shou]] only briefly mentioned in Jiang Ji's biography in ''Sanguozhi'' that Jiang had a debate with [[Gaotang Long]] over the lineage of the Cao clan ([初，侍中高堂隆论郊祀事，以魏为舜后，推舜配天。济以为舜本姓妫，其苗曰田，非曹之先，著文以追诘隆。] ''Sanguozhi'', vol.14), [[Pei Songzhi]] included more material and gave his opinion in his annotations to Jiang Ji's biography (〈臣松之案蒋济立郊议称《曹腾碑》文云“曹氏族出自邾”，《魏书》述曹氏胤绪亦如之。魏武作家传，自云曹叔振铎之后。故陈思王作武帝诔曰：“于穆武皇，胄稷胤周。”此其不同者也。及至景初，明帝从高堂隆议，谓魏为舜后，后魏为禅晋文，称“昔我皇祖有虞”，则其异弥甚。寻济难隆，及与尚书缪袭往反，并有理据，文多不载。济亦未能定氏族所出，但谓“魏非舜后而横祀非族，降黜太祖，不配正天，皆为缪妄”。然于时竟莫能正。　济又难：郑玄注《祭法》云“有虞以上尚德，禘郊祖宗，配用有德，自夏已下，稍用其姓氏。”济曰：“夫虬龙神于獭，獭自祭其先，不祭虬龙也。骐𬴊白虎仁于豺，豺自祭其先，不祭骐虎也。如玄之说，有虞已上，豺獭之不若邪？臣以为祭法所云，见疑学者久矣，郑玄不考正其违而就通其义。”济豺獭之譬，虽似俳谐，然其义旨，有可求焉。)</ref> He also claimed that "Gui" (媯) was Emperor Shun's family name.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vbIc4BEGY2AC&q=yellow+emperor+family+tree&pg=PA70|title=Ts'ao P'i transcendent: the political culture of dynasty-founding in China at the end of the Han|author=Howard L. Goodman|year=1998|page=70|publisher=Psychology Press|edition=illustrated|isbn=0-9666300-0-9|access-date=2012-04-01}}</ref>

==List of territories==
{| class="wikitable"
![[Nine Provinces|Province]]
![[Commandery (China)|Commanderies]] and Kingdoms/Principalities
|-
| [[Youzhou|You]]
| [[Fanyang Commandery|Fanyang]] (范陽), [[Dai Commandery|Dai]] (代), [[Yuyang Commandery|Yuyang]] (漁陽), [[Youbeiping Commandery|Youbeiping]] (右北平), [[Liaoxi Commandery|Liaoxi]] (遼西), [[Lelang Commandery|Lelang]] (樂浪), [[Shanggu Commandery|Shanggu]] (上谷), [[Yan Commandery|Yan]] (principality) (燕國), Changli (昌黎), [[Xuantu Commandery|Xuantu]] (玄菟), [[Liaodong Commandery|Liaodong]] (遼東), [[Daifang Commandery|Daifang]] (帶方)
|-
| [[Ji Province|Ji]] 
| [[Wei Commandery|Wei]] (魏),  Yangping (陽平),  Guangping (廣平),  [[Qinghe Commandery|Qinghe]] (清河),  [[Julu Commandery|Julu]] (鉅鹿),  [[Zhao Commandery|Zhao]] (principality) (趙國),  [[Changshan Commandery|Changshan]] (常山),  [[Anping Commandery|Anping]] (安平),  [[Pingyuan Commandery|Pingyuan]] (平原),  Leling (principality) (樂陵),  [[Hejian Commandery|Hejian]] (河間),  [[Bohai Commandery|Bohai]] (渤海),  [[Zhongshan Commandery|Zhongshan]] (principality) (中山國)
|-
| [[Qing Province|Qing]] 
| [[Chengyang Commandery|Chengyang]] (城陽),  [[Donglai Commandery|Donglai]] (東萊),  [[Beihai Commandery|Beihai]] (principality) (北海國),  [[Qi Commandery|Qi]] (principality) (齊國),  [[Le'an Commandery|Le'an]] (樂安),  [[Jinan Commandery|Jinan]] (principality) (濟南國)
|-
| [[Bing Province|Bing]] 
| [[Shangdang Commandery|Shangdang]] (上黨),  Xihe (西河),  [[Taiyuan Commandery|Taiyuan]] (太原),  Leping (樂平),  Xinxing (新興),  [[Yanmen Commandery|Yanmen]] (雁門)
|-
| [[Sili Province|Si]]
| [[Henan Yin|Henan]] (河南尹),  [[Hongnong Commandery|Hongnong]] (弘農),  [[Henei Commandery|Henei]] (河內),  [[Hedong Commandery|Hedong]] (河東),  Pingyang (平陽)
|-
| [[Yan Province|Yan]]
| [[Taishan Commandery|Taishan]] (泰山),  [[Jibei Commandery|Jibei]] (principality) (濟北國),  Dongping (principality) (東平國),  [[Dong Commandery|Dong]] (東),  Rencheng (任城),  Shanyang (山陽),  Jiyin (濟陰),  Chenliu (principality) (陳留國)
|-
| [[Xu Province|Xu]] 
| Dongguan (東莞),  Langye (principality) (琅琊國),  Donghai (principality) (東海國),  Guangling (廣陵),  Xiapi (下邳),  Pengcheng (principality) (彭城國)
|-
| [[Yong Province|Yong]] 
| [[Jingzhao Commandery|Jingzhao]] (京兆),  [[Pingyi Commandery|Pingyi]] (馮翊),  [[Fufeng Commandery|Fufeng]] (扶風),  Beidi (北地),  Xinping (新平),  Anding (安定),  Guangwei (廣魏),   Tianshui (天水),  Nan'an (南安),  [[Longxi Commandery|Longxi]] (隴西)
|-
| [[Yuzhou (ancient China)|Yu]]
| [[Chen Commandery|Chen]] (陳),  [[Yingchuan Commandery|Yingchuan]] (潁川),  [[Runan Commandery|Runan]] (汝南),  [[Liang Commandery|Liang]] (principality) (梁國),  [[Pei Commandery|Pei]] (principality) (沛國),  Qiao (譙),  [[Lu Commandery|Lu]] (魯),  Yiyang (弋陽),  Anfeng (安豐)
|-
| [[Liang Province|Liang]] 
| Wuwei (武威),  Jincheng (金城),  Xiping (西平),  Zhangye (張掖),  Jiuquan (酒泉),  Xihai (西海),  Dunhuang (敦煌)
|-
| [[Yang Province|Yan]] 
| Huainan (淮南),  Lujiang (廬江)
|-
| [[Jing Province|Jing]] 
| Jiangxia (江夏),  Xiangyang (襄陽),  Xincheng (新城),  Nanyang (南陽),  Nanxiang (南鄉),  Shangyong (上庸),  Weixing (魏興),  Zhangling (Yiyang) (章陵 / 義陽)
|}

==List of sovereigns==
{{anchor|sovereigns|emperors|kings|list of emperors|list of kings}}

{|class="wikitable"
|+ '''Cao Wei rulers'''
|-
! [[Temple name]] !! [[Posthumous name]] !! [[Chinese surname|Family name]] (in bold) and [[Chinese name|personal name]] !! Reign !! [[Chinese era name|Era name]]s and their year ranges !! Notes
|-
| (N/A) || Emperor Gao<br>高皇帝 || [[Cao Teng|'''Cao''' Teng]]<br>曹騰 || (N/A) || (N/A) || Cao Teng's posthumous name was granted posthumously by [[Cao Rui]].
|-
| (N/A) || Emperor Tai<br>太皇帝 || [[Cao Song|'''Cao''' Song]]<br>曹嵩 || (N/A) || (N/A) || Cao Song's posthumous name was granted posthumously by [[Cao Pi]].
|-
| Taizu<br>太祖 || Emperor Wu<br>武皇帝 || [[Cao Cao|'''Cao''' Cao]]<br>曹操 || 216–220 || (N/A) || Cao Cao's temple and posthumous names were granted posthumously by [[Cao Pi]].
|-
| Shizu<br>世祖 || Emperor Wen<br>文皇帝 || [[Cao Pi|'''Cao''' Pi]]<br>曹丕 || 220–226 ||
* Huangchu<br>黃初 {{small|(220–226)}}
| 
|-
| Liezu<br>烈祖 || Emperor Ming<br>明皇帝 || [[Cao Rui|'''Cao''' Rui]]<br>曹叡 || 227–239 || 
* Taihe<br>太和 {{small|(227–233)}}
* Qinglong<br>青龍 {{small|(233–237)}}
* Jingchu<br>景初 {{small|(237–239)}}
| Cao Rui took the unprecedented step of deciding his own temple name.
|-
| (N/A) || (N/A) ||[[Cao Fang|'''Cao''' Fang]]<br>曹芳 || 240–249 ||
* Zhengshi<br>正始 {{small|(240–249)}}
* Jiaping<br>嘉平 {{small|(249–254)}}
| Cao Fang became "Prince of Qi" (齊王) after his dethronement. He was posthumously granted the title "Duke Li of Shaoling" (邵陵厲公) in the Western Jin dynasty.
|-
| (N/A) || (N/A) || [[Cao Mao|'''Cao''' Mao]]<br>曹髦 || 254–260 ||
* Zhengyuan<br>正元 {{small|(254–256)}}
* Ganlu<br>甘露 {{small|(256–260)}}
| Cao Mao was granted the posthumous name of "Duke of Gaogui" (高貴鄉公).
|-
| (N/A) || Emperor Yuan<br>元皇帝 || [[Cao Huan|'''Cao''' Huan]]<br>曹奐 || 260–266 ||
* Jingyuan<br>景元 {{small|(260–264)}}
* Xianxi<br>咸熙 {{small|(264–266)}}
| 
|-
|}

==Cao Wei family tree==
{{Main|Cao Wei family trees}}

{{Cao Wei rulers family tree}}

== See also ==
* [[Three Kingdoms]]
** [[Shu Han]]
** [[Eastern Wu]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==Further reading==
* {{citation |author-link=Rafe de Crespigny |last=De Crespigny |first=Rafe |url=http://www.anu.edu.au/asianstudies/decrespigny/peace2_index.html |title=To Establish Peace: Being the Chronicle of the Later Han Dynasty for the Years 201 to 220 AD as Recorded in Chapters 64 to 69 of the ''Zizhi Tongjian'' of Sima Guang, ''Volume 2'' |location=Canberra |publisher=Australian National University |date=1996 |isbn=0-7315-2526-4 |access-date=2022-02-28 |archive-date=2012-03-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329103339/http://www.anu.edu.au/asianstudies/decrespigny/peace2_index.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}.

{{Clear}}
{{Three Kingdoms}}
{{People of Cao Wei}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wei}}
[[Category:Cao Wei| ]]
[[Category:220 establishments]]
[[Category:266 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Dynasties of China]]
[[Category:Former countries in Chinese history]]
[[Category:Former monarchies of East Asia]]