The Character Assassination of Cao Cao Within the Chinese Culture
Most people reading this have likely never heard the name Cao Cao, especially if you live in the West or have never played the Dynasty Warriors Game Trilogy or the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Grand Strategy Game, which had been popular games respectively for over 20 years.
The actual historical Cao Cao was a Chinese warlord and the last Chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, which ruled China from 206 BC to 220 A.D.
During his lifetime, Cao Cao reunited northern China and founded the state of Wei, the strongest state during China’s three kingdoms period.
220 A.D. until 280 A.D., when there was a contention over who would rule China between the states of Cao Wei, Shu-Han and Sun Wu.
Throughout Chinese history and politics, the legitimate ruling state of China was the state of Cao Wei, which the Jin Dynasty then succeeded.
Throughout Chinese history, Cao Cao has been characterised as a villain.
This is partly due to historical divides, which typically saw China divided between southern and northern kingdoms, creating the North-South divide within China.
Southern Chinese dynasties legitimised themselves by lionising in their histories the southern states of Sun Wu and Shu-Han…
