Cao Ni
曹嶷
Inspector of Qingzhou (青州刺史)
In office
? (?)–317 (317)
MonarchLiu Yuan/Liu Cong
General Who Maintains the East (安東將軍)
In office
323 (323)–323 (323)
MonarchEmperor Ming of Jin
Personal details
BornUnknown
Donglai Commandery, Jiaodong Peninsula
Died323
Xingtai, Hebei
RelationsCao Yan (Grandson)

Cao Ni (died 323) was a Chinese military general of Han-Zhao and warlord during the Jin dynasty (266–420) and Sixteen Kingdoms period. He was one of the followers of the bandit Wang Mi and followed him into service with Liu Yuan's state of Han. Wang Mi entrusted him to secure his family in Qingzhou, but after Wang Mi was killed by Shi Le in 311, Cao Ni gradually became an independent warlord, causing much concern in the Han-Zhao court. He was finally killed in 323 when Shi Le sent his nephew Shi Hu to subdue him once and for all. His name can be rendered as Cao Yi.

Cao Ni left an important mark in 4th century China with the formation of Guanggu City (廣固, in modern Qingzhou, Shandong). The city became his capital after he took over the region and would continue to serve as such to the states after his death, Duan Qi and Southern Yan.

As a follower of Wang Mi

Cao Ni was from Donglai Commandery, the same commandery where his master, Wang Mi, was from. He appeared to have joined Wang Mi some time in 306, during which Wang Mi joined the failed rebellion of Liu Bogen (劉柏根) in Donglai. Wang was defeated, became a bandit and terrorized northern China before formally joining Liu Yuan's state, Han-Zhao in 308. At that time, Cao Ni was serving as Wang's Chief Clerk of the Left. In 309, Wang Mi convinced Liu Yuan to make Cao Ni the acting General Who Maintains The East. Wang Mi also asked Liu Yuan to position Cao Ni in Qingzhou, where he would help Wang protect secure his family. In Qingzhou, as per Wang Mi's advice, he recruited the local fugitives in Donglai in order to strengthen his numbers.[1]

Service under Han-Zhao

At the time of Cao Ni's entry into the state, Han-Zhao was in the midst of warring with Jin in the north. Cao Ni first contributed to the state by taking Dongping County in 310. He then proceeded to capture Langya Commandery, forcing the regional commander, Gou Chun (苟纯) to hole himself up in his city.[2] Cao Ni's capture of Langye placed him in control of most of the ancient Qi region, which caught the Jin court's attention. Jin's head commander in the north, Gou Xi, was sent to save Qingzhou, where he continuously routed Cao Ni.[3] However, the tides changed the following year in 311 as Cao Ni dealt him a decisive defeat, causing Gou Xi to abandon his campaign and flee to Gaoping.[4]

After securing the region, Cao Ni built a new city for Qingzhou known as Guanggu City. Guanggu possessed a terrestrial advantage over invaders as it was surrounded by ravines on all sides, serving as natural moats. Cao Ni initially based himself in Linzi, which was the traditional provincial capital at the time, but later in his years as Qingzhou's warlord, he shifted his base to Guanggu due to its impregnable defences. The city of Guanggu played an important role during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. In 350, it was the capital of the state of Duan Qi and in 399 it became the capital of Southern Yan.[5] The city went into obscurity after the Jin general Liu Yu captured it and ended Southern Yan in 410.

The Jin capital of Luoyang fell to Liu Yao, Huyan Yan, and Wang Mi that year while Gou Xi was captured by Shi Le. However, cracks were beginning to appear between Wang Mi and his peers Liu Yao and Shi Le. Shi Le in particular made him suspicious, so Wang Mi sent his official Liu Tun (劉暾) to Qingzhou to order Cao Ni to prepare his troops against Shi Le. However, Cao Ni never knew of the plan as Shi Le's scouts captured Liu Tun. Furthermore, Wang's subordinates, Xu Miao (徐邈) and Gao Liang (高梁) left Wang Mi and took their armies over to Cao Ni. Wang Mi's suspicion over Shi Le costed him by the end of 311 after Shi Le lured him to a banquet and assassinated him. After Wang's death, Cao Ni remained in Qingzhou.[6]

As an independent warlord

With Wang Mi dead, Cao Ni was left to his own devices. For the next few years, Cao Ni led a conquest of the Qi and Lu region. He first took Wenyang Pass (汶陽關) and Gongqiu (公丘, in present-day northern Anhui and northwestern Jiangsu) after defeating and killing the Jin Administrator of Qi, Xu Fu (徐浮). This victory caused forty fortified cities within Qi and Lu to surrender to him. He then pressed on into Zhu'e and Pingyin, also annexing the areas. By 315, Cao Ni had conquered all of Qi and Lu and positioned his troops along the Yellow River, creating concerns for his rival warlord Shi Le. Shi Le asked Liu Cong for permission to subdue Cao Ni but Liu Cong, fearing that Shi Le will control Qingzhou after defeating Cao Ni, refused to allow him.[7]

Between 312 and 315, it is said that Cao Ni uncovered the tombs of two Spring and Autumn period figures: the philosopher Guan Zhong and Duke Jing of Qi. Both tombs were plundered by Cao Ni and his men, who amassed a huge fortune from their doings.[8]

Cao Ni's position unsettled a few of Liu Cong's advisors. In 313, during his opposition towards Liu Cong's building projects, Chen Yuanda cited Cao Ni as a major concern along with Shi Le as the two men were sending tribute and reports less and less.[9] Much later in 317, Cao Ni was once again mentioned as a threat to Han-Zhao by another of Liu Cong's advisors, Kang Xiang (康相).[10]

Despite worries about Cao Ni's strength, he maintained a rather passive stance throughout his rule over Qingzhou. He was constantly changing allegiance between his stronger neighbours. In 316, he agreed to a secret alliance with Shi Le without Liu Cong's knowledge.[11] In 317, Cao Ni was one of the many warlords to offer his allegiance to Jin and urge Sima Rui to take the throne. He was accepted as a vassal, but his request for Rui to declare himself emperor was met with rejection that year.[12] However, Cao Ni soon realized that Jiankang was too far away from his base to protect him, so he dropped his loyalty to Jin and offered his vassalage to Shi Le instead in 318. Shi Le agreed and made him Grand General of the Eastern Provinces, Governor of Qingzhou, and Duke of Langye.[13]

During his short time as a Jin vassal, Cao Ni had taken notice of a certain Su Jun, a refugee leader living within Cao Ni's territory. Cao Ni wanted to make him Prefect of Ye County, but Su Jun pretended to be ill in order to avoid him. As time passed by, Cao Ni grew worried about Su Jun, who was gathering a sizeable group of refugees under his wing. Cao Ni planned to get rid of him in 319, but Su Jun learned about this and fled through the sea with his followers to Eastern Jin, where he became a prominent general but later a dangerous rebel. That same year, Cao Ni sent funds to Shi Le, asking him to make the Yellow River a border between the two, to which he agreed.[14]

Ever since Cao Ni had taken over Qingzhou, he could not secure Donglai commandery, which was controlled by the Jin administrator, Ju Peng (鞠彭). Although Cao Ni had the upper hand in terms of strength, the people of Donglai were zealous in resisting him under Ju Peng. The two constantly fought with each other but after many years, Ju Peng began to express regret over his war as he realized the toll it took on the people of Donglai. In order to prevent further bloodshed, Ju Peng decided to flee to Liaodong in 319, leaving the people of Donglai under Cao Ni's administration and thus ending the conflict.[15]

Cao Ni's life came to an end in 323. He once again switched his allegiance to Jin and became their General Who Maintains the East that year. In response, Shi Le's nephew Shi Hu attacked him. Many of Qingzhou's counties and commanderies quickly surrendered to him, leaving Cao Ni with only Guanggu to defend. Shi Hu placed the city under siege but not long after, Cao Ni came out and surrendered. Cao Ni was sent to Shi Le's capital in Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), where he was executed while his forces were decimated by Shi Hu through burying alive.[16]

Descendant

Although Cao Ni died through capital punishment, at least a child or a grandchild of his managed to survive the aftermath of Shi Hu's attack. In 356, Ju Peng's son, Ju Yin (鞠殷) was appointed by the Former Yan general Murong Ke to govern Donglai. Ju Peng was still alive that year and was also serving Yan as Manager of the Empress's Staff. Ju Peng believed that Wang Mi and Cao Ni had descendants living in Donglai, so he wrote to his son urging him to end their family feud. Ju Yin discovered that Cao Yi's grandson Cao Yan (曹巖) and Wang Mi's nephew Wang Li (王立) were living among the hills. The three men befriended one another while Ju Peng gifted them with carts, horses, and clothing.

References

  1. ↑ (彌乃以左長史曹嶷為鎮東將軍，給兵五千，多齎寶物還鄉里，招誘亡命，且迎其室。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  2. ↑ (曹嶷自大梁引兵而東，所至皆下，遂克東平，進攻琅邪。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 87
  3. ↑ (初，帝以王彌、石勒侵逼京畿，詔苟晞督帥州郡討之。會曹嶷破琅邪，北收齊地，兵勢甚盛，苟純閉城自守。晞還救青州，與嶷連戰，破之。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 87
  4. ↑ (春，正月，壬申，苟晞爲曹嶷所敗，棄城奔高平。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 87
  5. ↑ (東萊牟平曹嶷爲刺史所築城有大澗甚廣因之爲固謂之廣固城則有五龍口。崔鴻十六國春秋南燕錄曰慕容德初議所都尚書潘聽曰青齊沃壤號曰東秦土方二千里四塞之固負海之饒可謂用武之國廣固者曹嶷之所營山川險峻足爲王者之都從之。) Taiping Yulan, Volume 160
  6. ↑ (彌將徐邈、高梁輒率部曲數千人隨嶷去，彌益衰弱。初，石勒惡彌驍勇，常密為之備。彌之破洛陽也，多遺勒美女寶貨以結之。時勒擒苟晞，以為左司馬，彌謂勒曰：「公獲苟晞而用之，何其神妙！使晞為公左，彌為公右，天下不足定也！」勒愈忌彌，陰圖之。劉暾又勸彌征曹嶷，藉其眾以誅勒。於是彌使暾詣青州，令曹嶷引兵會己，而詐要勒共向青州。暾至東阿，為勒遊騎所獲。勒見彌與嶷書，大怒，乃殺暾。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  7. ↑ (其青州刺史曹嶷攻汶陽關、公丘，陷之，害齊郡太守徐浮，執建威劉宣，齊魯之間郡縣壘壁降者四十餘所。嶷遂略地，西下祝阿、平陰，眾十餘萬，臨河置戍，而歸於臨淄。嶷於是遂雄據全齊之志。石勒以嶷之懷二也，請討之。聰又憚勒之並齊，乃寢而弗許。) Book of Jin, Volume 102
  8. ↑ (又曰交廣記吴將吕岱為廣州遣掘尉佗塜費損無獲佗雖僣然能慎終其身乃令後不知其處鑒于牧豎所殘也又曰愍帝建興中曹嶷發景公及管仲塜尸並不朽繒帛珍寳巨萬。) Taiping Yulan, Volume 19
  9. ↑ (「...有晉遺類，西據關中，南擅江表；李雄奄有巴、蜀；王浚、劉琨窺窬肘腋；石勒、曹嶷貢稟漸疏；陛下釋此不憂，乃更爲中宮作殿，豈目前之所急乎！」) Zizhi Tongjian
  10. ↑ (「...石勒鴟視趙魏，曹嶷狼顧東齊，鮮卑之眾星布燕代，齊、代、燕、趙皆有將大之氣。願陛下以東夏為慮，勿顧西南。吳蜀之不能北侵，猶大漢之不能南向也。今京師寡弱，勒眾精盛，若盡趙魏之銳，燕之突騎自上黨而來，曹嶷率三齊之眾以繼之，陛下將何以抗之？」) Book of Jin, Volume 102
  11. ↑ (聰使黃門侍郎喬詩讓勒，勒不奉命，潛結曹嶷，規為鼎峙之勢。河東大蝗，唯不食黍豆。) Book of Jin, Volume 102
  12. ↑ (是時，太尉豫州牧荀組、冀州刺史邵續、青州刺史曹嶷、寧州刺史王遜、東夷校尉崔毖等皆上表勸進，王不許。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 90
  13. ↑ (初，曹嶷旣據青州，乃叛漢來降。又以建康懸遠，勢援不接，復與石勒相結，勒授嶷東州大將軍、青州牧，封琅邪公。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 90
  14. ↑ (曹嶷遣使賂石勒，請以河爲境，勒許之。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 91
  15. ↑ (初，鞠羨旣死，苟晞復以羨子彭爲東萊太守。會曹嶷徇青州，與彭相攻；嶷兵雖強，郡人皆爲彭死戰，嶷不能克。久之，彭歎曰：「今天下大亂，強者爲雄。曹亦鄕里，〈彭與嶷皆齊人。〉爲天所相，苟可依憑，卽爲民主，何必與之力爭，使百姓肝腦塗地！吾去此，則禍自息矣。」郡人以爲不可，爭獻拒嶷之策，彭一無所用，與鄕里千餘家浮海歸崔毖。北海鄭林客於東萊，彭、嶷之相攻，林情無彼此。嶷賢之，不敢侵掠，彭與之俱去。比至遼東，毖已敗，乃歸慕容廆。廆以彭參龍驤軍事。遺鄭林車牛粟帛；皆不受，躬耕於野。) Zizhi Tongjian. Volume 91
  16. ↑ (後趙中山公虎帥步騎四萬擊安東將軍曹嶷，青州郡縣多降之，遂圍廣固。嶷出降，送襄國殺之，阬其衆三萬。虎欲盡殺嶷衆，青州刺史劉徵曰：「今留徵，使牧民也；無民焉牧，徵將歸耳！」虎乃留男女七百口配徵，使鎭廣固。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 92
  • Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu)
  • Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian
  • Li, Fang (983). Taiping Yulan
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