Cao Cao (曹Cao) was a famous politician and military general during the Ming Dynasty of China. He was known as prime minister of the Wei state and was one of the most controversial figures in history. He is credited with pioneering a new situation in the Three Kingdoms period, establishing the Wei state, winning many battles, and being chosen as a model for the talented culture and artists of the time, but also accused of being a traitor, tyrant, and dictator. Today I will talk about my evaluation and views on Cao Cao.
First of all, from the appearance of Cao Cao, he is a person with a very leadership temperament. According to the history "Three Kingdoms" of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao was more than 1.8 meters tall, with a grim appearance and sharp eyes, giving people a very majestic feeling overall. And in terms of his habits, he must go to sleep with a sword every night so that he can always cope with unexpected situations. These details greatly deepened people's impression of Cao Cao, making him not only a famous ruler during the Three Kingdoms period, but also a heroic character in people's mouths.
However, in Cao Cao's governance of the country, his contribution cannot be ignored. First of all, Cao Cao was a very strategic general, at a time when North China and the Central Plains were constantly invaded by foreign tribes, and were in a state of separation, social order collapsed, and the people were displaced. Through a series of military operations, Cao Cao gradually stabilized these areas and began to attack the south. In the process, he used many new tactics and tactics to lead his soldiers to work together and eventually achieve his goal.
Secondly, Cao Cao was also a man of great political talent. He established a complete administrative system, implemented the "magazine" system, abolished the good field system and rotated official positions to the family, fundamentally breaking the hereditary system and giving more opportunities to those who were talented and powerful. At the same time, he strengthened the country's economic power through currency reform, expanding northwest in order to open up a wider territory. This way of governance is not only conducive to improving the country's security and enhancing economic strength, but also breaks the feudal thinking of the past, promotes social progress, and creates a good environment for the people.
On the other hand, Cao Cao certainly had some shortcomings. First, his government is quite authoritarian, even dictatorial. His lack of extensive participation and listening to the opinions of all parties on the appointment and removal of officials and the implementation of the system made some policies not achieve the expected results in the implementation, and his government suffered a certain degree of criticism and dissatisfaction. Second, he is also harsh in his treatment of dissidents. In " Romance of the Three Kingdoms " , he once executed his cousin Yuan Shao and his adviser Wang Lang , showing his bossiness and fearless loss of friends and political support. This practice is easily resentful and may have been a key factor in Cao Cao's bad reputation.
In general, I think Cao Cao is a very capable person, and he has achieved remarkable achievements in military and political aspects. At the same time, his ambition and personal charm are also very strong, and many people both adore and hate him. His historical status and achievements are quite complicated, and although some past documents and historical records may not be fair, as a scholar and observer, we should be able to evaluate Cao Cao objectively and truthfully. If the historical Cao Cao was full of contradictions and controversies, then today we should examine his actions and choices at the level of values and human nature.
Therefore, we need to be clear: the image of Cao Cao should not be simply labeled or completely criticized, but should be considered from a historical and social perspective. As the previous example has been given, Cao Cao has both achievements and flaws, which is what he is as an ordinary person. And we can learn lessons from history, and by examining Cao Cao, we embody the ever-improving humanistic spirit and exploration of human nature.