As we all know, Cao Cao actually had the strength to claim the title of emperor, but he was slow to take this step. So, what was this troubled man with political ideals and ambitions worried about not becoming the founding monarch of Cao Wei?
First, the Battle of Chibi undoubtedly disrupted Cao Cao's plan to claim the throne. If it had not been for that defeat, Cao Cao would have been very likely to ascend the throne as emperor, because the conditions at that time were basically ripe. However, after the Battle of Chibi, Cao Wei as a whole entered a stage of strategic contraction, and his enterprising momentum was greatly reduced. Obviously, the defeat of Chibi brought huge losses to Cao Cao, in addition to the loss of troops and territory, and more importantly, his confidence was frustrated. The experience of almost being captured made Cao Cao avoid talking about the emperor's symmetry.
Second, there is still a large amount of land in the world that does not belong to the Cao family. Although Cao Cao's territory was the largest, there were still strong separatist forces, such as Sun Quan occupying the southeast, Liu Bei controlling the southwest, and other small separatist forces. Cao Cao feared that once he became emperor, he might trigger a joint revolt of these forces. After all, the Sun and Liu families already had an alliance, and with Cao Cao's internal Han Dynasty loyalists, he was likely to face the risk of being defeated. In history, Yuan Shao was once powerful, but in the end he still failed. Therefore, until these separatist forces were eradicated, Cao Cao did not dare to easily claim the title of emperor.
Third, the attitude of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was also a factor that Cao Cao needed to consider. If Cao Cao wants to be the emperor, he must be justified and inherit the orthodoxy. His son Cao Pi was able to inherit the throne because of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bei was killed under the pretense of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty and succeeded to the throne as a relative of the Liu clan, and Sun Quan was forced to claim the title of emperor. Although there is no clear record, there are various indications that Emperor Xian of Han did not mean to give Zen to Cao Cao. The reason for this may be that Emperor Han Xian did not want to give up the foundation of his ancestors easily, and he was younger than Cao Cao, so there was a possibility of a reversal. In addition, Chan ceded to Cao Cao could be life-threatening, so he preferred to pass on orthodoxy to Cao Pi to preserve himself.
Fourth, Cao Cao's lack of effective strategists in the later period was also one of the reasons why he did not become emperor. An excellent commander needs the assistance of excellent strategists, and Cao Cao's success is inseparable from the support of Guo Jia and others. However, after Guo Jia's death, Cao Cao was unable to receive effective advice on major issues, which made it difficult for him to extricate himself from his predicament. The shortcomings of the strategists made Cao Cao realize that his think tank was not playing its due role, so he postponed the great cause of becoming emperor.
Fifth, the age factor also had an impact on Cao Cao's decision-making. As he grew older, Cao Cao's conservative tendencies gradually strengthened, and he began to handle the situation more cautiously, and even developed the idea of capital preservation. This thought made him gradually content to become the king of Wei, leaving the idea of becoming emperor to future generations.
Sixth, the pressure of public opinion is also an important reason why Cao Cao did not become emperor. As a great poet with a strong backbone, Cao Cao attached great importance to the evaluation of later generations. He knew that once he became emperor, he would inevitably face the condemnation of public opinion. In order to avoid this pressure, he chose to continue to endure and be a courtier who was not really a courtier. And his next generation does not have to bear this infamy, because their power comes from their parents.
Although Cao Cao had the strength and willingness to be emperor, due to various concerns and practical problems, he finally chose to leave power to his son. This is not only the embodiment of his personal wisdom, but also a helpless move forced by the current situation.