Customs and Traditions -- A Thousand Years of Chinese Cultural Treasures

Author: Qin Yu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-10-01
Features: The Cao Chengwang Stele records that Wang Cao, surnamed Li, styled Zilan, was posthumously honored as Cheng. His ancestors traced back to King Ming, who was a son of Emperor Taizong and enfeoffed as King of Cao. The title was restored after being abolished, and it passed through five kings until reaching King Cheng. King Cheng inherited the title during Emperor Xuanzong's reign, likely around the age of seventeen or eighteen. After three years of ruling, conflicts broke out in Henan and Hebei, causing turmoil across the empire. King Cheng fled with his mother, the Grand Empress Dowager, among the common people, eventually reaching Shu and joining the imperial court. The emperor, remembering his loyalty, appointed him as Left General of the Imperial Guard and later promoted him to Vice Director of the Imperial Academy.
At the age of ten, King Cheng lost his predecessor and mourned with profound grief, so much so that even guests could not bear to hear his lamentations. After the mourning period ended, he devoted himself to studying and refining his skills, driven by a desire to understand human nature and address the pressing issues of his time. He served the Grand Empress Dowager and the emperor in Shu with both filial piety and loyalty. In his official duties, he was strict and upright both internally and externally, which led the court to consider testing his abilities among the people.
In the first year of the Shangyuan era, he was appointed as the Magistrate of Wenzhou and acting Governor of the prefecture. The eastern regions had recently suffered from warfare, drought, and famine, with people dying in droves. Upon arrival, King Cheng did not even take off his clothes and ordered the granaries to be opened, distributing their contents to the people, saving hundreds of thousands of lives. His report led to his promotion to the position of Director of the Imperial Workshops. He then participated in suppressing the Yuan rebels and was subsequently transferred to the Imperial Academy, concurrently serving as Deputy Governor of the prefecture. Peace was restored to the region.
He was later moved to Hengzhou, where he established a just and orderly governance, surpassing the achievements of Zhang Shi. His reputation grew, and his influence extended. The Regional Inspection Commissioner, unable to breathe due to obstruction, falsely accused him of misconduct, supported by the Censors. He was demoted to the position of Governor of Chaozhou. Yang Yan, who later served as Chancellor of Emperor Dezong, intervened and had King Cheng returned to Hengzhou, citing his previous unjust treatment.
King Cheng's case was legally unjust, and he worried about upsetting his elderly mother, the Grand Empress Dowager, who might be frightened and grieved. He appeared in prison attire to defend himself and, when in court, carried his ceremonial staff and wore his official robes with dignity. When demoted to Chaozhou, he was later transferred to Hezhou. It was only then that he knelt to apologize and reveal the truth.
Earlier, the Regional Inspection Commissioner had cruelly treated General Jiang Liang, who rebelled and led ten thousand soldiers to the frontier. King Cheng gathered troops from Jing, Gui, Hong, and Guilin to suppress him. In the second year, the rebellion intensified, and King Cheng was appointed to lead the army of Hunan, numbering fifty thousand, to Liang. Upon arrival, he concealed his troops and sent a letter to Liang, which touched upon his sensitivities. Liang, ashamed and fearful, requested surrender, and his followers hesitated. King Cheng pretended to be an envoy, riding alone with one horse, covering five hundred miles to Liang's camp. He banged on the gate and shouted, "I am King Cao, come to receive Liang's surrender. Where is Liang?" Liang, unable to resist, greeted him in shock and surrendered his entire army.
When the Grand Empress Dowager passed away, King Cheng abandoned his post to follow her remains to Henan for burial. Upon reaching Jing, he was ordered to return but, coincidentally, encountered the rebellion of Liang Chongyi, and thus could not refuse the order to return. He was promoted to the rank of. The following year, when Li Xili rebelled, he was appointed as Censor-in-Chief and given the military command to suppress Li Xili in Jiangxi. Upon receiving the order, King Cheng resided outside the city, forbidding any personal affairs from interfering with his duties. He gathered and trained troops in Jiangzhou, selecting capable individuals for key roles. He personally instructed them in the arts of strength, tactics, and logistics, and disciplined them rigorously.
He deployed twenty thousand soldiers on naval and land campaigns, engaging the enemy in skirmishes. He defeated them at Cai Mountain, captured Huai'an and Huangmei, tanned leather in Changping, crossed Guangji, seized Qichun, took Shuishui, captured Huanggang, laughed at Hanyang, marched across Hanchuan, and returned to the Huishui region, conquering An and San counties, capturing the prefecture, and executing the rebel governor. He marked the northern mountains of Guang, set up a garrison at Guanghua, and controlled the prefecture, taking one-tenth of the wealth to support the army. He sent reinforcements to the northeast of the prefecture and accepted surrenders. In thirty-two battles, he captured five prefectures and nineteen counties, without harming the elderly, women, or children, or disrupting markets. His campaigns left no trace of destruction in the fields.
He was further honored as the Silver and Green Robe Grand Master and Minister of Works, later transferred to the Ministry of Revenue. He was again appointed as the Regional Inspection Commissioner for Jing and Xiang, receiving a fief of three hundred households. During his military service, the emperor traveled west to Liang, while Li Xili advanced north to Bing and Zheng, east to Shang, besieged Chen, west to Yu, and threatened the eastern capital. King Cheng, positioned in the south, faced the enemy and repelled their advances, causing ten thousand enemy soldiers to die without making any progress. The remaining ten thousand were captured and sent to the southern prefectures.
King Cheng began his governance in Wenzhou and ended it in Xiang. He stabilized prices, distributing grain during scarcity and selling it during abundance, ensuring the people's livelihood. He ruled with strict discipline, making orders clear and visible in every household, eliminating crime and corruption. The government was calm, with no hurried footsteps or loud calls.