Cao Cao

Cao Cao (; ; – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet who rose to power towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty ( 184–220) and became the effective head of the Han central government during that period. He laid the foundation for what was to become the state of Cao Wei (220–265), established by his son and successor Cao Pi, who ended the Eastern Han dynasty and inaugurated the Three Kingdoms period (220–280). Beginning in his own lifetime, a corpus of legends developed around Cao Cao which built upon his talent, his cruelty, and his perceived eccentricities.