Princess Dongxiang

Princess Dongxiang (東鄉公主, b. after 207) was an Imperial princess of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. She was the daughter of Cao Pi, the first emperor of Cao Wei, and Lady Zhen. She was the younger sister of Cao Rui, the second emperor of Cao Wei, who succeeded her father. She was given the title of imperial princess when Cao Pi orchestrated a coup d'état against the Han dynasty to stabilize the state of Cao Wei. Biography She was the granddaughter of Cao Cao, a warlord who initiated the formation of the state of Cao Wei, and Lady Bian, who would become Grand Empress Dowager after the death of Cao Cao and her son Cao Pi. In 216, Cao Cao launched a campaign to attack the southeastern warlord Sun Quan, leading to the Battle of Ruxu in 217. Princess Dongxiang accompanied her grandfather on the campaign and stayed there for a year along with her brother Cao Rui and her grandmother Lady Bian. When Princess Dongxiang and her family returned to Ye in late 217 after the campaign, Lady Bian's attendants were surprised to see that Lady Zhen was very cheerful. They asked, "Lady, you've not seen your children for about a year. We thought you would miss them and be worried about them, but yet you're so optimistic. Why is that so?" Lady Zhen laughed and replied, "Why should I be worried when (Cao) Rui and the others are with Madam (Lady Bian)?" After Cao Cao died in 220, Cao Pi inherited his title as the King of Wei, and later that year forced Emperor Xian to abdicate in his favor, ending the Han dynasty and establishing the state of Cao Wei. After Cao Pi established himself as emperor, he bestowed the title of imperial princess on Princess Dongxiang.