kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia

State of Cao

1046 BCE – 487 BCE (approx.) · capital Taoqiu

A Ji-clan state on the eastern plain founded by a brother of King Wu, best remembered for an insult to a wandering prince that brought down the wrath of Jin.

Origins

After the Zhou conquest King Wu enfeoffed his younger brother Zhenduo, known as Cao Shu, at Taoqiu, near modern Dingtao in south-western Shandong. The site lay in a rich trading region of the eastern plain.

Rule and society

Cao was a modest Ji-clan state that usually followed the leading power of the day. Its most famous episode came when Duke Gong of Cao spied on the exiled Prince Chong'er of Jin in his bath to see his reputedly joined ribs. After Chong'er became Duke Wen of Jin he invaded Cao in 632 BCE and captured its ruler.

Decline and legacy

Caught between the State of Song and the northern powers, Cao was conquered by Song in 487 BCE and its last ruler killed. The surname Cao, one of China's most common, is traditionally traced in part to this state.

Connections (2)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). State of Cao. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/state-of-cao
MLA
“State of Cao.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/state-of-cao. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “State of Cao.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/state-of-cao.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘State of Cao’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/state-of-cao (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻