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Royal Uncle Cao Wikipedia

The newest of the Eight Immortals, Royal Uncle Cao or Cao Guojiu (曹國舅 in pinyin: cao2 guo2 jiu4) or Wade-Giles, Ts'ao Kuo-ch'iu, is named one of the following:

• Cao Yi (曹佾 cao2 yi4) (courtesy name Gongbo (公伯 gong1 bo2))

• Cao Jing (曹景 cao2 jing3)

• Cao Jingxiu (曹景休 cao2 jing3 xiu1)

• Cao You (曹友 cao2 you3).

He was said to be the uncle of the emperor of China|Emperor of the Song Empire, being the younger brother of Empress Dowager Cao (曹太后).

In historic records, there were several Emperor-consorts Caos in the Song Empire, but only one became empress: Cishengguangxian Empress (慈聖光獻皇后 ci2 sheng4 guang1 xian4 huang2 hou4) (1015 - 1079), the wife of the fourth Song emperor, Emperor Renzong of Song China|Renzong (仁宗), none of whose children became an emperor.

However, this therefore does not render the historical existence of the "Royal Uncle Cao" impossible. Because in pre-modern China, the address "uncle" also meant "brother-in-law". Sometimes specified as "Wife-uncle" (妻舅) or as a respect, "Uncle zi" (舅子) (parallel to Lao Zi). Cishengguangxian Empress did have a younger brother named Cao Yi in historical record. But the given name of Royal Uncle Cao being Yi as well could be a post hoc.

Cao Guojiu's younger brother Cao Jingzhi (曹景植 cao2 jing3 zhi2) was a bully, but no-one dared prosecuted him because of relation to the queen, not even after he killed a person. Royal Uncle Cao?was so overwhelmed by sadness and shame that he resigned his office and left home.

Last Modified:   2005-04-13