Cao Pi, courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty, but the eldest son among all the children born to Cao Cao by his concubine, Lady Bian. According to some historical records, he was often in the presence of court officials in order to gain their support. He was mostly in charge of defence at the start of his career. After the defeat of Cao Cao's rival Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu, he took Yuan Xi's widow, Lady Zhen, as a concubine, but in 221 Lady Zhen died and Guo Nüwang became empress.
Xiahou Shang, courtesy name Boren, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a distant younger relative of Xiahou Yuan and a close friend of Cao Pi, the first emperor of the Cao Wei state.
Guo Nüwang, formally known as Empress Wende, was an empress of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. She was married to Cao Pi, the first emperor of Wei.
Zhu Ran, born Shi Ran, courtesy name Yifeng, was a Chinese military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Despite being a childhood friend of Wu's founding emperor, Sun Quan, he was never given an important position or assignment before Lü Meng's invasion of southern Jing Province in 219, wherein he assisted in capturing the enemy commander, Guan Yu. Following the Battle of Xiaoting, Wu's rival state, Cao Wei, launched a three-pronged strike on Wu's northwestern, middle, and eastern borders. Zhu Ran was sent to the northwestern border, where he defended the city of Jiangling with only 5,000 troops against an enemy force about ten times greater. He rose to fame and became feared throughout Wei. He then participated in a series of military operations against Wei, during which he defeated several enemy units, but the overall objectives were never met. Before his death, Zhu Ran was granted authority to oversee matters within the army.
Zhang Ji, courtesy name Derong, was an official who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China. During the Battle of Tong Pass, Zhang Ji, Xiahou Yuan and others defended the city of Chang'an from attacks by the warlord Ma Chao and his allies. From 213 to 220, Zhang Ji served as the Inspector of Yong Province. In 220, after the Han dynasty ended and the Three Kingdoms period started, Zhang Ji served under the state of Cao Wei as the Inspector of Liang Province. In 221, he quelled a Lushuihu rebellion in the Hexi Corridor.
Hua Xin, courtesy name Ziyu, was a Chinese politician who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of China. He initially served directly under the central government of the Eastern Han dynasty. Later, he served under the warlord Sun Ce and then under the warlord Cao Cao. He continued to serve in the Cao Wei state during the Three Kingdoms period.
Chen Qun, courtesy name Changwen, was a Chinese politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He initiated the Nine-rank system for civil service nomination in Wei. Following the death of the first Wei emperor Cao Pi, Chen Qun, along with Sima Yi and Cao Zhen, nominated Cao Pi's son, Cao Rui, to be the new emperor.
Chen Tai, courtesy name Xuanbo, was a military general and official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a son of Chen Qun and a maternal grandson of Xun Yu. Chen Tai was very knowledgeable in the art of war, and so led his men as if they were his own children. When the regent Sima Shi began abusing his power and the emperor Cao Mao died under very suspicious circumstances, Chen Tai expressed his deep loyalty to the Cao Wei state by donning mourning garments at Cao Mao's funeral.
Cao Xun was an imperial prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was an adopted son of Cao Rui, the second emperor of Wei. While the identities of his parents are unknown, Cao Xun was allegedly a son of Cao Kai (曹楷), the son of Cao Zhang. On 23 September 235, Cao Rui enfeoffed Cao Xun as the Prince of Qin (秦王). Cao Xun died sometime between 19 September and 18 October 244.
Xu Miao (172–249), courtesy name Jingshan, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He started his career in the late Eastern Han dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao, who was the de facto head of the Han central government in that period. After the end of the Han dynasty in 220, Xu Miao served under Cao Cao's son and successor, Cao Pi, who established the Cao Wei state with himself as the emperor. He lived through the reigns of three Wei emperors – Cao Pi, Cao Rui and Cao Fang – and held various high offices in the Wei government.
Wang Zhong was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He previously served under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty.
Sun Deng, courtesy name Zigao, was an imperial prince of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the eldest son of Sun Quan, Eastern Wu's founding emperor, and was crown prince from 229 until his death in 241.
Liu Ye, courtesy name Ziyang, was an adviser to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. After the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty, he served as an official in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period, serving under Cao Pi and Cao Rui. He was a member of the House of Liu, the imperial clan of the Han dynasty, and a direct descendant of Emperor Guangwu, via Guangwu's seventh son Liu Yan. He had two sons: Liu Yu (劉寓) and Liu Tao (劉陶).
Fu Xun was a politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He previously served under the warlord Liu Biao in the late Eastern Han dynasty.
Du Kui, courtesy name Gongliang, was a musician and official who served under the warlord Liu Biao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He served in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period.
Cao Jian was a prince in the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a son of Cao Pi, the first emperor of Wei. His mother, whose maiden family name was Zhu (朱), was a concubine of Cao Pi holding the rank of shuyuan. He was enfeoffed as the Prince of Dongwuyang (東武陽王) in August or September 225, but died some months later in December 225 or January 226. In 235, he was given the posthumous title "Prince Huai" (懷王). His princedom was abolished because he had no son to inherit it.
Cao Rui was a prince in the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a son of Cao Pi, the first emperor of Wei. His mother, whose family name was Pan (潘), was a concubine of Cao Pi holding the rank of shuyuan. He was enfeoffed as the Prince of Yangping County (陽平縣王) in 226 after his half-brother, Cao Rui, succeeded their father as the emperor of Wei. In 232, his title was changed to Prince of Beihai (北海王). He died in 233 and had no offspring.
Cao Xie was a prince in the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a son of Cao Pi, the first emperor of Wei. His mother, whose maiden family name was Li (李), was a concubine of Cao Pi holding the rank of guiren. He died early and was posthumously honoured as Duke Shang of Jing (經殤公) in 231 by his half-brother, Cao Rui. In 234, Cao Rui posthumously promoted him to a prince under a new posthumous title: Prince Ai of Zan (贊哀王).
Cao Lin was a prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a son of Cao Cao, a warlord who rose to prominence towards the end of the Han dynasty and laid the foundation for the Cao Wei state. His mother was Lady Du (杜夫人), a concubine of Cao Cao. She also bore Cao Cao another son, Cao Gun. In 211, Emperor Xian, the last emperor of the Han dynasty, enfeoffed Cao Lin as the Marquis of Raoyang (饒陽侯). In 217, Cao Lin's title was changed to "Marquis of Qiao" (譙侯). In 221, a year after Cao Lin's half-brother Cao Pi usurped the throne from Emperor Xian and became the first emperor of the Cao Wei state, he enfeoffed Cao Lin as the Duke of Qiao (譙公). One year later, Cao Pi elevated Cao Lin from a duke to a prince under the title "Prince of Qiao" (譙王). In 226, he changed Cao Lin's title to "Prince of Juancheng" (鄄城王). In 232, Cao Pi's successor, Cao Rui, changed Cao Lin's title to "Prince of Pei" (沛王). Throughout the reigns of the subsequent Wei emperors, the number of taxable households in Cao Lin's dukedom increased until it reached 4,700. After Cao Lin died in 256, his son Cao Wei (曹緯) inherited his princedom as the new Prince of Pei. Cao Lin had a daughter, who married Ji Kang.
Zhu Jianping (fl.213-c.220) was an expert in physiognomy and horses whose reputation saw him gain position at Eastern Han dynasty warlord Cao Cao's court and at a gathering for the future Cao Wei Emperor Cao Pi predicted the fates of prominent figures there, said to be rarely wrong.
