Cao Chong
Encyclopedia
Cao Chong was a son of the late Han Dynasty
warlord
Cao Cao
. He was renowned as a child prodigy
, having the intelligence of an adult at the age of five. He is best known for his ingenious method of weighing an elephant
using the law of buoyancy
. Considered by Cao Cao
as the successor, however Cao Chong died of sickness at the age of thirteen.
and Consort Huan. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou
, Cao Chong had the intelligence of an adult around the age of five and six. On one occasion, the southern warlord Sun Quan
sent a gift of an elephant
to Cao Cao, who wished to know the animal's weight. No one could think of a method but young Cao Chong had an ingenious idea. Somewhat similar to Archimedes
' solution to the legendary Problem of the Crown, Cao Chong asked to have the elephant loaded onto a boat, on which the water level was marked. The elephant was then replaced with smaller weighable objects until the boat was submerged to the same level. The weight of the elephant could then be found out by summing up the weights of all the objects. According to Joseph Needham
, although no official treatise in the likes of Archimedes' principle was ever written regarding buoyancy in ancient China, there were observational precedents of it in the Rites of Zhou
, compiled and edited during the early Han Dynasty
(202 BCE - 220 CE). Joseph Needham states:
In another incident, Cao Cao's saddle
was chewed through by rodent
s. The storekeepers were in great fear for their lives as laws were strict during those times of war. When Cao Chong learnt of their plight, he took a knife and cut holes in his clothings as if rats had bitten through them. He then went to see his father and complained that he feared ill luck brought by the rat bites. Cao Cao consoled him, saying it was only a superstition. Cao Chong then told Cao Cao of the damaged saddle. Cao Cao laughed and said, "Even when my son's clothings were just by his side, they could not be spared from the rats, let alone the saddle in the store." The storekeepers were then pardoned.
Cao Chong would often review cases of indicted criminals for any injustice. His intelligence and benevolence had won the love of Cao Cao, who often voiced his intention to make him his successor. Cao Chong died, however, in 208 at the age of thirteen. Cao Cao accordingly said to Cao Pi
, his ultimate successor: "This is my misfortune, but your good fortune."
In 221, Cao Chong was posthumously given the title of Marquis Ai of Deng (鄧哀侯), and was ultimately elevated to Prince Ai of Deng (鄧哀王) in 231. He was succeeded by his nephew Cao Cong (曹琮) since he was without his own heir.
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
. He was renowned as a child prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
, having the intelligence of an adult at the age of five. He is best known for his ingenious method of weighing an elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
using the law of buoyancy
Buoyancy
In physics, buoyancy is a force exerted by a fluid that opposes an object's weight. In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of the overlying fluid. Thus a column of fluid, or an object submerged in the fluid, experiences greater pressure at the bottom of the...
. Considered by Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
as the successor, however Cao Chong died of sickness at the age of thirteen.
Biography
Cao Chong was born the eldest son of Cao CaoCao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
and Consort Huan. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou
Chen Shou
Chen Shou was a historian during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history. He is best known as the author of Records of Three Kingdoms, a historical account of the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period.-Biography:...
, Cao Chong had the intelligence of an adult around the age of five and six. On one occasion, the southern warlord Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
sent a gift of an elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
to Cao Cao, who wished to know the animal's weight. No one could think of a method but young Cao Chong had an ingenious idea. Somewhat similar to Archimedes
Archimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. Among his advances in physics are the foundations of hydrostatics, statics and an...
' solution to the legendary Problem of the Crown, Cao Chong asked to have the elephant loaded onto a boat, on which the water level was marked. The elephant was then replaced with smaller weighable objects until the boat was submerged to the same level. The weight of the elephant could then be found out by summing up the weights of all the objects. According to Joseph Needham
Joseph Needham
Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA , also known as Li Yuese , was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British...
, although no official treatise in the likes of Archimedes' principle was ever written regarding buoyancy in ancient China, there were observational precedents of it in the Rites of Zhou
Rites of Zhou
The Rites of Zhou , also known as Zhouguan, is one of three ancient ritual texts listed among the classics of Confucianism. It was later renamed Zhouli by Liu Xin to differentiate it from a chapter in the Classic of History which was also known as Zhouguan.Though tradition ascribed the text of the...
, compiled and edited during the early Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
(202 BCE - 220 CE). Joseph Needham states:
Empirical use, of course, was made of [Archimedes'] principle, as in the floating of arrows and vehicle wheels in water by the [Zhou] and Han technicians, in order to determine their equilibrium and add or remove material accordingly.
In another incident, Cao Cao's saddle
Saddle
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
was chewed through by rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s. The storekeepers were in great fear for their lives as laws were strict during those times of war. When Cao Chong learnt of their plight, he took a knife and cut holes in his clothings as if rats had bitten through them. He then went to see his father and complained that he feared ill luck brought by the rat bites. Cao Cao consoled him, saying it was only a superstition. Cao Chong then told Cao Cao of the damaged saddle. Cao Cao laughed and said, "Even when my son's clothings were just by his side, they could not be spared from the rats, let alone the saddle in the store." The storekeepers were then pardoned.
Cao Chong would often review cases of indicted criminals for any injustice. His intelligence and benevolence had won the love of Cao Cao, who often voiced his intention to make him his successor. Cao Chong died, however, in 208 at the age of thirteen. Cao Cao accordingly said to Cao Pi
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
, his ultimate successor: "This is my misfortune, but your good fortune."
In 221, Cao Chong was posthumously given the title of Marquis Ai of Deng (鄧哀侯), and was ultimately elevated to Prince Ai of Deng (鄧哀王) in 231. He was succeeded by his nephew Cao Cong (曹琮) since he was without his own heir.
Family
- Father: Cao CaoCao CaoCao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
- Mother: Lady Huan (環夫人)
- Siblings:
- Cao Ju (曹據), younger brother
- Cao Yu (曹宇), younger brother
- Descendants:
- Cao Cong (曹琮), son of Cao Chong's younger brother Cao Ju, continued Cao Chong's family line
Titles held
- All the following titles were granted to Cao Chong posthumously
- Marquis Ai of Deng (鄧哀侯)
- Duke Ai of Deng (鄧哀公)
- Prince Ai of Deng (鄧哀王)