生平

建安二十一年（216年），封壽春侯。黃初二年（221年），升為汝陽公。黃初三年（222年），升弋陽王，同年又升吳王。黃初四年（224年），改封壽春縣。黃初七年（226年），魏明帝即位，徙封白馬。太和六年（232年）改封楚王。

嘉平三年（251年），曹彪與王凌通謀，起事對抗奪取了魏國政權的司馬氏，最後在六月被司馬懿賜死。享年五十七歲。妃及諸子皆免為庶人，徙平原。曹彪官屬以下及監國謁者坐知情無輔導之義之罪，皆伏誅。國除為淮南郡。此為壽春三叛的第一次叛亂。

兒子

正元元年，皇帝曹髦下詔赦免曹彪家人，封曹彪原世子曹嘉為常山真定王。西晉建立後，曹嘉改封高邑公，官東莞郡太守。與石崇相友善，吏部郎李重啟稱其在魏宗室中才幹、學識次于曹志、曹翕，但德行過之。

逸聞

• 有一次，曹彪參與曹丕的宴會，朱建平為曹彪看相，說：「您將統領藩邦，五十七歲時有刀兵之災。要妥善預防。」

• 曹植作品《贈白馬王彪》的對象，正是曹彪。

評價

• 曹芳：「夫先王行賞不遺仇讎，用戮不違親戚，至公之義也。故周公流涕而決二叔之罪，孝武傷懷而斷昭平之獄，古今常典也。惟王，國之至親，作籓于外，不能祗奉王度，表率宗室，而謀于奸邪，乃與太尉王凌、兗州刺史令狐愚構通逆謀，圖危社稷，有悖忒之心，無忠孝之意。宗廟有靈，王其何面目以見先帝？朕深痛王自陷罪辜，既得王情，深用憮然。有司奏王當就大理，朕惟公族甸師之義，不忍肆王市朝，故遣使者賜書。王自作孽，匪由于他，燕剌之事，宜足以觀。王其自圖之！」「故楚王彪，背國附奸，身死嗣替，雖自取之，猶哀矜焉。」（《三國志卷二十·魏書·武文世王公傳第二十》）

• 陳壽：「魏氏王公，既徒有國土之名，而無社稷之實，又禁防壅隔，同於囹圄；位號靡定，大小歲易；骨肉之恩乖，常棣之義廢。為法之弊，一至于此乎！」（《三國志卷二十·魏書·武文世王公傳第二十》）

• 魚豢：「楚王彪有智勇。」

• 鐘嶸：「白馬與陳思答贈，偉長與公幹往複，雖曰以莛扣鐘，亦能閒雅矣。」（《詩品》）

• 胡應麟：「詩未有三世傳者，既傳而且煊赫，僅曹氏操、丕、睿耳。然白馬名存鐘《品》，則彪當亦能詩。又任城武力絕人，倉舒智慧出眾。阿瞞何徳，挺育多才？生子如此，孫仲謀輩詎足道哉！ 」（《詩藪》）

相關人物

• 王凌

• 令狐愚

• 賈洪

藝術形象

影視

• 電視劇《大軍師司馬懿之軍師聯盟》（2017年）：達來哈里呼

動漫

• 漫畫《火鳳燎原》（陳某）:設定於赤壁之戰篇後以年幼版本登場。

Life

Cao Biao was a son of Cao Cao, a warlord who rose to power in the late Eastern Han dynasty and laid the foundation for the Cao Wei state in the Three Kingdoms period. His mother was Consort Sun (孫姬), a concubine of Cao Cao. He had two full brothers: Cao Zishang and Cao Ziqin.

In 216, Cao Biao was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Shouchun (壽春侯) by Emperor Xian, the figurehead last emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. During this time, he attended a banquet hosted by his half-brother Cao Pi. One of the guests was Zhu Jianping (朱建平), a notable fortune teller. Zhu Jianping told Cao Biao, "You'll become the lord of a vassal state. When you're 57, you'll get into a military-related disaster. You'll do well to be careful."

In 221, a year after his half-brother Cao Pi usurped the throne from Emperor Xian and replaced the Eastern Han dynasty with the Cao Wei state, Cao Biao was enfeoffed as the Duke of Ruyang (汝陽公). In the following year, he was elevated to the status of a prince under the title "Prince of Yiyang" (弋陽王), which was later changed to "Prince of Wu" (吳王) within the same year. In 226, Cao Pi changed Cao Biao's title to "Prince of Boma" (白馬王).

In the winter of 231, Cao Rui (Cao Pi's successor) summoned Cao Biao to the imperial capital, Luoyang, to pay his respects. In the following year, Cao Rui changed Cao Biao's title to "Prince of Chu" (楚王); Cao Biao's princedom, known as the Chu State (楚國), was centred around present-day Shou County, Anhui. In 233, an official reported to Cao Rui that Cao Biao did not follow imperial protocol when he visited Luoyang in 231. As a punishment, three counties were removed from Cao Biao's princedom, bringing the total number of taxable households in his princedom down to 1,500. In 234, Cao Biao regained the three counties after Cao Rui ordered a general amnesty. In 239, 500 taxable households were added to Cao Biao's princedom, bringing the total number up to 3,000.

In 249, the Grand Commandant Wang Ling plotted with his maternal nephew Linghu Yu (令狐愚), the Inspector of Yan Province, to overthrow the Wei emperor Cao Fang (Cao Rui's successor) and replace him with Cao Biao, whom they perceive to be intelligent and courageous. They also planned to establish the new imperial capital in Xuchang. In late September or October 249, Linghu Yu sent his subordinate Zhang Shi (張式) to contact Cao Biao and tell him that there were two popular sayings circulating in Dong Commandery (東郡; around present-day Puyang County, Henan): Both sayings hinted that Cao Biao should become the emperor. Zhang Shi also told Cao Biao, "His Excellency (Linghu Yu) sends Your Highness his greetings. There is great uncertainty in this world. We hope that Your Highness will love yourself." Cao Biao caught the hint and replied, "I thank His Excellency for his generosity and support." In December 249 or January 250, Linghu Yu sent Zhang Shi to remind Cao Biao again, but he died of illness before Zhang Shi returned.

On 7 June 251, the Wei imperial court received news that Wang Ling was plotting a rebellion in Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County, Anhui) aimed at overthrowing the emperor Cao Fang and replacing him with Cao Biao. The Grand Tutor Sima Yi then led imperial forces from Luoyang to Shouchun to preempt Wang Ling before he could effectively carry out his plans. Zhang Shi and others involved in the plot surrendered themselves and confessed everything. As Wang Ling did not expect Sima Yi to show up so quickly, he was caught off guard and had no choice but to surrender. He committed suicide on 15 June while being escorted as a prisoner to Luoyang for trial.

Sima Yi and officials from the Imperial Censorate went to Cao Biao's princedom, conducted an investigation and arrested everyone involved in the plot. The Minister of Justice urged the imperial court to punish Cao Biao for treason, so in July 251, the imperial court sent an emissary to reprimand Cao Biao for his conduct and force him to commit suicide. Several of Cao Biao's subordinates, who knew of his involvement in the plot but did not report him, were implicated and executed along with their families. Cao Biao's family members were spared, but reduced to commoner status and relocated to Pingyuan Commandery (平原郡). His princedom was converted to a commandery and renamed Huainan Commandery (淮南郡), with the commandery capital at present-day Shou County, Anhui.

Succession

In 254, the Wei emperor Cao Mao issued an imperial decree to pardon Cao Biao's family members and restore them to noble status. He enfeoffed Cao Biao's son and former heir apparent, Cao Jia (曹嘉), as the Prince of Changshan Zhending (常山真定王). In 260, during the reign of Cao Huan, the number of taxable households in Cao Jia's princedom increased until it reached 2,500.