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Chao Cuo
Western Han adviser nicknamed the 'bag of wisdom' who, as Imperial Counsellor to Emperor Jing, pressed to cut the princes' lands and was executed when seven kingdoms rebelled
Mural of the event “Seven Kingdoms Revolt”, which this person took part in.
Early Han enfeoffment of imperial kinsmen had let large vassal states such as Wu and Chu grow until they threatened the center. Emperor Jing adopted Chao Cuo's "reduce the vassals" policy, provoking a fierce rebellion among the kings.
Chao Cuo came from Yingchuan and studied the legalist teachings of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang under Zhang Hui at Zhi. Under Emperor Wen he was sent to Jinan to learn the *Book of Documents* (*Shangshu*) from Fu Sheng, then served the crown prince's household, where he was nicknamed the 'bag of wisdom'. His memorials on war, border colonies and grain include the *Memorial on Valuing Grain* (*Lun gui su shu*), which proposed letting people buy rank or remit punishment with grain. When the prince became Emperor Jing, Chao rose to Imperial Counsellor, asked that the princes' fiefs be cut and revised thirty statutes. In 154 BC seven kingdoms led by Wu and Chu rebelled in the name of punishing him, and on Yuan Ang's advice the emperor had him executed in his court robes in the eastern market. When an officer later told the emperor that cutting the fiefs had served the dynasty's long-term interest, Emperor Jing admitted that he too regretted the execution.
Life and times
- c. 200 BCEBorn
Han - 154 BCESeven Kingdoms Revolt
Took partThe decisive triumph of Han central authority over the regional vassal kings.- Chao Cuo and Seven States RebellionEmperor Jing adopted Chao Cuo's edict to trim vassal power, provoking Liu Pi of Wu and seven princes to launch a major rebellion.
- Chao Cuo and Seven States Rebellion
- 154 BCEDied
Works
Literature · Sayings6- Issuing Orders at Dawn, Changing Them at DuskHanIdiom from Chao Cuo's Memorial on Elevating the Value of Grain: policies changed overnight
- A Plan Without a Single FlawHanIdiom echoing Chao Cuo's memorial on warfare: a strategy that cannot fail
- Sturdy Carriages Drawn by Fat HorsesHanIdiom from Chao Cuo's memorial on valuing grain: merchants riding in luxury
- Arms Are Ill-Omened and War Is PerilousHanIdiom from Chao Cuo's memorial on war: weapons are ill-omened, battle is perilous
- Orders Issued at Dawn, Changed by DuskHanIdiom from Chao Cuo's memorial on grain: decrees altered between morning and night
+1 more
- Facing Death as if It Were Life: Chao Cuo on Frontier SoldiersHanIdiom from Chao Cuo's frontier memorial: soldiers who face death as if it were life
- Literature · Prose3
- Memorial on Elevating the Value of GrainHanChao Cuo's memorial to Emperor Wen urging respect for farming and ranks granted for grain
- Memorial on Military AffairsHanChao Cuo's memorial to Emperor Wen on fighting the Xiongnu, weighing their strengths and Han's
- Memorial on Guarding the Frontier and Encouraging FarmingHanChao Cuo's memorial urging Emperor Wen to settle farming families on the frontier
Connections
- Shared events1
- Rulers and officials1
