Empress Dowager Bian

Historical Record

Empress Bian the Martial and Sagely, a native of Kaiyang in Langya, was the mother of Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi. She was born on the day jisi of the twelfth month of the third year of Yanxi of the Han, and was at first of humble origin, from an entertainer's household. ^c:712 At the age of twenty she was taken as a concubine by Cao Cao. During Dong Zhuo's disorder, when Cao Cao traveled east in plain dress to escape danger, Yuan Shu spread word of Cao Cao's death. At the time the followers who had come with Cao Cao to Luoyang all wished to return home, but Empress Bian overruled them all, dissuading them: "Whether Lord Cao lives or dies cannot yet be known. If you go home today and he proves to be alive tomorrow, with what face will you meet him again? And even should disaster come, what hardship is there in dying together?" The company then heeded her advice. When Cao Cao learned of this, he thought very well of it. ^c:712

In the early Jian'an years, after Lady Ding was deposed, Empress Bian was installed as the principal wife. Of Cao Cao's various sons, all who had no birth mother were raised by Empress Bian. She was frugal by nature and did not favor splendor; her vessels were all of black lacquer, and she did not care for embroidery, pearls, or jade. Cao Cao once bestowed on her several precious earrings and let her choose one for herself, but Empress Bian chose the middling one among them. When Cao Cao asked her reason, she answered: "To take the best is greed; to take the worst is hypocrisy; therefore I take the middling one." ^c:712

When Emperor Wen Cao Pi was installed as heir apparent, the attendant Senior Maids congratulated Empress Bian, supposing she would empty the treasury in rewards. Empress Bian replied calmly: "The King, considering Pi the eldest, has therefore made him his heir; I should count myself fortunate merely to be spared the fault of poor upbringing—why should I make lavish gifts?" The Senior Maid reported these words to Cao Cao, who, hearing them, sighed in admiration: "To be unmoved in countenance by anger, and to keep one's bearing in joy—this is the hardest of all." ^c:712

In the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an, Empress Bian was honored as Queen. The proclamation praised her for "rearing the various sons, with the virtue befitting a mother." The next year Cao Cao passed away; Emperor Wen Cao Pi ascended the throne and honored Empress Bian as Queen Dowager. When Cao Pi proclaimed himself emperor, he further honored her as Empress Dowager, residing in the Yongshou Palace. On the grounds that the state's resources were insufficient, she reduced the imperial fare and removed the gold and silver vessels. The Prince of Dong'e, Cao Zhi, was the Empress Dowager's youngest son and deeply beloved by her. Later Cao Zhi broke the law and the officials reported it; Emperor Wen ordered the Empress Dowager's nephew, the Commandant of Equipages Bian Lan, to bring the deliberations of the nobles to inform the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager said: "I never expected this boy to do such a thing. Go back and tell the emperor: he must not, on my account, break the law of the state." ^c:714 After Emperor Ming Cao Rui ascended the throne, he honored Empress Bian as Grand Empress Dowager. ^c:714

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms devotes little ink to Empress Bian, and her image follows the histories largely without notable literary creation or divergence. The novel does not depict in detail her early life or her meeting with Cao Cao; she appears more as Cao Cao's consort and Cao Pi's mother, serving to set off the background of the Cao Wei family. In key events such as Cao Cao's enthronement as king and Cao Pi's installation as heir, for instance, Empress Bian takes no direct part in the decisions, yet her presence is without doubt an indispensable link in these historical developments. The novel does not, as the histories do, specifically portray Empress Bian's remonstrance during Cao Cao's peril, or her calm bearing at Cao Pi's installation as heir; such details from the histories that display her character are mostly omitted in the novel. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, therefore, Empress Bian is more a background figure, her character traits and conduct not at odds with the historical record but lacking deeper literary shaping.

Key Relationships

* Cao Wei (member_of): As Cao Cao's principal wife and Cao Pi's mother, Empress Bian was one of the core members of the Cao Wei regime. She witnessed and took part in the whole course of Cao Wei from its founding to the establishment of the empire, and her standing and influence were not to be underestimated. ^c:714
* Cao Cao (spouse_of): Empress Bian was Cao Cao's principal wife, deeply trusted and respected by him. Cao Cao once sighed in admiration that she was "unmoved in countenance by anger, and kept her bearing in joy," showing that her unflappable character won Cao Cao's high regard. ^c:712
* Cao Pi (parent_of): Empress Bian was Cao Pi's mother. When Cao Pi was installed as heir apparent, the calm and self-effacing attitude she displayed also indirectly influenced Cao Cao's view of Cao Pi. ^c:712
* Cao Zhi (parent_of): Empress Bian was Cao Zhi's mother, deeply fond of her youngest son. Yet when Cao Zhi broke the law, she could still handle the matter impartially, not breaking the law of the state for private affection, showing her fairness and principle as Empress Dowager. ^c:714

Iconic Scenes

* Dissuading the followers from returning home: When Cao Cao met with reports of his death and his followers meant to scatter, Empress Bian overruled them all, steadying the men's resolve with the bold words "what hardship is there in dying together?"—displaying her composure in adversity and her grasp of the greater good. When Cao Cao heard of it, he thought very well of it. ^c:712
* Choosing the middling earring: Cao Cao bestowed on her several precious earrings, but she chose the middling one among them, explaining: "To take the best is greed; to take the worst is hypocrisy; therefore I take the middling one." This act reflected both her frugal, unshowy character and her wisdom of the golden mean in conducting herself. ^c:712
* Unmoved at hearing of Emperor Wen's installation as heir: When Cao Pi was installed as heir apparent, Empress Bian, faced with the congratulations of the attendant Senior Maids, showed unusual calm, holding that "I should count myself fortunate merely to be spared the fault of poor upbringing—why should I make lavish gifts?" Cao Cao therefore praised her as "unmoved in countenance by anger, keeping her bearing in joy," which became one of her most admired traits. ^c:712
* Handling Cao Zhi's offense impartially: Although Cao Zhi was the youngest son she most cherished, when Cao Zhi broke the law and was reported, Empress Bian could still hold to principle, admonishing Emperor Wen that "he must not, on my account, break the law of the state," displaying her firm stand as Empress Dowager in upholding the dignity of the law. ^c:714