Cang Ci

Historical Record

Cang Ci, styled Xiaoren, was a man of Huainan^[1]. In his early years he served as a commandery clerk. During the Jian'an era, when Cao Cao opened up agricultural colonies in the Huainan region, he appointed Cang Ci as Commandant for Pacifying and Gathering, charged with comforting and assembling the people^[1].

At the end of the Huangchu era, Cang Ci was appointed Prefect of Chang'an. During his tenure he was known for being incorruptible, frugal, and methodical, so that the local officials and people both feared and loved him^[1].

In the Taihe era, Cang Ci was promoted to Grand Administrator of Dunhuang. The Dunhuang commandery lay on the western frontier, and because it was cut off by war it had gone twenty years without a grand administrator, so that the powerful great clans had grown strong and this had become an entrenched custom. The previous administrators, such as Yin Feng, merely followed the old ways without making any correction or reform^[1].

After Cang Ci took office, he set about putting things in order at once. He resolutely curbed those powerful and influential clans, while at the same time relieving the poor and weak, and his administration was thoroughly fitting. At the time, the old great clans held large amounts of land, while the common folk had not even a place to stand. Cang Ci took measures against this: according to the size of households, he carved out the surplus land of the powerful and gradually required the common folk to pay its original value^[1].

Previously, the lawsuits of the subordinate counties had been many, and the county officials could not decide them, so a great many cases had piled up at the commandery seat. Cang Ci went in person to review them, distinguishing the cases by severity. Except for those of the gravest crimes, he mostly only applied the whip and cane and sent the offenders on their way. In one year of his governance, the criminal cases decided amounted to fewer than ten^[1].

Moreover, at the time the various Hu peoples of the Western Regions often wished to come and present tribute, but many of the powerful clans obstructed them and cut off their routes. Even when the Hu were able to trade, they were often cheated and humiliated and could not obtain fair dealings, so the Hu often harbored resentment. Cang Ci comforted them in this. For those Hu who wished to go to Luoyang, he issued them passes; for those who wished to return from the commandery, the authorities fairly purchased their goods and traded with them using items from the storehouses, and also sent officials and people to escort them on their way. Therefore the local people and the Hu alike praised his virtue and kindness with one voice^[1].

Several years later, Cang Ci died in office. The officials and people grieved bitterly, as if they had lost a kinsman. They painted his portrait to express their longing for him. When the Hu of the Western Regions learned of Cang Ci's death, they all gathered at the seat of the Wuji Colonel and the senior officials to mourn, and some even cut their faces with knives to show the sincerity of their hearts, and built a shrine for him and sacrificed to him from afar^[1].

The Weilüe records that Wang Qian of Tianshui succeeded Cang Ci as administrator; although he followed Cang Ci's policies, he could not match his level. Zhao Ji of Jincheng succeeded Wang Qian, and was again inferior to Wang Qian. It was not until the Jiaping era that Huangfu Long of Anding succeeded Zhao Ji as administrator. At first the people of the Dunhuang region were not good at farming, often soaking the soil very thoroughly with water before tilling. They also did not know how to use the seed-plow, so that in irrigating and sowing the labor of men and beasts was greatly expended yet the harvest was meager. After Huangfu Long took office, he taught them to make and use the seed-plow and taught them spreading irrigation. By year's end, the labor saved was more than half, and the grain yield increased by half. In addition, when the women of the Dunhuang region made skirts, the hems were curled up like sheep's intestines and required a whole bolt of cloth. Huangfu Long also forbade and changed this custom, and the cloth saved was likewise considerable. Therefore the people of Dunhuang held that Huangfu Long's firmness and decisiveness did not match Cang Ci's, but in diligence, love of the people, and bringing benefit to the lower classes, he could rival Cang Ci^[1].

In the Novel

In the literary works available, such as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, there is no independent literary portrayal of the figure Cang Ci. Therefore, in the novel, Cang Ci is given no additional plot or character traits, and his image and deeds remain consistent with the historical record, with no deviation. Nor does the novel mention the specific details of his interactions with Cao Cao or Yin Feng, focusing mainly on his administrative achievements in Dunhuang^[1].

Key Relationships

* Cao Wei: Cang Ci was an important official of the Cao Wei regime, serving Cao Wei all his life — from commandery clerk to Commandant for Pacifying and Gathering, and then to Prefect of Chang'an and Grand Administrator of Dunhuang — all in the discharge of his duties under Cao Wei rule^[1].
* Cao Cao: During the Jian'an era, when Cao Cao opened up agricultural colonies in Huainan, he appointed Cang Ci as Commandant for Pacifying and Gathering. This shows that Cang Ci's early official career was recognized and promoted by Cao Cao^[1].
* Yin Feng: Yin Feng was Cang Ci's predecessor as Grand Administrator of Dunhuang. The histories record that Yin Feng in office "merely followed the old ways and made no correction or reform," in sharp contrast to Cang Ci, who after taking office "curbed the powerful and relieved the poor and weak." Thus Yin Feng was Cang Ci's "rival" or "negative example" in governing philosophy and actual deeds^[1].

Signature Scenes

Cang Ci's signature scene is undoubtedly his governing practice as Grand Administrator of Dunhuang. What best embodies his character of being "incorruptible, frugal, and methodical," "relieving the people," and "conciliating the frontier peoples" is nothing other than his measures of carving out the powerful clans' land and conciliating the Hu of the Western Regions^[1].

In Dunhuang, faced with the social reality that "the great clans were dominant, and this had become a custom," Cang Ci did not compromise but "curbed the powerful," carving out the surplus land of the great clans and "allotting it by household" to the poor common folk, while requiring the common folk to pay its original value — thus resolving the problem of land annexation while also taking fairness into account, and displaying his decisive yet strategic governing ability^[1].

At the same time, his policy of conciliating the Hu of the Western Regions was also highly representative. Faced with the great clans' obstruction and cheating of the Hu trade, Cang Ci not only "comforted them" but also provided them with travel conveniences, had the authorities trade fairly, and sent men to escort them. This series of measures caused "the people and the foreigners alike to praise his virtue and kindness," so that after his death, the Hu of the Western Regions "all gathered together at the seat of the Wuji Colonel and the senior officials to mourn; some cut their faces with knives to show their blood-sincerity, and built a shrine for him and sacrificed to him from afar"^[1]. This deep mourning, crossing peoples and regions, fully proves Cang Ci's outstanding ability and far-reaching influence in handling ethnic relations, and became the most moving and signature scene of his life.