Cao Teng (died late 150s), courtesy name
Jixing, was a
eunuch who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty of China. He served four Han emperors (
Shun,
Chong,
Zhi, and
Huan). Through his adopted son
Cao Song, he was the grandfather of
Cao Cao, who laid the foundations for the state of
Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period. On 3 August 229, during the reign of Cao Cao's grandson
Cao Rui, Cao Teng was posthumously honoured as "Emperor Gao of Wei" (魏高帝), becoming the only eunuch in Chinese officialdom to have this honor.
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Life
Cao Teng served as an Attendant at the Yellow Gates (小黃門) in the Han imperial court during the reign of Emperor An. In 120, when Emperor Shun was still a prince, Empress Dowager Deng appointed Cao Teng to serve the prince because Cao Teng was honest, modest and prudent. Cao Teng gained the trust of Emperor Shun and became his personal friend. In 126, after Emperor Shun ascended the throne, Cao Teng was promoted to Central Regular Attendant (中常侍), the highest possible rank for a court eunuch.
After Emperor Shun died, his infant son died after just one year on the throne. The general Liang Ji installed the seven-year-old Liu Zuan (劉纘) on the throne, overruling the popularity of another candidate, Liu Suan (劉蒜). Despite his young age, Liu Zuan showed signs of resentment towards Liang Ji's domineering influence, and was soon poisoned by the general. The imperial court was once again divided in deciding the successor. One group, led by Li Gu, wanted to install Liu Suan on the throne, while Liang Ji led another faction which supported the young Liu Zhi (劉志). Cao Teng took Liang Ji's side and urged him to defy his critics, and soon the majority backed down.
After Liu Zhi, or Emperor Huan as he came to be known, ascended the throne, Cao Teng was rewarded with enfeoffment as the Marquis of Fei Village (費亭侯) for his participation in the succession debate. He was later promoted to Empress's Chamberlain (大長秋) and was placed in charge of the household of Empress Liang Nüying. He also served as Coachman of the Changle Palace (長樂宮太僕) of Empress Dowager Liang Na.
Cao Teng stayed in the court for 30 years, having served four emperors, and was said to have never made big mistakes. The people he promoted were all very famous throughout the empire, such as Yu Fang (虞放), Bian Shao (邊韶) and Zhao Dian (趙典). Cao Teng was a broad-minded person. Once, a provincial governor Zhong Hao (種暠) found evidence that Cao Teng had received bribes and tried, unsuccessfully, to impeach Cao Teng. Despite this, Cao Teng often recommended Zhong Hao to higher positions. Cao Teng was remembered by his contemporaries for his personality and integrity. After Cao Teng died in the late 150s, his foster son Cao Song inherited his marquis title.
Family
The text above has been excerpted automatically from Wikipedia - please correct any errors in the
original article.
曹騰（100年 - 159年），字
季興，沛國譙縣（今安徽省亳州市）人，
東漢宦官，由于
曹操的父親
曹嵩是他的養子，
曹魏建立後將其追尊為
魏高帝。
Read more...: 生平 事跡 陵墓 家庭 父母 妻 兄弟 子女 評價 藝術形象 動漫作品 影視形象 延伸閱讀 注釋
生平
漢安帝時，曹騰出任黃門從官。永寧元年（120年），鄧太后詔黃門令選中黃門從官年少溫謹者配皇太子書，騰應其選。太子特親愛騰，飲食賞賜與眾有異。太子即位為順帝，曹騰為小黃門，遷至中常侍。由於曹騰建議梁冀立劉志為帝（桓帝）有功，桓帝即位後封曹騰為費亭侯（屬沛國酇縣），遷大長秋，加位特進。
曹騰死後，養子曹嵩嗣爵，出錢一億萬而官至太尉。
曹魏建立後，曹騰的養玄孫曹叡于太和三年六月戊申日（229年8月3日）追尊他為高皇帝。曹騰也因此成為中國歷朝所有皇帝及至追尊皇帝中，唯一為宦官者。（《三國志·魏明帝紀》）
事跡
曹騰在宮中三十餘年，歷事四帝，沒有過失，而且經常推薦賢能，終無所毀傷。他所薦之人，如陳留的虞放、邊韶、南陽的延固、張溫、弘農的張奐、潁川的堂谿典等，都是海內名人。有一次蜀郡太守因計吏修敬於騰，益州刺史種暠於函谷關搜得其書信，上太守，並報奏曹騰內臣外交，行為不當，請免官治罪。皇帝認為『箋自外來，騰書不出，非其罪也』，于是擱置了種暠的罷官奏議。曹騰卻不以介意，常稱種暠為能吏，認為他有事上之節，當時人都讚嘆。種暠後升任司徒，對人說：『今日為公，乃曹常侍力也。』曹騰之行事，皆此類也。
陵墓
曹騰墓是今安徽省亳州市的曹氏宗族墓群中的墓葬之一，1973年清理發掘。曹氏宗族墓群現在為全國重點文物保護單位。
家庭
父母
• 父曹萌。
妻
• 吳氏，追諡高皇后。
兄弟
• 長兄曹伯興；
• 二兄曹仲興；
• 三兄曹叔興，後裔曹冏；
• 弟曹鼎。
子女
• 養子曹嵩，字巨高，生曹操。
評價
• 陳琳：「司空曹操祖父騰，故中常侍，與左悺、徐璜並作妖孽，饕餮放橫，傷化虐人。」（《後漢書·卷七十四·袁紹劉表傳》）
• 范曄：「騰用事省闥三十餘年，奉事四帝，未嘗有過。」；「其後孫程定立順之功，曹騰參建桓之策，續以五侯合謀，梁冀受鉞，跡因公正，恩固主心，故中外服從，上下屏氣。」；「自曹騰說梁冀，竟立昏弱，魏武因之，遂遷龜鼎。」（《後漢書·卷七十八·宦者列傳第六十八》）
• 司馬彪：「好進達賢能，終無所毀傷。」（《後漢書·卷七十四·袁紹劉表傳》）
藝術形象
動漫作品
• 《蒼天航路》（王欣太）:於劇情初期登場，不懼於張讓言論、作風與十常侍相反，死後連反對宦官的清流派亦為其上香。
影視形象
• 2014年電視劇《曹操》：賈兆冀飾演曹騰。
延伸閱讀
注釋
The text above has been excerpted automatically from Wikipedia - please correct any errors in the
original article.
