Xiahou Mao ( 190s – 230s), courtesy name Zilin, was a military general and marquis of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Xiahou Dun, a general who served under the warlord Cao Cao, while Xiahou Mao was a close friend of the founding Emperor Cao Pi. Xiahou Mao married Princess Qinghe, one of Cao Cao's daughters, though the marriage would be an unhappy one and he once faced accusation of treason from his own family. Life From the Xiahou clan, which had long been allies to the Cao clan and supporters in the civil war, Xiahou Mao was a close friend of Cao Pi in Pi's youth. Xiahou Mao was appointed by Cao Cao to the secretariat and enoffed; he also married Cao Cao's eldest daughter. When Cao Pi brought about the abdication of Emperor Xian (the last emperor of the Han dynasty) in 220 and became the first emperor of Cao Wei, Xiahou Mao helped sponsor a commentary stele, perhaps as a proxy for his late father Xiahou Dun. Cao Pi made his sister Princess of Qinghe (in Gangling) and appointed Xiahou Mao as General Who Stabilises the West (安西將軍), putting him in charge of military affairs in the Guanzhong region, with his headquarters at Chang'an (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi) left vacant by the death of kinsman Xiahou Yuan. According to the Weilue, Xiahou Mao was known for having no talent in military matters with an interest in personal business affairs, Howard Goodman suggests Xiahou Mao may have spent his time gallivanting around the area rather than his duties. While away from the capital, he enjoyed collecting dancers and concubines with his wife unhappy with his adultery. When Shu Han Chancellor Zhuge Liang prepared to attack Cao Wei for the first time, Wei Yan advocated sending an army across harsh terrain to launch a sneak attack on Chang'an in the belief that Xiahou Mao was young, timid and irresolute so would panic on hearing of his arrival and flee Chang'an, leaving the city easy for Wei Yan to take. However Zhuge Liang rejected Wei Yan's plan and in the spring of early 228, launched the first of his Northern Campaigns. The second Wei emperor, Cao Rui, personally led reinforcements to Chang'an and hearing of complaints about Xiahou Mao's performance, he removed Xiahou Mao from his command, assigning it to the rather more suited Cao Zhen and reassigned Xiahou Mao to be a Master of Writing (尚書) in the Wei central government in Luoyang. Around 230, tensions between Xiahou Mao and his wife got worse.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Xiahou Mao ( 190s – 230s), courtesy name Zilin, was a military general and marquis of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Xiahou Dun, a general who served under the warlord Cao Cao, while Xiahou Mao was a close friend of the founding Emperor Cao Pi. Xiahou Mao married Princess Qinghe, one of Cao Cao's daughters, though the marriage would be an unhappy one and he once faced accusation of treason from his own family.

Overview

Xiahou Mao ( 190s – 230s), courtesy name Zilin, was a military general and marquis of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Xiahou Dun, a general who served under the warlord Cao Cao, while Xiahou Mao was a close friend of the founding Emperor Cao Pi. Xiahou Mao married Princess Qinghe, one of Cao Cao's daughters, though the marriage would be an unhappy one and he once faced accusation of treason from his own family. Life From the Xiahou clan, which had long been allies to the Cao clan and supporters in the civil war, Xiahou Mao was a close friend of Cao Pi in Pi's youth. Xiahou Mao was appointed by Cao Cao to the secretariat and enoffed; he also married Cao Cao's eldest daughter. When Cao Pi brought about the abdication of Emperor Xian (the last emperor of the Han dynasty) in 220 and became the first emperor of Cao Wei, Xiahou Mao helped sponsor a commentary stele, perhaps as a proxy for his late father Xiahou Dun. Cao Pi made his sister Princess of Qinghe (in Gangling) and appointed Xiahou Mao as General Who Stabilises the West (安西將軍), putting him in charge of military affairs in the Guanzhong region, with his headquarters at Chang'an (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi) left vacant by the death of kinsman Xiahou Yuan. According to the Weilue, Xiahou Mao was known for having no talent in military matters with an interest in personal business affairs, Howard Goodman suggests Xiahou Mao may have spent his time gallivanting around the area rather than his duties. While away from the capital, he enjoyed collecting dancers and concubines with his wife unhappy with his adultery. When Shu Han Chancellor Zhuge Liang prepared to attack Cao Wei for the first time, Wei Yan advocated sending an army across harsh terrain to launch a sneak attack on Chang'an in the belief that Xiahou Mao was young, timid and irresolute so would panic on hearing of his arrival and flee Chang'an, leaving the city easy for Wei Yan to take. However Zhuge Liang rejected Wei Yan's plan and in the spring of early 228, launched the first of his Northern Campaigns. The second Wei emperor, Cao Rui, personally led reinforcements to Chang'an and hearing of complaints about Xiahou Mao's performance, he removed Xiahou Mao from his command, assigning it to the rather more suited Cao Zhen and reassigned Xiahou Mao to be a Master of Writing (尚書) in the Wei central government in Luoyang. Around 230, tensions between Xiahou Mao and his wife got worse.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).