Royal Uncle Cao

The newest of the Eight Immortals, Royal Uncle Cao or Cao Guojiu (%u66F9%u570B%u8205 in pinyin: cáo guó jiù) or Wade-Giles, Ts'ao Kuo-ch'iu, is named one of the following:

• Cao Yi (%u66F9%u4F7E cáo yì) (courtesy name Gongbo (%u516C%u4F2F g%u014Dng bó))
• Cao Jing (%u66F9%u666F cáo j%u01D0ng)
• Cao Jingxiu (%u66F9%u666F%u4F11 cáo j%u01D0ng xi%u016B)
• Cao You (%u66F9%u53CB cáo y%u01D2u).

He was said to be the uncle of the Emperor of the Song Empire, being the younger brother of Empress Dowager Cao (%u66F9%u592A%u540E cáo tàihòu).

In historic records, there were several Emperor-consorts Caos in the Song Empire, but only one became empress: Cishengguangxian Empress (%u6148%u8056%u5149%u737B%u7687%u540E cí shèng gu%u0101ng xiàn huáng hoù) (1015 - 1079), the wife of the fourth Song emperor, Rénz%u014Dng (%u4EC1%u5B97), none of whose children became an emperor.

However, this therefore does not render the historical existence of the "Royal Uncle Cao" impossible as in pre-modern China, the address "uncle" also meant "brother-in-law". Sometimes specified as "Wife-uncle" (%u59BB%u8205 q%u012B jiù) or as a respect, "Little Uncle" (%u8205%u5B50 jiù z%u01D0). Císhènggu%u0101ngxiàn Empress did have a younger brother named Cao Yi in historical record. But the given name of Royal Uncle Cao being Yi as well could be a post hoc.

Cao Guojiu's younger brother Cao Jingzhi (%u66F9%u666F%u690D cáo j%u01D0ng zhí) was a bully, but no one dared to prosecute him because of his powerful connections, not even after he killed a person. Royal Uncle Cao was so overwhelmed by sadness and shame on his brother that he resigned his office and left home.

Depiction

He is shown in the official's court dress with a jade tablet. Sometimes he holds castanets.

His jade tablet can purify the environment.