| Princess Dongxiang 東鄉公主 | |
| Birth Date: | After 207 |
| Death Date: | Unknown |
| House: | House of Cao |
| Father: | Cao Pi |
| Mother: | Lady Zhen |
Princess Dongxiang (東鄉公主, b. after 207) was an Imperial princess of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. She was the daughter of Cao Pi, the first emperor of Cao Wei, and Lady Zhen. She was the younger sister of Cao Rui, the second emperor of Cao Wei, who succeeded her father. She was given the title of imperial princess when Cao Pi orchestrated a coup d'état against the Han dynasty to stabilize the state of Cao Wei.
She was the granddaughter of Cao Cao, a warlord who initiated the formation of the state of Cao Wei, and Lady Bian, who would become Grand Empress Dowager after the death of Cao Cao and her son Cao Pi. In 216, Cao Cao launched a campaign to attack the southeastern warlord Sun Quan, leading to the Battle of Ruxu in 217. Princess Dongxiang accompanied her grandfather on the campaign and stayed there for a year along with her brother Cao Rui and her grandmother Lady Bian.[1]
When Princess Dongxiang and her family returned to Ye in late 217 after the campaign, Lady Bian's attendants were surprised to see that Lady Zhen was very cheerful. They asked, "Lady, you've not seen your children for about a year. We thought you would miss them and be worried about them, but yet you're so optimistic. Why is that so?" Lady Zhen laughed and replied, "Why should I be worried when (Cao) Rui and the others are with Madam (Lady Bian)?"[2]
After Cao Cao died in 220, Cao Pi inherited his title as the King of Wei, and later that year forced Emperor Xian to abdicate in his favor, ending the Han dynasty and establishing the state of Cao Wei. After Cao Pi established himself as emperor, he bestowed the title of imperial princess on Princess Dongxiang.
Shortly after, Lady Zhen was forced to commit suicide by Cao Pi, due to accusations made by Lady Guo. After Lady Zhen's death, Princess Dongxiang and Cao Rui were left in Lady Guo's care. After Cao Pi's death, Cao Rui succeeded him and granted Lady Zhen's family many titles and lands. It is unknown whether the imperial title given to Princess Dongxiang was during the reign of Cao Pi or Cao Rui.
In some variations on her artistic image, Princess Dongxiang lived through the rise of the Sima family and continued to support the fading Cao family.
"及冀州平，文帝納[甄]后于鄴，有寵，生明帝及東鄉公主。二十一年，太祖東征，武宣皇后、文帝及明帝、東鄉公主皆從。"
"二十一年，太祖東征，武宣皇后、文帝及明帝、東鄉公主皆從，時后以病留鄴。二十二年九月，大軍還，武宣皇后左右侍御見后顏色豐盈，怪問之曰：「后與二子別久，下流之情，不可為念，而后顏色更盛，何也？」后笑荅之曰：「叡等自隨夫人，我當何憂！」后之賢明以禮自持如此。" Cited in