Duke Gong of Cao (? – 618 BCE) () was the seventeenth ruler of the vassal
State of Cao during the Chinese
Spring and Autumn period (770 – 475 BCE). Born Ji Xiang (姬襄), he was the son of
Duke Zhao of Cao.
In 637 BCE, during the exile of
Chong’er, son of
Duke Xian of Jin
Duke Xian of Jin (, died 651 BC), ancestral name Ji (姬), given name Guizhu (詭諸), was the nineteenth ruler of the State of Jin. He was also the ninth ruler of Jin in the Spring and Autumn period and the second duke of Jin. When his father, ...
, Duke Gong heard that Chong’er suffered from fused ribs in a parallel way that makes it look like one rib bone(which was considered as the sign of saints in ancient times) and wanted to see for himself. Chong’er caught Duke Gong spying on him whilst he bathed and described the Duke as a man of “unbelievable rudeness”.
[ Zuo Zhuan, “The Death of Chong’er”《晉公子重耳之亡》]
After Chong’er became Duke Wen of Jin and one of the
Five Hegemons
The Five Hegemons () refers to several especially powerful rulers of Chinese states of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history (770 to 476 BCE), sometimes alternatively referred to as the "Age of Hegemons". There are various lists of five ...
, in 632 he used Duke Gòng's previous rudeness as an excuse to overthrow the State of Cao. Duke Gòng was captured by the State of Jin but later released.
After Duke Gong of Cao died in 618 BCE, his son
Duke Wen of Cao became ruler.
References
Zhou dynasty people
618 BC deaths
Year of birth unknown
7th-century BC Chinese monarchs
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