1. Reclaim farmland, raise munitions, develop economy and stabilize society.
Cao Cao realized that "the art of building a country lies in Qiang Bing's adequate food" (Preface to Reclamation, page 30). In AD 196 (the first year of Jian 'an), Cao Cao welcomed Emperor Xian of Han Dynasty to move to Xuchang. Because of years of war, agriculture has been seriously damaged. Cao Cao accepted the advice of Zao Zuo and Han Hao and began to reclaim land. In order to build the captain of Zuo Wei's wasteland, he later became the commander of the electric farmer, and raised the people to wasteland near Xuchang, earning millions of dollars a year and storing for several years. In A.D. 199 (the fourth year of Jian 'an), Tubo tyrants and others were sent to Qingzhou and settled in the Yellow River. In 206 AD (the eleventh year of Jian 'an), Cao Cao sent "the Yuan Dynasty of the country set up wasteland, and the people of the Yuan Dynasty communicated with the people, and the people set up officials and knew the method of operation. Five years, Cang Fu, the people strive to persuade music "; In 209 AD (the 14th year of Jian 'an), Yangzhou County was ordered to open Shao Pi (now south of Shouxian County, Anhui Province) to wasteland, and Cang Ci was appointed as a captain of Huainan Sui and wasteland, in order to send troops to Hefei (Chronology of Cao Cao, pages 199, 204 and 206). Since Jian 'an, Cao Cao has reclaimed land in Xuchang, Qingzhou, Huainan and other places, which has played a positive role in solving military supplies, restoring agricultural production and stabilizing society.
2. Build schools and develop education
In 203 AD (the eighth year of Jian 'an), Cao Cao pointed out in the preface to learning: "For five years in the ten years since the rebellion, future generations failed to see the wind of benevolence, righteousness and propriety, and I was very hurt. Make all counties and townships learn literature, and 500 households in the county have school officials, so that Wang Zhidao will not be abolished first, but will benefit the world. " (page 32) He was saddened to see years of war, economic recession, people's displacement, backward education and social moral corruption. In the Preface to Custom Cleanliness, he pointed out that the problem of social morality and fashion is very serious in Jizhou, Hebei Province, which was ruled by Yuan Shao. At that time, some people in the society made rumors that black is white, reversed right and wrong, framed loyalty and other ugly phenomena, and Cao Cao also pointed out: "Since the chaos, it has been difficult to use praise or blame for slander." Advocate "taking crime as crime" and oppose slander (page 30).
He also ordered the abolition of some customs that have been handed down from ancient times but are not conducive to people's life and production. He said in "Ming Penalty Order": "I heard that Taiyuan, Shangdang, Xihe and Yanmen are all cold and cold for 105 days after the winter solstice." That is, the ancient Cold Food Festival. Cao Cao pointed out that "in the cold areas of the north, the old and the young are weak, and there will be unbearable suffering, so that people are not allowed to eat cold food." The offender's parents were sentenced to half a year, and the official was fined for 100 days, and they got a long salary. " (page 35)
At that time, landlords and bureaucrats were jealous of each other, compared with luxury, and practiced the custom of reburial. After conquering Yuan Tan, Cao Cao issued an order forbidding revenge and reburial: "People can't get revenge, and reburial is forbidden, which is punished by law." ("The History of the Three Kingdoms, Emperor Wu") It is forbidden to fight with each other, not to compare with each other, and to hold a big funeral. Cao Cao advocated inheriting the fine traditional customs of the Chinese nation. After death, people should not be buried with thick burial, nor should they be buried with fertile land. "People buried in ancient times must live in barren land" (5 1 page).
3. Elegant and thrifty, not gorgeous
Although Cao Cao is in a high position, he lives a simple life. History books say that he is "elegant and frugal, not gorgeous, and the clothes in the harem are not splendid. He only looks at the screen and repairs it if it is broken." Cao Cao married women, "all with silks, but ten people from the maid" ("The History of the Three Kingdoms, Emperor Wu"). He himself said, "My clothes and quilts are all ten years old, and I can't help but be grateful every year." "When the world was first decided, I was forbidden to burn incense in my house." (Internal Commandments, page 53) In the inheritance, he confessed: "After my death, I kept my big clothes as I was alive ... I collected them as I was alive, and buried them in the western hills of Ye Zhi ... There were no hidden treasures." (page 58) Cao Cao is optimistic and elegant, loves music and is good at keeping in good health. He also knows something about medical health.
Cao Cao lived in the feudal era more than 1000 years ago, which naturally had its class and historical limitations. However, from the perspective of whether it has played a positive role in promoting social development, a comprehensive analysis of his political and military thoughts shows that he is an outstanding pioneering politician, strategist and writer in the history of our country, and many of his positive thoughts are still of positive significance to people today.