Princess Anding (安定公主, An Định Công chúa), was an imperial princess of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era, daughter of Emperor Wen (Cao Pi) or Emperor Ming (Cao Rui).
Granted the noble appanage of Anding Commandery, she was united in marriage with a leading scion of the Yingchuan Xun clan (Xun Yi 荀顗, son of Xun Yu), forging an elite matrimonial alliance between the imperial dynasty and North China’s premier Confucian statesmen.
Role in History (Sanguozhi)
Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi, vol. 5): “Princesses of the Cao house linked the throne with the illustrious houses of Xun and Sima across successive reigns.”
Princess Anding — Historical & Literary Timeline
Three Kingdoms (Wei)
Royal Princess
Born in Luoyang to the ruling imperial Cao house.
c. 230s
Noble Marriage
Wed in state ceremony to strengthen ties with the intellectual elite of Yingchuan.
c. 250s
Palace Witness
Maintains her estate through the political shifts of late Wei.
Key Relationships
Family
- Father Cao Pi (曹丕) or Cao Rui (曹叡): Monarchs of the Cao Wei dynasty.
- Spouse Xun Yi (荀顗) / Aristocratic consort: Senior minister and descendant of the illustrious Xun lineage.
Friends
- Imperial Kin Princesses of Wei: Royal peers in Luoyang.
Enemies
- Dynastic Usurpers Rival factions threatening Cao clan security: Witnessed the decline of imperial authority.
Other
- Grand Chancellor Xun Yu (荀彧): Patriarch of the allied Xun family.
In Imperial Records
"Bridging the imperial crown with the wisest ministers, Princess Anding's union stood as a pillar of court stability."
Historical Context
Royal marriages to the Xun clan ensured Wei's civil administration remained staffed by the most respected literati of the empire.
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