The “Girdle Edict” or “Girdle Decree” incident is a core plot in chapters 20 to 24 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It depicts Emperor Xian of Han’s secret plan to resist Cao Cao’s control, symbolizing the intensified conflict between imperial power and powerful ministers in the late Han dynasty. The plot was eventually exposed, leading to the execution of most participants, with only a few, such as Liu Bei, Ma Teng, managing to escape.
The Plot as Described in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
According to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, after Cao Cao welcomed the emperor and moved the capital to Xuxian, tensions arose between him and Emperor Xian. The emperor wrote an edict in blood, sewed it into a girdle, and secretly passed it to Dong Cheng.
“All Your Majesty’s attendants,” Fu Wan went on, “are Cao Cao’s confidants. If they find out, the consequences will be serious.” “What can we do?” the Emperor asked. “I have an idea,” Fu Wan responded. “Fashion a garment and obtain a jade girdle, both of which you can privately bestow on Dong Cheng. Sew a secret decree into the girdle lining. When he reaches home and discovers the decree, he will devote himself to devising a strategy, and not even the spirits will know.” The Emperor approved and Fu Wan withdrew.
— Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 20
Dong Cheng publicly claimed to have received the secret edict and conspired with figures like Zhong Ji, Wu Shuo, Wang Zifu, Liu Bei, and Wu Zilan to assassinate Cao Cao.
However, the plan was leaked, resulting in the execution of Dong Cheng and others, while Liu Bei fled to join Yuan Shao.
Historical Controversies
There are many debates about the Girdle Decree in Three Kingdoms history—some argue it existed, while others deny it. Let’s now discuss this so-called Girdle Edict incident as portrayed in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Back then, with Dong Cheng’s help, Emperor Xian escaped from Chang’an to Luoyang. However, upon reaching the central plains, the various warlords refused to receive the emperor. Ultimately, it was Cao Cao who welcomed Emperor Xian and moved the capital to Xuchang. It was at this point that Cao Cao effectively gained control over the emperor. Thus, it can be said that Cao Cao consolidated the authority of Emperor Xian’s throne.
The double-edged sword of controlling the Emperor
Although holding the emperor hostage benefited Cao Cao, it was also a double-edged sword. That’s the reason why Yuan Shao refused Emperor Xian. Although Emperor Xian was a puppet, he was not a fool; given any opportunity, he would attempt to reclaim his power.
By 199 AD, a series of major events triggered the so-called Girdle Edict incident. First, Emperor Xian’s biggest rival, Yuan Shu, declared himself emperor, leading to widespread opposition, like Sun Ce broke with him immediately, and his eventual defeat and death. This was actually good for Emperor Xian, as it eliminated future competition for the throne. Second, relations improved between Liu Biao of Jing Province and Emperor Xian, who were uncle and nephew; additionally, contact was established with Liu Zhang of Western Shu, and Liu Bei verified his genealogy and acknowledged his imperial lineage. There was a trend of unification among the Liu family nobles of the Han dynasty. Third, internal strife occurred in Henei, and this force aligned with Yuan Shao, increasing the threat to Cao Cao and providing Emperor Xian with another potential ally. Moreover, due to Cao Cao’s continuous military campaigns elsewhere, Emperor Xian gained some room to maneuver and seize the initiative.
Emperor Xian’s opportunity and actions
At this time, Emperor Xian felt his opportunity had arrived. With the support of imperial relatives like Liu Bei and the threat posed by Yuan Shao to restrain Cao Cao, along with Dong Cheng by his side, Emperor Xian now sought to confront Cao Cao. Thus, in 199 AD, Emperor Xian suddenly began to win over Dong Cheng, taking Dong Cheng’s daughter as a consort, appointing Dong Cheng as General of Chariots and Cavalry, and allowing him to establish a private secretariat. This led to the resurgence of Dong Cheng, a former warlord from the north west who had been suppressed by Cao Cao for years, now becoming the emperor’s father-in-law.
Establishing a Private Secretariat
The most crucial aspect was the establishment of a private secretariat. Since Emperor Wu of Han, the Han dynasty had abolished the position of chancellor, and the court was divided into inner and outer courts. The inner court became the true decision-making core of state affairs, known as the Central Secretariat. Although the chancellor position was abolished, the emperor often delegated tasks to a high official when overwhelmed. When conflicts arose between Emperor Xian and Cao Cao, and Emperor Xian did not want to directly confront Cao Cao, he would temporarily appoint a minister to form an interim cabinet to manage state affairs—this was the so-called establishment of a private secretariat.
Is the Girdle Edict real?
What could Cao Cao do? As the head of the Central Secretariat, Cao Cao found it rendered ineffective. This indicates that Emperor Xian initiated the dispute, using the relative Dong Cheng to challenge the powerful minister Cao Cao. Therefore, the Girdle Edict incident likely never occurred. Given that Emperor Xian could even accomplish something like establishing a private secretariat, it shows he still held some power—why would he need a secret Girdle Edict?
The so-called Girdle Edict might have been fabricated by Dong Cheng to deceive others, proving that his opposition to Cao Cao was under Emperor Xian’s orders. Additionally, Emperor Xian certainly did not give Dong Cheng an edict. The emperor kept a backup plan: he secretly had Dong Cheng and others deal with Cao Cao but avoided leaving evidence for Cao Cao to seize. If the plan failed, Emperor Xian could use Dong Cheng’s daughter as a scapegoat to distance himself from the affair. Essentially, Emperor Xian was using Dong Cheng, leading to a power struggle between Cao Cao and Dong Cheng.
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