Cao Lin (died 11 March 256), posthumously known as Prince Mu of Pei, was a prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a son of Cao Cao, a warlord who rose to prominence towards the end of the Han dynasty and laid the foundation for the Cao Wei state. His mother was Lady Du (杜夫人), a concubine of Cao Cao; Lady Du was also the mother of Cao Gun,(武皇帝二十五男： ... 杜夫人生沛穆王林、中山恭王衮， ...) Sanguozhi vol. 20. Princess Gaocheng and Qin Lang. In Weilüe, his name was recorded as "Cao Bao" (曹豹).(《昭明文选·吊魏武帝文》引《魏略》曰：太祖杜夫人生沛王豹及高城公主。) Weilüe annotation in Wen Xuan, vol.60.
Life In 211, Emperor Xian, the last emperor of the Han dynasty, enfeoffed Cao Lin as the Marquis of Raoyang (饒陽侯). In 217, Cao Lin's title was changed to "Marquis of Qiao" (譙侯). In 221, a year after Cao Lin's half-brother Cao Pi usurped the throne from Emperor Xian and became the first emperor of the Cao Wei state, he enfeoffed Cao Lin as the Duke of Qiao (譙公). One year later, Cao Pi elevated Cao Lin from a duke to a prince under the title "Prince of Qiao" (譙王). In 226, he changed Cao Lin's title to "Prince of Juancheng" (鄄城王). In 232, Cao Pi's successor, Cao Rui, changed Cao Lin's title to "Prince of Pei" (沛王). Throughout the reigns of the subsequent Wei emperors, the number of taxable households in Cao Lin's dukedom increased until it reached 4,700. After Cao Lin died in 256, his son Cao Wei (曹緯) inherited his princedom as the new Prince of Pei.(沛穆王林，建安十六年封饒陽侯。二十二年，徙封譙。黃初二年，進爵為公。三年，為譙王。五年，改封譙縣。七年，徙封鄄城。太和六年，改封沛。景初、正元、景元中，累增邑，并前四千七百戶。林薨，子緯嗣。) Sanguozhi vol. 20. Cao Lin had a granddaughter, who married Ji Kang.(案嵇氏譜：嵇康妻，林子之女也。) Ji Shi Pu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 20.
See also Cao Wei family trees#Lady Du Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms
Notes
References
Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi). Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).