Is “Cao Shen's status in the official histories” true?
The Records of the Grand Historian, in the 'Hereditary House of Chancellor Cao', lists him separately as a 'Hereditary House', affirming his virtue of governing Qi with tranquility and serving as Han's chancellor: 'As Han's chancellor, Cao was tranquil and his words conformed to the Way. However, after the people had suffered the harshness of Qin, Cao allowed them rest and non-interference, so the world praised his excellence.' The History of Han, in the 'Biography of Xiao He and Cao Shen', downgrades him to a biography and combines him with Xiao He in one volume: 'Only He and Shen monopolized fame and merit, ranking above all ministers, their reputation extending to later generations, making them ancestral ministers of an era.' Thus, from a separate Hereditary House to a combined biography of Xiao and Cao.
In the Records of the Grand Historian, Cao Shen is given a separate Hereditary House, while in the History of Han, he is downgraded to a biography and combined with Xiao He in one chapter.
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