Ying Shao
Ying Shao, courtesy name Zhongyuan, was a Chinese politician, writer and historian who lived during the Eastern [Han dynasty]. He was an author of the Fengsu Tongyi, an encyclopedic work about the folk customs and legends that existed in the Eastern Han dynasty. Ying Shao occupied official posts in the Han government, and in his official position he was an active participant in imperial politics. He was a long-time close associate of Cao Cao; he was extensively covered in the historical text Book of the Later Han.
Life
Ying Shao was from Nandun County, Runan Commandery, which is located west of present-day Xiangcheng, Henan. He was nominated as a xiaolian during the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, and later served as a minor official under He Miao, Empress He's half-brother From 189 to 194, Ying Shao served as the Administrator of Taishan Commandery in Xu Province. Around December 191, he repelled an attack on his commandery by the remnants of the Yellow Turban rebels, recorded in the Book of the Later Han. In 193 and 194, the warlord Cao Cao attacked Xu Province to seek vengeance for the murder of his father Cao Song. Thus, Ying Shao fled from Taishan Commandery and took refuge under Cao Cao's rival Yuan Shao. By the time Cao Cao defeated the Yuan family and conquered the Hebei region, Ying Shao was already dead. The interim events are given in two versions in Pei Songzhi's annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, the Wei Jin Shiyu by Guo Song, and Wei Zhao's Book of Wu. Ying Shao eventually died in Ye city.