Chao Cuo (朝 錯, also 晁錯, 204? -154 BC) was a statesman and scholar of Chinese antiquity.
Chao Cuo was from Yingchuan (the current Yuxian in Henan Province). In his economic theories he speaks of trade and agriculture. Only by binding farmers to their country can the state assure their support and thereby consolidate its power.
As an adviser to Han Emperor Han Jingdi, he commits to crippling the prince's power by reducing their areas. According to Chao Cuo, this would quickly lead to insurgency, but with limited consequences. According to him, the diminishing of the princes areas would ultimately lead to insurgency, but with great consequences. In 154 BC. the princes also rebelled (joining Chao Cuo). The sinking of that revolt by Han Jindi led to a significant limitation of their power.
During the government of Emperor Wen (179-157), one was looking for a new text of the Book of Documents, one of the Confucianist Classes. The most important expert of that work was Fu Sheng at the time. Because it had now been ninety years and was unable to travel to the court, Chao Cuo was sent to him. The transfer would have taken place in an oral manner, with some difficulties arising because both men spoke different dialects. The accompanying text formed the basis for the new text version of the Book of Documents. Literature
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