In fact, I think the most 2 respectable aspects of Cao Cao are his contribution to Chinese culture and his method of family education, which lack in today's China...There were many war heroes in China, but seldom anyone left a legacy of literature like Cao Cao. Cao's 观沧海, 短歌行 (literally On Seeing the Sea and A Short Song) are two immortal pieces of poetry art in Chinese history. In regard of family education, 3 of Cao's sons are considered as genius in Chinese history. Cao Pi, the eldest son who became the later Emperor of Wei, wrote 典论 (literally The Rules of Literature), one of the most important book in the history of Chinese literature criticism, which started the golden age of Jian'an Literature; Cao Zhi, also left two immortal pieces of literature, 七步诗(The Seven-Step Song)，洛神赋(The Ode to the Deity of Luo River); Cao Chong, Cao Cao's youngest son, an aborted Archimedes who died in 12，invented the method to weigh a giant object like an elephant by bouyancy when he was only 9 years old...You can say Cao Cao was really a good father who knows how to raise kids..