Yanshi is a county-level city administered by the prefecture-level city of Luoyang in western Henan province, People's Republic of China. Yanshi lies on the Luo River. The main site of the Erlitou culture (1900–1500 BC) was discovered in the area in 1959. In the 1980s, a walled city dating from 1600 BC was found 6km north-east of the Erlitou site, in Shixianggou Township of Yanshi. Some scholars identify the latter ruins with the first Shang Dynasty capital, Xibo, which according to traditional histories was founded by King Shang Tang after his defeat of the Xia dynasty.

Cao Mao (241-260), formally known as the Duke of Gaogui, was the fourth emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a grandson of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi. Described as intelligent and studious, Cao Mao made repeated attempts to seize back state power from the regents Sima Shi and Sima Zhao, but failed. He was killed in an abortive coup d'etat against Sima Zhao. He was received the posthumous title of a duke instead of an emperor.