Cao Cao is a Chinese television series based on the life of Cao Cao, a warlord who rose to power towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty and laid the foundation for the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period. Directed by Hu Mei, the series aimed to portray a more historically accurate image of Cao Cao, who is traditionally depicted as a villain in Chinese culture. Starring Zhao Lixin as the eponymous character, the series was filmed at the Xiangshan Film City in Ningbo, Zhejiang between 1 November 2011 and 15 March 2012. Cao Cao was not broadcast in China until 7 September 2015, when it started airing on Anhui Satellite TV and LeTV. Before that, the series had already been released on DVD in Japan on 4 September 2013. It was also aired on Channel Ginga in Japan on 5 January 2014, and on Chunghwa TV in South Korea from 6 October to 28 November 2014. The series is divided into seven parts spanning 41 episodes. It covers Cao Cao's life from his adolescent years and early career to the period just before the Battle of Red Cliffs.