NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Cao Zhi

Cao Zhi (曹植 192 – 232) was a Chinese poet during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period. His poetry style, greatly revered during the Jin Dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties, came to be known as the jian'an style. Download high resolution version (245x609, 124 KB)Portrait of Cao Zhi from a Qing Dynasty edition of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Qing Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: QÄ«ng chÃ¡o; Wade-Giles: Ching chao; Manchu: daicing gurun), occasionally known as the Manchu Dynasty, was a dynasty founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China, expanded into China and the surrounding territories, establishing the Empire... An illustration of the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: sÄnguÃ³ yÇŽnyÃ¬), written by LuÃ³ GuÃ nzhÅng in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty, and the... Events The kingdom of Champa begins to control south and central Vietnam (approximate date). ... Events Relics of St. ... Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. ... A poet is someone who writes poetry. ... ... Events The kingdom of Champa begins to control south and central Vietnam (approximate date). ... Events Relics of St. ... A poet is someone who writes poetry. ... The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese characters: 漢朝, Simplified Chinese characters: 汉朝, pinyin Hàncháo 202 BC - AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... The Three Kingdoms in 262, on the eve of the conquest of Shu. ... The Jin Dynasty (æ™‰ pinyin: jÃ¬n, 265-420), one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. ... This article is about China. ...

Cao Zhi was also the son of the powerful warlord Cao Cao. Together with his elder brother Cao Pi, they were the strongest contestants for their father's position. Cao Pi eventually succeeded Cao Cao in 220 and within a year declared himself the first emperor of the Kingdom of Wei. Alike many powerful families, tension among brothers was high. In his later life, Cao Zhi was not allowed to meddle in politics, despite his many petitions to seek office. Warlord is a term that refers to one who has de facto military control of a subnational area, due to armed forces which are personally obedient to â€” somewhat circularly â€” that warlord. ... For other uses, see Cao Cao (disambiguation). ... CÃ¡o PÄ« (æ›¹ä¸•, 187 - 226), born in Qiao County, Pei presently Bozhou city in An Hui Province. ... The Kingdom of Wei (ch. ...

Life

Born in 192, Cao Zhi was the third son of the powerful warlord Cao Cao and Princess Bian. According to the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Zhi could recite the Shi Jing, Analects and more than ten thousand verses worth of poems before he even turned twenty. His literary talent made him a favorite son of Cao Cao in the early stage of his life. Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiǎntǐzì; also called 简化字/簡化字, jiǎnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... It has been suggested that Pinyin_method be merged into this article or section. ... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name, is an extra name that could be used in place of the given name. ... For other uses, see Cao Cao (disambiguation). ... Empress Dowager Bian (åžå¤ªåŽ, personal name unknown) (d. ... The SÄnguÃ³ ZhÃ¬ (Chinese ä¸‰å›½å¿—, or ä¸‰åœ‹èªŒ), variously translated as Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Records of the Three States and Records of the Three Kingdoms, was the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms Period compiled by Chen Shou during the Jin Dynasty (265-420). ... ShÄ« JÄ«ng (Chinese: è©©ç¶“), translated variously as the Classic of Poetry, the Book of Songs or the Book of Odes, is the first major collection of Chinese poems. ... Analects (論語 Pinyin: Lúnyǔ), or Analects of Confucius, written in twenty chapters, is thought to be a composition of the late Spring and Autumn Period. ...

However, Cao Zhi was an impetuous man with little self-discipline. He was also a heavy drinker. On the other hand, his elder brother Cao Pi was a shrewd man who knew how to feign emotions at the right times. Cao Pi also enjoyed a much closer relationship to the servants and subjects around Cao Cao, and they spoke well of him. In 217, Cao Cao eventually picked Cao Pi to succeed himself. This further aggravated Cao Zhi's already eccentric behavior. He once rode his chariot along the road reserved for the emperor and through the front gate of the palace. This infuriated his father, who sentenced the chariot driver to death. CÃ¡o PÄ« (æ›¹ä¸•, 187 - 226), born in Qiao County, Pei presently Bozhou city in An Hui Province. ...

Having chosen a successor, Cao Cao took measures to emasculate other contestants. He did this by executing Yang Xiu, a chief advisor to Cao Zhi. This greatly unsettled Cao Zhi, but failed to jolt Cao Zhi back to the right track. On the contrary, he sank further into his drunken stupor. In 219, Cao Cao's cousin and leading general Cao Ren was besieged at Fancheng (樊城, present day Xiangfan, Hubei) by the enemy general Guan Yu. Cao Cao named Cao Zhi to lead a relief force to the rescue, with the hope that the task would instill responsibility in the latter. However, Cao Zhi was so drunk that he could not come forth to take the order. Cao Cao then gave up on this son. Yang Xiu was an officer of Cao Cao during the Three Kingdoms period of China and the son of esteemed Han dynasty officer Yang Biao and a nephew of the powerful warlord Yuan Shao. ... Cao Ren (168 â€“ 223) was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ... The Battle of Fancheng was fought between the Shu and Wei kingdoms during the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China. ... Xiangfan (Simplified Chinese: è¥„æ¨Š; Pinyin: ) is a prefecture-level city in Hubei province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Hubei (Chinese: æ¹–åŒ—; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hu-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hupeh) is a central province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Guan Yu (é—œç¾½) (162â€“219) was a military general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ...

Within months, Cao Cao died. One of the first things Cao Pi did was to do away with Ding Yi (丁仪) and Ding Yi (丁廙), two firm supporters of Cao Zhi. He also sent Cao Zhi, along with the other brothers, away from the capital and prohibited them from taking part in central political issues or even communicating with one another.

Prospects for Cao Zhi did not improve after Cao Pi died in 227. He wrote to the second Wei emperor Cao Rui many times, seeking a position to apply his talents. In 232, he even sought a private meeting with Cao Rui to discuss politics. However, Cao Rui probably still considered him a threat to the throne and declined all the offers. Severely depressed by the setbacks, Cao Zhi soon died due to sickness, leaving behind instructions for a simple burial. Cao Rui, ch. ...

Poetry

Despite his failure in politics, Cao Zhi was hailed as one of the representatives of the poetic style of his time, together with his father Cao Cao, his elder brother Cao Pi and several other poets. Their poems formed the backbone of what was to be known as the jian'an style (建安风骨). The civil strife towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty gave the jian'an poems their characteristic solemn yet heart-stirring tone, while lament over the ephemerality of life was also a central theme of works from this period. In terms of the history of Chinese literature, the jian'an poems were a transition from the early folksongs into scholarly poetry. For other uses, see Cao Cao (disambiguation). ... CÃ¡o PÄ« (æ›¹ä¸•, 187 - 226), born in Qiao County, Pei presently Bozhou city in An Hui Province. ... The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese characters: 漢朝, Simplified Chinese characters: 汉朝, pinyin Hàncháo 202 BC - AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... // [edit] Classical texts Main article: Chinese classic texts China has a wealth of classical literature, both poetry and prose, dating from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BCE) and including the Classics attributed to Confucius. ...

Although jian'an refers to the time between 196 and 220, Cao Zhi's poems could in fact be categorized into two periods, with the year 220 as the watershed. The earlier period consisted of poems that expressed his ambitions. These poems were optimistic and romantic in nature. On the other hand, his setbacks in political pursuits after the death of his father in 220 gave rise to the grievous tone of his later works.

More than ninety poems by Cao Zhi remain today, more than sixty of which are five-character poems (五言诗). These are held in high esteem for their significant influence over the development of five-character poetry in later ages. A most complete collection of Cao Zhi's poems and other literary works is Chen Si Wang Ji (陈思王集, Collection of King Si of Chen), compiled during the Ming Dynasty. One of Cao Zhi's most celebrated poems is On the White Horse. Written in the early years of his life, the poem portrayed a young warrior who answered fearlessly to the need of his country and reflected Cao Zhi's own aspiration to contribute to his times. For other uses, see Ming. ...

On the White Horse
《白马篇》

A white horse, in a halter of gold,
Galloping swiftly to the northwest.
白马饰金羁，连翩西北驰。

Ask which family's son is the rider –
A noble knight, who hails from You and Bing.
借问谁家子，幽幷游侠儿。

He left his home in early youth, and now,
His name is known throughout the deserts.
少小去乡邑，扬声沙漠垂。

Morning and evening he clutches his bow;
How many arrows hang at his side!
宿昔秉良弓，楛矢何参差。

He pulls his bow -- the left-hand target is pierced,
He shoots at the right and cuts it through.
控弦破左的，右发摧月支。

Upwards his arrows seek the flying monkeys,
Downward they destroy another object.
仰手接飞猱，俯身散马蹄。

His dexterity surpasses that of monkeys,
His courage that of leopard or dragon.
狡捷过猴猿，勇剽若豹螭。

Alarms are heard from the frontier!
Northern tribesmen pour into the country in their thousands.
边城多警急，胡虏数迁移。

Letters are sent from the north, and
Reining his horse he clambers up the hill.
羽檄从北来，厉马登高堤。

He charges Hun soldiers to the right;
Looking left he assaults the Xianbei.
长驱蹈匈奴，左顾陵鲜卑。

He's staked himself on the edge of his sword;
How can he treasure his life?
弃身锋刃端，性命安可怀。

Even his father and mother he puts at the back of his mind,
Let alone his children and wife.
父母且不顾，何言子与妻。

If his name is to enter the roll of the heroes,
He can't be concerned about personal matters.
名编壮士籍，不得中顾私。

Giving up his life for the sake of his country,
He looks toward death as a journey home...
捐躯赴国难，视死忽如归。

Ironically, Cao Zhi's most famous poem was a fictitious one, found in the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. Often mistitled The Quatrain of Seven Steps after a real poem by Cao Zhi, it was presented without a title but with slight variations in the novel. Furthermore, Cao Zhi was said to have formulated the poem without even taking a second of thought. (See below) An illustration of the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: sÄnguÃ³ yÇŽnyÃ¬), written by LuÃ³ GuÃ nzhÅng in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty, and the... Luo Guanzhong (Traditional Chinese: ç¾…è²«ä¸, Wade Giles: Lo Kuan-chung) was a 14th century Chinese author attributed with writing Romance of the Three Kingdoms and editing Outlaws of the Marsh, two of the most revered adventure epics in Chinese literature. ... The Seven Steps Verse, also known as the Quatrain of Seven Steps (七步诗, Qi1 Bu4 Shi1), is a highly allegorical poem of Classical Chinese literature that is usually attributed to the dynastical work Romance of the Three Kingdoms. ...

Cao Zhi in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong, was a romanticization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms period. Exploiting the intricate relationship among the Cao Cao's sons, especially Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, Luo Guanzhong was able to create a palace scene where the elder brother, having succeeded his father, tried to do away with his younger brother. An illustration of the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: sÄnguÃ³ yÇŽnyÃ¬), written by LuÃ³ GuÃ nzhÅng in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty, and the... A historical novel is a novel in which the story is set among historical events, or more generally, in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the author. ... Luo Guanzhong (Traditional Chinese: ç¾…è²«ä¸, Wade Giles: Lo Kuan-chung) was a 14th century Chinese author attributed with writing Romance of the Three Kingdoms and editing Outlaws of the Marsh, two of the most revered adventure epics in Chinese literature. ... The Three Kingdoms period (Traditional Chinese characters: 三國, Simplified Chinese characters: 三国, pinyin Sānguó) is a period in the History of China. ... For other uses, see Cao Cao (disambiguation). ... CÃ¡o PÄ« (æ›¹ä¸•, 187 - 226), born in Qiao County, Pei presently Bozhou city in An Hui Province. ...

After the death of Cao Cao, Cao Zhi failed to turn up for the funeral. Men sent by Cao Pi found Cao Zhi drunk in his own house. Cao Zhi was then bound and brought to Cao Pi. When Emperess Bian, their common birth mother, heard of this, she went to Cao Pi and pled for the life of her younger son. Cao Pi agreed.

However, Cao Pi's Chief Secretariat (相国) Hua Xin (华歆) then convinced him to put Cao Zhi's literary talent to a test. If Cao Zhi failed the test, it would be excuse enough to put him to death, Hua Xin suggested. The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

Cao Pi agreed and held audience with Cao Zhi, who in great trepidation bowed low and confessed his faults. On the wall there was a painting of two oxes fighting at the foot of a wall, and one of them was falling into a well. Cao Pi then told his brother to make a poem based on the painting within seven paces. However, the poem was not to contain explicit reference to the subjects of the drawing.

Cao Zhi took seven paces as instructed, and the poem was already formulated in his heart. He then recited:

However, Cao Pi was not satisfied. He then bade Cao Zhi make another poem on the spot based on their fraternal relationship, without using the word "brother". Not taking a second to think, Cao Zhi recited:

Having heard this, Cao Pi was moved to tears. He then let his brother go after merely degrading the peerage of the latter as a punishment.

The Cao clan

Direct descendant

Immediate family

For other uses, see Cao Cao (disambiguation). ... Cao Ang (175 â€“ 197) was the eldest son of the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ... CÃ¡o PÄ« (æ›¹ä¸•, 187 - 226), born in Qiao County, Pei presently Bozhou city in An Hui Province. ... Cao Rui, ch. ... Cao Fang, ch. ... Cao Mao, ch. ... Cao Huan, ch. ... Cao Zhang (曹彰; styled Ziwen 子文) was a son of Cao Cao and a general of the Wei during the Three Kingdoms period in China. ... Cao Xiong was the son of the powerful warlord Cao Cao, and lived during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. ... Cao Chong 曹沖 (styled Cangshu 倉舒, 196 – 208) was a son of the great 3rd century Chinese warlord Cao Cao. ...

Extended family

Cao Ren (168 â€“ 223) was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ... Cao Chun (170 â€“ 210) was a cavalry general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. ... Cao Xiu (? â€“ 228) was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao and succeeding rulers of the Kingdom of Wei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. ... ... Cao Shuang (æ›¹çˆ½) is the son of Cao Zhen. ...

References

Contents

Life

Poetry

Cao Zhi in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The Cao clan

Direct descendant

Immediate family

Extended family

References

See also

External links

Contents

Life GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Poetry

Cao Zhi in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The Cao clan

Direct descendant

Immediate family

Extended family

References

See also

External links

Life