44 Cao Zhi

An Unparallel Genius for Poetry

Cao Zhi (192-232) was the youngest son of Cao Cao. His special top talent won him a special title as “a genius of 8 dou” (dou was measuring container), meaning: There were a total of 10 dou literary talents in the world, Cao Zhi alone occupied a lion share of 8 dou, with the rest of 2 dou distributing to other men of letters. Initially, Cao Cao had chosen Cao Zhi as his successor, but finally, ceded the power to Cao Pi, his second son. One day, Cao Pi summoned Cao Zhi to come, asking him to make a poem, which should have been finished within a limited time in walking seven steps. Otherwise he would be executed. Cao Zhi actually made the poem and chanted it immediately:

Burning bean-straw to cook bean.

Bean weeps on the pan.

We grew from the same root,

Why so fiercely you burn!

Cao Zhi’s making of Seven-Step Poem became a symbol of quick-wittedness in poetry history, and this four lines also became one of the most popular and widely-read masterpieces. Cao Zhi, though survived this time, couldn’t run from Cao Pi’s strict supervision, so he had to seek a cynical life by indulging himself in singing, dancing, drinking and hunting. He had composed a famous poem Ming Du (famous capital city) describing vividly one of his hobnobs held from a morning lasting to next dawn. Finally Cao Zhi died early of sorrow and depression.

It was also noteworthy, there were three members of Caos family, Cao Cao, Cao Zhi and Cao Pi being outstanding men of letters, a phenomenon rarely seen in history (except Sus family in Song Dynasty, see piece 75).