曹植: 七步诗 Cao Zhi: Seven-Step Poem

曹植(192-232)，字子建，是曹操之妻卞氏所生第三子。曹操是末汉强人，挟诸侯而令天下。后天下三分，北方为曹操之魏，西为刘备之蜀，东为孙权之吴。

曹植自幼颖慧，深得曹操的宠信。然而曹植行为放任，屡犯法禁，又好喝酒。而他的兄长曹丕则颇能矫情自饰。曹丕终于在建安二十二年(217)被曹操立为太子。这更加深了曹植的自我放纵的行为。

由于嫉妒曹植的才智，曹丕想杀掉曹植。他决定以测验曹植的才华为借口来处死他。

他把曹植传召进宫来，要他在七步内写一首诗来表达他们兄弟之情，但是不许犯著‘兄弟’字样。

曹植遵命，走了七步，诗也写好了。这首诗令曹丕羞愧不已。

煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣，

本是同根生，相煎何太急！

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Born in 192, Cao Zhi was the third son of Cao Cao, the powerful warlord during the End Han Dynasty(AD 25 - 220). Cao Cao was very powerful, and he made use of the Han Emperor as his puppet to command the feudal princes and ministers. Later, China was divided into 3 major parts : Wei Kingdom in the North under the rule of Cao Cao, Shu Kingdom in the West under Liu Bei and Wu Kingdom in the East under Sun Quan.

Cao Zhi's literary talent made him a favorite son of Cao Cao in the early stage of his life. 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. In 217, Cao Cao eventually picked Cao Pi to succeed himself. This aggravated Cao Zhi's eccentric behavior.

Envy of Cao Zhi's talent, his brother Cao Pi, King of Wei wanted to kill him. He decided to put Cao Zhi's literary talent to a test. If Cao Zhi failed the test, it would be a good excuse enough to put him to death.

He held audience with Cao Zhi, and told his brother to make a poem based on their fraternal relationship, without using the word "brother", within seven paces (steps).

Cao Zhi took seven steps as instructed, and the poem was already formulated in his heart. He made the following poem which put his brother to shame.

There were boiling beans on a beanstalk fire;

Came a plaintive voice from the pot,

"Oh, why, since we sprang from the selfsame root,

Should you kill me with anger hot?"