CAD Zhi (zh-Hant 曹植) (192 - 232), which had for first name of well-read man Zijian (zh-Hant 子建), was a Chinese poet of the time of the Three Kingdoms. He is with his father, the lord of war CAD CAD, and his older brother, the emperor CAD pi, the figurehead of the ancient poetic style said Ji' year. He had become Master in the poems pentasyllabic (5 characters by worms) and was regarded as the largest poet of his time. Its most known work today is undoubtedly the fu of love entitled the Goddess of the river Luo (zh-Hant 洛神賦), which was taken again of Song Yu.

In spite of great political ambitions, CAD Zhi could not compete with CAD pi in the fight for the succession, and was isolated capacity. The character of CAD Zhi was immortalisé in the novel Histoire of the Three Kingdoms and its competition with his/her brother often constituted the screen of operas and plays. It is known in Japan under the name of Sōshoku Shiken, or Sōchi Shiken, and in Korea under that of Josig Jageon.

Biography

CAD Zhi was the fourth wire of CAD CAD, a powerful lord of war of the time which had conquered the North of China (the Wei) during the decline of the Dynastie Han. Thanks to its extraordinary literary talents, CAD Zhi was preferred of his/her father. It was indeed very early and before the adulthood by heart knew many treaties and poems, representing on the whole several hundreds of thousands of lines. CAD CAD takes along one day its sons to the house of the bronze Sparrow lately built and their request to write an ode. CAD Zhi writes at once a poem which astounds his/her father and the assistance (according to the legend this poem will encourage Zhou Yu to declare the war with CAD CAD).

CAD CAD founds in him great hopes and names it lord of Pingyuan in 212, then lord of Linzhi in 215. In 218, it increases the size of its stronghold with: 10000 hearths and leaves him the guard of the town of Ye while it leaves guerroyer against Sun Quan. This decision leaves with all the impression that CAD CAD will make of him its heir.

Unfortunately CAD Zhi carries out a rather tumultuous life, is devoted readily to drink and its escapades excite more once anger of his/her father. One day for example, completely drunk it makes descend its carriage through the city before leaving by the Sima door, which is exclusively reserved to the soldiers. CAD CAD, which was rather kind to show the example with its troops by its control, enters a black anger and makes carry out the driver and supervise his/her son narrowly. Then a little later Yang Xiu, one of the close friends of CAD Zhi is also carried out, completing its disgrace.

On the other hand, his/her older brother, CAD pi, which did not have its intellectual abilities in vain, shows more crafty one, can lubricate the good legs and carry out a life without excess. He can be quickly political solids supports and arrange himself so that one speaks about him of well with his father. Finally it was CAD pi which was named heir.

However, CAD CAD had not lost any hope yet to repurchase CAD Zhi. It names it in 219 “general which demolishes the adversaries” and to the rescue CAD Ren sends it, then encircled by the troops of Guan Yu. Unfortunately CAD Zhi is so drunk that it cannot follow any order, and CAD CAD is constrained to recall it to him.

This same year, CAD CAD dies and CAD pi takes the succession of his/her father and relieves the emperor Xiandi to found the Wei dynasty. The first action of CAD pi was to sit its capacity, by sending his/her brothers in their respective strongholds so that they are not invested any more in the policy of the court and cannot dispute its heritage. It prohibits any communication between them and makes carry out two friendly close relations of CAD Zhi: Ding Yi (zh-Hant 丁儀) and Ding Yi (zh-Hant 丁廙) like their families. It also makes supervise closely his brothers. One of the supervisors reported that CAD Zhi was a “arrogant alcoholic who threatens the messengers of the Emperor” when this one was made rudoyer. However to be caught some with a messenger of the emperor is an punishable offense of the capital punishment. CAD pi thought of punishing his/her brother severely but gives up this idea on the intervention of his/her mother (according to legend CAD pi would have defied it in a contest of poetry, and, moved, granted to him the safe life). It retrogresses nevertheless Zhi under lord of Anxiang, then shortly after with that of lord of Yincheng.

In 223 it finds its statute of prince again and receives a stronghold of: 2500 hearths. In 224, it receives the stronghold of Yongqiu and with the authorization to go to present its homages to his brother to the capital. However CAD Zhang, his/her older brother, dies during his stay and it is returned in its stronghold after the funeral with his brother CAD Biao, prince de Baima. Any contact between the two was prohibited and it is on this occasion that CAD Zhi writes its poem “With Biao, prince de Baima” who is regarded as one of his larger masterpieces in China in which he tells his sadness and his frustration to be separate of his brothers.

Towards 226, CAD pi returns visit with CAD Zhi in Yongqiu whereas it returns from a campaign and adds 500 hearths to its stronghold. This same year, CAD pi dies and CAD Rui succeeds to him. CAD Zhi must move in Junyi, then the year to return in Yongqiu. Frustrated not to have been able to up to now put its talents at the test, he writes a report with the emperor but CAD Rui refuses the coveted station to him. In 229, it must move in Dong' E. In 232, CAD Rui made to mander all the lords for an audience and at the conclusion of this one confers to CAD Zhi the title of prince de Chen and a stronghold gives him which includes the four areas of Chen, that is to say: 3500 hearths on the whole. There CAD Zhi had tried on several occasions to have an audience deprived with the emperor, his nephew, without being able to arrive. It returns on its grounds very depressed and it dies of disease in 232. In accordance with its instructions, its funeral was modest.

Its work

CAD Zhi, CAD CAD and CAD pi are regarded in China as being the precursors and the most brilliant elements of the style known as Ji' year . The poems that CAD Zhi wrote at its beginnings were often loans of the echo of its ambitions to serve its country. Progressively of the years, its style darkens while its attempts to lead to positions of responsibility at the court were seen déboutées.

He is the author of the Fu the nymph of the river Luo .

One of the most known poems of CAD Zhi has as a name “On a white horse” (zh-Hant 白馬篇). He composed it in his youth and illustrates his will to serve his country:

Paradoxically, the two most famous poems of CAD Zhi are not its feather, but result from the novel Histoire of the Three Kingdoms .

Its character in the History of the Three Kingdoms

CAD Zhi is especially known in China to have made a success of a challenge of poetry (purely fictitious) which launched to him his/her brother. It is not a question of an historical event but of a scene of the novel Histoire of the Three Kingdoms , often included in operas.

In this chapter, CAD pi came to cut Net all the attempts at CAD Zhi to obtain political influence while condemning in dead the supports which it had been. He threatens to make in the same way of his brother, but a chance gives him to escape the capital punishment. He proposes to him to compose a poem with time that it would need to take seven steps. CAD Zhi accepts and asks the subject of it. CAD pi shows him a table then where two bulls are represented fighting with the foot of a wall and from which one, overcome, falls into a well. He asks him to compose his poem with for subject that of the table, but prohibits the use of the words “well”, “bull”, “foot of wall to him”, “to fight” and “dead”. CAD Zhi took its seven steps and pronounced the poem:

All the court is impressed by the demonstration of the talent of CAD Zhi, but CAD pi then requires of him to create a poem on the sharp one, with for topic their relation fraternal, but by prohibiting to him the use of the word “brother”. CAD Zhi recites immediately, without same giving time to reflect:

Including/understanding the allusion of the big brother who persecutes the little brother, CAD pi pours quiet tears and leaves him the safe life, on the injunction of his/her mother, but withdraws its titles of nobility to him, its loads and condemns it to turn over in its stronghold.

Apart from this particular scene, it is not often mentioned CAD Zhi in the novel, although one also allotted the poem praising to him the beauty of the Qiao sisters of which Zhuge Liang was used for to encourage Zhou Yu to make the war against CAD CAD.

The influence of its character in China

A school of poetry had opened with its name during a few centuries, until under the dynasty of the Tang. Then other poetic styles appeared and the ji' year passed from mode. One however kept CAD Zhi nearly a hundred poems from which some are still learned nowadays.

However, beyond the historical poet, remains a whole myth, mainly centered on the competition between him and his/her brother. This one was included in many parts of opera and theater. The subject of the quarrel as their circumstances differ much, but very often returns the scene of the poem as described in the novel. In one of these operas for example, CAD Zhi manages to allure the woman of CAD pi and when it must recite its poem, it is the spirit of sound amante which blows to him in the heart the words to pronounce…

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