Cao Cao, an outstanding political leader and military commander during the Three Kingdoms period, was known for his ambition and resourcefulness. The poem "Artemisia Lixing" is enlightened by "There are righteous men in the Kanto region, and the army is raised to fight against the murderers", highlighting its extraordinary military ideals and persistent pursuit of justice and morality. However, Cao Cao's ambition was not an easy one, and the challenges he faced not only came from external troubles, but also from internal power struggles and complex family conflicts. Sun Quan's name on the table was attached, which was actually a political test for Cao Cao. Cao Cao's sharp response showed both his high vigilance of power and his strict and shrewd skills.
In the famous poem "Stepping Out of the Summer Gate", Cao Jie's generous pen describes his desire to achieve great unification, which is not only a self-expression of his ambition for the world, but also his deep insight into the people's desire for peace in troubled times. His poems: "The horse does not unsaddle the horse, and the armor does not leave the side" The spiritual depiction did not slacken even when it was triumphant, and always did its best to complete the great cause of reunification. It is precisely because of such unremitting faith and perseverance that Cao Cao can stand tall in troubled times.
Cao Zhi's sorrow and struggleCompared with Cao Cao's ambitions, his son Cao Zhi reveals more melancholy and sadness in his heart. Cao Zhi's poetry is full of lamentations about his own fate and profound reflections on social unrest. In the poem "Sending Ying's Family", he vividly depicts the suffering of the people caused by Dong Zhuo's rebellion and the division of prefectures and counties, and this deep sympathy and yearning for peace form a strong contrast with Cao Cao's political ideals.
Cao Zhi's poems are often symbolized by "beautiful grass", revealing the frustration of not encountering talents and being jealous. His masterpiece "Gift to the White Horse Wang Biao" is a long poem full of emotion, which not only shows the deep nostalgia for his rivals, but also reveals his helplessness and bitterness in the struggle for power. Among them, "the husband is all over the world, and the neighbors are thousands of miles away" is not only a self-relief, but also a hopeless prediction of the future.
In addition to the Cao family, there are other literati such as Ruan Yuzhi, who chose other paths. Ruan Yu is known as a semi-hermit, and his poems "Untitled" reveal helplessness to his own destiny and obedience to the destiny of heaven. Legend has it that Cao Cao recruited Ruan Yu several times, and even set fire to the mountain to force him to join the ranks. This not only demonstrates Cao Cao's thirst for talent, but also reveals the intricate relationship between literati and politics at the time.
The poems written by Cao Cao and Cao Zhi are not only the catharsis of personal feelings, but also the embodiment of the collision of ideas between father and son. The former shows his ambition to dominate the world, while the latter focuses on the anxiety of individual fate and the obsessive pursuit of art. Although their works differ in style and theme, they both depict the social landscape of the time and their respective inner worlds.
Epilogue: The heroes and lamentations behind the psalmsThe poetry of Cao Cao and his son Cao Zhi can be called a treasure of literature and history. His poems depict the melancholy feelings of a hero's top guns and talents, as well as the magnificence of an era and the conflict between people's hearts. These poems are like a mirror, faithfully reflecting the true face of society at that time.
Please think, which of Cao Cao's and Cao Zhi's poems do you think is more touching? Participate in discussions and share unique understandings of the Psalms.