Cai Yan (year of birth and death unknown), whose real name is Zhaoji, was called Wenji in Jin Dynasty to avoid Sima Zhao. A native of Yuxian County, Chenliu County (now Qixian County, Henan Province), she was a female writer in the Eastern Han Dynasty and the daughter of the writer Cai Yong.
Erudite and talented, he is good at literature, music, and calligraphy. She first married Wei Zhongdao and returned home after her husband died. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was great chaos in the Central Plains. The Southern Xiongnu who originally surrendered to the Han Dynasty took the opportunity to rebel. Cai Wenji was captured by the Xiongnu King Zuoxian and gave birth to two children. After Cao Cao unified the north, he spent a lot of money to redeem her and marry her to Dong Si.
"Sui Shu·Jing Ji Zhi" records one volume of "Collection of Cai Wenji", which has been lost today. There are only two "Poems of Sorrow and Indignation" and "Eighteen Beats of Hujia". The story of Wenji returning to the Han Dynasty is widely circulated.