Cai Yan, also known as Wenji, was a famous talented woman during the Three Kingdoms period. She was very good at literature and calligraphy. Below is a brief introduction of Cai Yan from history that I collected and compiled. I hope it will be helpful to you.
A brief introduction to Cai Yan in history
Cai Wenji, named Yan, was born in Chenliuyu in the Eastern Han Dynasty. She was the daughter of the great writer Cai Yong. She was good at literature, music and calligraphy. She was a talented woman.
Cai Wenji married Wei Zhongdao in his early years, but Wei Zhongdao died early and they had no children, so Cai Wenji returned to her natal family. In 195 AD, Dong Zhuo, Li Jue and others rebelled successively, and the Huns took the opportunity to plunder the Central Plains. It was during this period that Cai Wenji was kidnapped by King Zuoxian of the Huns and taken to the north. She lived in the north for twelve years and gave birth to two children for the Huns. son. In 207 AD, Cao Cao unified the north. Because he was on good terms with Cai Wenji's father, Cai Yong, he used a golden jade to redeem Cai Wenji from the Huns and promised it to Dong Si.
Later, Dong Si committed a capital crime. Cai Wenji personally interceded with Cao Cao and finally persuaded Cao Cao to pardon Dong Si. Cai Wenji was not only wise, erudite and proficient in music. There was a volume of "Cai Wenji Collection" recorded in "Sui Shu Jing Ji Zhi", but unfortunately it has been lost, and the only two works that have been preserved and passed down are "Poems of Sorrow and Indignation" and "Poems of Sorrow and Indignation". "Eighteen beats of Hujia", "Eighteen beats of Hujia" are the lyrics of ancient Chinese Yuefu music.
Cai Yan’s short story
Cai Wenji was a talented woman during the Three Kingdoms period, but her life was quite unfortunate. Cai Wenji was originally the daughter of Cai Yong. She was trained by great writers since she was a child, so Cai Wenji was a rare talented woman. Her last husband was Dong Si, but later Dong Si broke the law and was sentenced. In order to save his husband, he begged Cao Cao for mercy. From then on, there was an allusion to Cai Wenji's plea.
The specific thing is that Dong Si, as the captain of the field, violated the law and was sentenced to death. Of course, this was a huge disaster for Cai Wenji. Dong Si was Cai Wenji’s third husband. In any case, Cai Wenji will not watch her husband be executed.
Cai Wenji took advantage of Cao Cao's care for her, so she asked Cao Cao for mercy and wanted to keep her husband. At that time, Cao Cao was entertaining envoys from various places. Cai Wenji, disheveled and barefoot, walked towards Cao Cao and explained to him the reason for the incident.
But Cao Cao said that the document has been sent, what should we do? Cai Wenji said very wittily that the Lord Ming has so many good horses and many brave soldiers, so I believe he will not care about using a fast horse. Please save a life!
Of course these words are flattering, but they have different meanings in the ears of envoys from various countries. So Cai Wenji used her wit and talent to save her husband. Later, the allusion of Cai Wenji's plea for mercy is often praised by future generations.
Cai Wenji's life's emotional journey was relatively difficult, but no matter what situation she was in, she would display her unique talents and leave a lot of good poetry and literature for future generations to copy. But judging from Cai Wenji's plea for mercy, we can see that this kind of woman is rare in the world.
Historical evaluation of Cai Yan
Lu Shiyong, a man of the Ming Dynasty, said in "A General Theory of Poetry Mirror": "Tokyo's style is declining, but Cai Wenji is talented and heroic." Reading "Hujia Yin" (according to this, it refers to "Hujia Eighteen Beats") can make people sit up in shock, and the sand and gravel fly by themselves, straight into the arms of a strong person. ? She praised Cai Wenji’s qualifications and accomplishments. A good and knowledgeable woman, her fate was so miserable, and her married life was so unfortunate, which made the world feel sad and sighing!
Wenji is also good at calligraphy, and her writing style is Song Dynasty. It is included in the "Chunhua Pavilion Tie". Throughout her life, especially after returning to the Han Dynasty, Cai Wenji inherited her father's legacy and wrote "The Book of the Later Han Dynasty". This cannot but be said to be her outstanding contribution to the ancient culture of her motherland.