Cao Cao's poems, contrary to the tendency of literati's poems to emphasize form over content for hundreds of years in the Han Dynasty, have met the requirements of rich emotion and literary talent, opened a new style of "Jian 'an Literature" and formed a simple, vigorous, fresh and clear artistic style with rich content and strong appeal-"Jian 'an Style".
Cao Cao's poems not only created the poetic style of Jian 'an literature, but also had a far-reaching impact on the development of later literature. In addition, his practice of writing current affairs in the old Yuefu style also left a profound inspiration to the poet. Later, Du Fu's new Yuefu poems and the new Yuefu movement initiated by Bai Juyi and others can be traced back to Cao Cao's Yuefu songs. ?
The existing poems of Cao Cao are Yuefu songs. Although these poems follow the old theme of Yuefu, they do not follow the poems of the ancients, and are not bound by other ways. Instead, they inherit the spirit of "feeling sadness and joy, born of things".
For example, "Journey to Autumn" and "Hao" were originally elegies, but Cao Cao used this form to make a true description of the war period, showing the poet's feelings of hurting the heavens and the earth, and writing desolation. "Out of the East Gate" was originally a song lamenting the impermanence of life and the need to eat, drink and be merry in time, but Cao Cao used it to express his ambition to dominate the world and the magnificent scenery he saw when he returned from the Northern Expedition.
Through The Journey to the West and The Journey to the West, Cao Cao reflected the hardships of the garrison life in the late Han Dynasty from different angles. The former describes the hardships of marching on mountain roads, while the latter expresses homesickness, which is a true portrayal of the author's war life and is touching to read.
"A Short Song Line" and "Although Your Life is Longer" show his ambition and enterprising spirit under the unification. These two poems are four famous poems of Cao. The author is sad and generous, and expresses his ambition to unify the world with a strong lyric atmosphere, as well as his intention to continue to work hard to complete the unfinished business.