The Jian'an style is the unique literary tendency displayed by the literati group formed around Cao and his son. They promoted political ideals, displayed strong personalities, and had a strong tragic color, showing the Eastern Han Dynasty. In the turbulent era of the last years, an impassioned, vigorous and powerful poetry style was formed, so it was called "Jian'an style". The main representative figures include "Three Cao", "Seventh Son" and Cai Yan.
The collective name of seven writers during the Jian'an period of the late Han Dynasty in China. They are Kong Rong, Chen Lin, Wang Can, Xu Xi (titled Weichang, 171～218), Ruan Yu (titled Yuanyu, ?～212), Ying Yu (titled Delian, ?～217), Liu Zhen ( The courtesy name is Gongxi,?～217). Later generations collectively called them the Seven Sons of Jian'an. And because they lived together in Yezhong and were mostly members of the Yezhong literati group, they were also called the Seven Sons of Yezhong.
Wang Can has the highest achievement among the seven sons. His "Seven Elegies" truly records the tragic sufferings brought to the people by the warlords' melee in the late Han Dynasty, and expresses his deep sympathy for the people. His "Ode to Climbing the Tower" expresses his homesickness when he was living in Jingzhou, hoping for peace in the world so that he can display his ambitions and talents. His works have always been recited by people. Other writers, such as Kong Rong, are good at memorials and discussions, with a superb physique and brilliant words. His representative works include "Recommended Ni Heng Biao" and "Discussing the Prosperous Filial Piety with Cao Gong". Chen Lin and Ruan Yu are famous for their calligraphy. Their representative works include "A Call to Yuzhou" and "Composing Letters to Duke Cao and Sun Quan" respectively. The former is vigorous and the latter is clear and clear. They are also famous for their Yuefu poems, among which "Drinking Horses in the Great Wall Grottoes" and "Driving Out of the Beiguo Gate" are masterpieces reflecting the chaos. Liu Zhen's poetic reputation was very high at that time, and people at that time also called him Cao (Zhi) and Liu (Zhen). His representative work "Gift to My Congdi" is quite strange, with its "real bones and frost, high morals and customs".