Boil beans and burn beans, and simmer black beans. Honey burns under the pot, and beans cry in the pot. We were born from the same root, so why should we speculate with each other!
Cao Zhi's seven-step poem is a poetic poem, in which there is a classic "Boil beans and burn beans, beans cry in the kettle", which is still fresh in people's memory. In the poem, "Boiling beans and burning bean skin" means that when boiling beans, the skin and shell of beans burn due to thermal effect, releasing some smoke, and glutinous rice (qí) refers to the residual straw of pods. This process is similar to how people hone themselves by cooking in the process, and finally achieve more brilliant results.
And "Beans Cry in the Pot" vividly describes that beans are soaked in water and cooked in a pot, just like people will endure tears and pain in the face of tests and setbacks, but they still have to move on. The whole poem is Cao Zhi's concise language and emotional brushwork, which sincerely expresses his personal love sadness and helplessness in the troubled times of Jin Dynasty.
The seven-step poem (that is, "seven steps into a poem") has only seven sentences, but its ideology, artistry and aesthetics are very profound, especially the famous sentence "Boil beans and burn beans, and beans cry in the kettle", which is widely read. Cao Zhi's Seven-step Poems are of great value and significance from both artistic and social cultural perspectives, and have become a rare classic in China's classical literature.
Cao Zhi described the scene of "going home to see his mother". With several simple and delicate descriptions, he showed the close affection between mother and son and reflected his deep yearning for the warm affection of the family. However, after Emperor Xiaowen's death, his father, Cao Cao, became prime minister by virtue of his power and was cruel to his family, and Cao Zhi suffered greatly from it. Therefore, this poem also implies dissatisfaction and reflection on the feudal family system, and expresses Cao Zhi's personality characteristics of being free and easy, pursuing freedom and loving life.
Evaluation of seven-step poetry
Cao Zhi's seven-step poem is considered as one of the treasures in the history of China's poetry. This poem tells the story of Cao Zhi and his mother. The sentimental love story and elegant artistic conception show Cao Zhi's superb artistic achievements and touching emotional experiences.