Cai Wenji’s story in classical Chinese

1. The story of Cai Wenji

Cai Wenji, named Cai Yan and styled Wenji, was a female poet in the late Eastern Han Dynasty in my country. Chen Liuwei (now south of Qixian County, Henan Province) was born. His father, Cai Yong, was a famous writer and calligrapher in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

"Poetry of Sorrow and Indignation" was written by Cai Wenji and Dong Ba after their marriage. In the poem, she described her long-term painful experience with blood and tears. The valuable thing about this poem is that it not only writes about personal experiences, but also writes about the suffering of the broad masses of people. It exposes and accuses the corrupt rule of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Hun slave-owning aristocracy.

Wenji was also good at calligraphy, and her writing style was included in the Song Dynasty "Chunhua Pavilion Notes".

Cai Wenji was born in 174 AD, and there is still debate about the year she died. However, throughout her life, especially after returning to the Han Dynasty, Cai Wenji inherited her father's legacy and wrote "The Continuation of Hanshu". This cannot but be said to be her outstanding contribution to the ancient culture of her motherland.

According to legend, Cai Wenji was buried in Caiwang Village, Lantian County after her death. The current tomb of Cai Wenji is about 7 meters high and surrounded by lush trees. According to research by relevant scholars, this tomb is not the tomb of Wenji Ji. It is believed that this is a fake tomb built by later generations based on the content of Chapter 70 of Luo Guanzhong's "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms". In Chapter 71 of the novel, Cai Wenji's two husbands were renamed "Wei Daojie" and "Dong Ji", which were fictitious names created by Luo Guanzhong after Cai Yan and Cao Cao. A romance is a romance after all, so since the content of the story is fictional, of course this tomb cannot be trusted. However, some scholars have verified that this tomb is the real tomb of Cai Wenji. Cai Yan’s tomb is now a key cultural relic protection unit in Shaanxi Province.

Cai Wenji is the daughter of Cai Yong, a famous scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty. "Ming Yan, courtesy name Wen Ji. Erudite, talented in eloquence, and good at music." It is not an exaggeration to say that she is a child prodigy. At the age of 10, Cai Wenji showed her talent in music. Cai Yong was playing the piano outdoors when one of the strings suddenly broke. Wenji indoors immediately said it was the second string. Cai Yong was very surprised and deliberately broke the fourth string, and Wenji figured it out again. From then on, Cai Yong began to teach his daughter to learn the piano. Two years later, Wenji became a master of the piano and even won her father's most cherished Jiaowei Qin. At the age of 12, Cai Wenji's calligraphy has been passed down by Cai Yong. It is both steady and dignified, but also elegant and graceful. It is said that Cai Yong's calligraphy was taught by a god and passed on to Wenji, who then passed it on to Zhong Yao, and Zhong Yao passed it on to Mrs. Wei. , Mrs. Wei passed it to Wang Xizhi... At the age of 14, Cai Wenji's literary talent was already shining, and she was familiar with all poems, books, etiquette and music. Only when people know Wenji, do they know Cai Yong. Without publishing a book or promoting her work, Cai Wenji became famous through word of mouth.

When Cai Wenji was 16 years old, Cai Wenji got married. Unexpectedly, within a year, her husband died of hemoptysis, and she had no choice but to return to her parents' home as a widow. A few years later, her family fell into decline, and her father died in prison. The most tragic thing is It was she who was plundered by the Xiongnu and adopted as his concubine by King Zuoxian. She gave birth to two sons. In the Xiongnu, Cai Wenji missed her hometown, but she could not leave behind her flesh and blood ties. In the struggle between reason and emotion, she wrote "Poem of Sorrow and Indignation" and "Eighteen Beats of Hujia" in three sighs, which became the most famous songs in China respectively. One of the outstanding poems. Later, Cao Cao, who controlled the actual power of the Eastern Han Dynasty, remembered his mentor's daughter Cai Wenji, and did not hesitate to exchange "a pair of white jade and a thousand taels of gold" to get Cai Wenji back. Cai Wenji returned to her hometown in glory, but the walls were in ruins and she had no place to live. Fortunately, under the arrangement of Cao Cao, who was eager to love talents, Cai Wenji married Dong Si, the captain of the field school. She was 35 years old that year. Not satisfied with this marriage, Dong Si committed a crime and deserved death in the second year after the marriage. Cai Wenji ignored the quarrel and went to Cao Cao's prime minister's palace with her head and bare feet. Dong Si was grateful for Cai Wenji's true love, and it was only in the days to come. A little bit of mutual love.

It can be said that Cai Wenji has gone through many ups and downs. It is conceivable that in the historical background of feudal society many years ago, she was able to marry three husbands in her life, and she also left two sons in the Huns. Not to mention anything else, her miserable current situation can be imagined. Unexpectedly, such a knowledgeable and talented woman would have such a miserable fate and such an unfortunate married life. How can it not make people sigh when thinking about it.

Reference materials: 2. Translation of Cai Wenji in classical Chinese

Translation of "Cai Wenji" The wife of Dong Si, a native of Chenliu, was the daughter of Cai Yong from the same hometown, named Yan, courtesy name Wenji.

She is knowledgeable, talented and proficient in music. Married to Wei Zhongdao from Hedong.

Later, her husband died and she had no children, so she returned to her natal family. During the Xingping period, the world was in turmoil. Wenji was captured by the Hu cavalry and fell into the hands of King Zuoxian of the Southern Xiongnu. She lived with the Xiongnu for twelve years and gave birth to two sons.

Cao Cao had always been on good terms with Cai Yong. He was saddened that he had no descendants, so he sent an envoy to redeem her with gold, silver, and jade and marry her to Dong Si again. Dong Si was the Commander-in-Chief of the Farm, and any violation of the law was punishable by death. Wenji went to Cao Cao to plead for mercy.

At that time, the room was full of ministers, celebrities and envoys from far away. Cao Cao said to the guests: "Cai Bozhe's daughter is outside. Let you see her today." When Wenji came in, With his head disheveled and his feet bare, he kowtows to apologize, his voice is clear and he is very good at talking. The meaning is very bitter and sad, and everyone's face changes because of this.

Cao Cao said: "I do sympathize with you (and Dong Si), but the documents of the judgment have been sent out, what should I do?" Wenji said: "You have tens of thousands of beautiful horses in the stable, and how can you still win?" There are countless warriors, why would they be reluctant to let someone ride a fast horse (to recover the document) to save a dying man?" Cao Cao was moved by her words, so he recovered the document and forgave Dong Si's sins. . The weather was still very cold at that time, so she was given a headscarf and shoes and socks.

Cao Cao asked again: "I heard that my wife used to have a lot of classical books at home. Can you still remember them?" Wen Ji said: "My father who passed away once left more than 4,000 volumes of books. Because I was far away from my hometown and was in a difficult situation, I couldn't preserve any of them. Now I can only remember to recite more than 400 pieces. "Cao Cao said: "Now I should send ten scribes to you to copy them."

Wenji said: "I heard that there are differences between men and women. According to the etiquette, men and women cannot teach each other orally. Please give me paper and pen (copy it myself). Whether to use regular script or cursive script depends on your order." < /p>

So I copied it (from memory) and sent it to Cao Cao. There were no omissions or errors in the article. Later, she lamented her sad and angry experience and wrote two "Poems of Sadness and Indignation". 3. Translation of classical Chinese

Please refer to it, I hope it will be useful

When I was born, I was still inaction①, but after I was born, Han Zuo declined②. The heaven is unkind and brings chaos and separation, and the earth is unkind and brings me to this time. The roads are dangerous when fighting, and the people are in exile, and the country is sad. The smoke and dust cover the wilderness, and barbarians are flourishing⑥, and the will and integrity are at a loss⑦. It is not appropriate for me to deal with the secular world. Who should I sue if I am insulted? The zither plays for a while, the qin plays for a while, and no one knows the resentment in my heart.

Notes ① Wuwei: Nothing, referring to social stability. ②The decline of Han Zuo: The decline of the Han Dynasty's national destiny refers to the exclusive power of eunuchs during the reign of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, and the disputes between eunuchs and their relatives. Zuo (Zuò), blessing, is extended to fate. "The Book of Songs: Rabbit Love": "At the beginning of my life, I did nothing, but I will suffer hundreds of disasters (disasters) after my life." Here is a paraphrase of the sentence. ③Legacy: Refers to the collapse of the Han Dynasty regime, warlord fighting, and the resulting displacement of the people starting from the Zhang Rang and Dong Zhuo Rebellion. It can be compared with Cao Cao's "Xing Dew Xing", "Hao Li Xing" and Cai Yan's "Poems of Sorrow and Indignation". ④Xun: Continuation, continuous. ⑤Pu: Sudden, hasty, panic. The above two sentences mean that wars are going on every day, the roads are extremely dangerous, and people are fleeing, panic and sadness. ⑥Hulu: refers to the Huns. ⑦Being obedient: refers to something that goes against one's own will. Be good and disobey. Jieyi loss: refers to being captured and married by the Huns. ⑧Special customs: different customs and habits. ⑨One moment: one turn, one paragraph. Yipai: Just say it for a while. This sentence means that a piece of Qin music is exactly the corresponding piece of Hu Jia music, which refers to Cai Yan playing Hu Jia music on the Qin.

Rong Jie forced me to become a family member, and took me to the end of the world. Thousands of clouds and mountains are on the way home, and the wind is blowing thousands of miles away and the sand is flying. When there are many people, they are violent and violent like vipers ③, and when they control strings and armor, they are arrogant and extravagant ④. The strings are stretched out after two beats, and the strings are in despair ⑤. The ambition is broken and the heart is broken, and I feel sad.

Notes ① Rongjie: The name of the ethnic minority who was nomadic in the northwest frontier at that time. It is used here to refer to the Huns. Shijia: used to refer to wives and concubines in ancient times. Will: hold hostage. The above two sentences mean that the Huns forced me to be his wife and took me far away to the horizon. ②Ya: far away. ③虺 (huǐ gray) snake: a venomous snake. ④Control the string: draw the bow. Control, pull. Arrogant and extravagant: proud and arrogant. The above two sentences mean that these Huns are very fierce and compete with each other with armor and arrows every day. ⑤Zhang Xian: wind up the string, which here refers to playing.

Crossing over the Han Dynasty and entering Hucheng①, it is better to lose one's family and lose one's virginity than to live without one. Felt fur is used as clothing, and my flesh and bones are shocked ②. Jie and mutton are used as taste, and it is in vain to contain my feelings ③. The sound of drums and drums has been rising since the night ④, and the wind has been blowing loudly in the dark fortress camp ⑤. The sadness of the present and the past are made in three shots. When will the sadness and hatred of animals be calmed down?

Note ① Yue: This refers to leaving. ②Shocked to the flesh and blood: Refers to feeling disgusted and frightened by the clothes of foreigners. ③Jietan: refers to mutton, goat milk and the like with mutton smell. Jie (jié festival), the eunuch of the sheep. Wan Ke: wronged, dissatisfied. The above two sentences mean that when faced with the clothes of foreigners, they feel disgusted in their hearts; when faced with the food of foreigners, they also feel that they are contrary to their own habits. ④Tagu: A small drum played in the ancient army. ⑤Dark: confusing and shrouded. Fortress: The camp on the frontier fortress, here refers to the tents where the Huns lived.

There is no day or night when I don’t miss my hometown, and I am the most miserable when my temperament is full of energy. The country is in chaos due to natural disasters and the people have no masters②, but I am miserable and have no soldiers or captives. The world is different, the mind is different, the body is in trouble, the desires are different, who can talk to him! There are many difficulties and obstacles in thinking and going through ③, and it becomes more and more sad when the four shots are completed.

Notes ① Innate Qi Contains Life: Generally refers to human beings. The ancients believed that humans are born with the Qi of heaven and earth. "Lunheng·Gu Xiang Chapter": "The Qi is in the sky, and the shape is in the earth." Hansheng refers to those who have life. ② Ownerless: Bored and helpless. ③experience: experience. This sentence means how difficult it is to think about your own experience.

The wild geese are marching to the south to send their thoughts to the border ①, and the geese are returning to the north to get the Chinese sound ②. The wild geese fly high and are hard to find, and I feel empty and heartbroken, thinking about it③. I raise my eyebrows towards the moon and caress the elegant harp ④, and the five beats are lulling and the meaning is deep ⑤.

Notes ① Bianxin: the homesickness of people living in the border area. ②Chinese: News from the Han Dynasty (hometown). ③攔攔(yīn sound): Silent and deep look.

The above four sentences mean that when you see wild geese flying south, you want to ask the wild geese to bring your nostalgia to your hometown; when you see wild geese flying south, you want to get news about your hometown. However, the flying geese are so high that it is difficult to trace them, and it is empty. Make yourself heartbroken. ④Zanmei: frown. ⑤Lingling (líng伶): a sad and crisp sound.

The body is bitterly cold due to the biting frost, and I am hungry and unable to eat meat and cheese①. At night I hear the sound of the Long River whimpering②, and when I see the Great Wall the road is long and windy③. Reminiscing about the past, it is difficult to carry luggage④, and the six beats are sad and I want to stop playing.

Notes ① Cheese (là0 brand): dairy products. ②Longshui: The water flowing down from Longshan Mountain. There is a saying in "Longtou Song Ci" written by the Yuefu of the Northern Dynasties: "The water flowing in Longtou makes a whimpering sound. Looking at Qinchuan in the distance, the liver and intestines are cut off." This is a paraphrase of the sentence. Longshan is located in the northwest of Long County, Shaanxi Province. ③杳 (miǎo seconds) Man: the appearance of being far away. The above two sentences mean that listening to the gurgling Longshui at night is like sobbing; looking at the meandering Great Wall during the day, the return journey is far away. ④ Baggage from the past: refers to the sufferings experienced along the way when the person was plundered. Luggage, itinerary.

/z/q899689481?si=1 4. The story of Cai Wenji

"Eighteen Beats of Hujia" is a 1,297-word narrative poem in a risqué style , originally published in Volume 59 of Guo Maoqian's "Yuefu Poems" of the Song Dynasty and Volume 3 of Zhu Xi's "Afterwords of Chu Ci", both of which have slightly different texts.

There is considerable academic controversy over whether this poem was written by Cai Wenji. Cai Wenji's "Poetry of Sorrow and Indignation" is a five-character narrative with 108 lines. The academic community has a relatively consistent view on this poem. It is generally believed to be written by Cai Wenji, but some scholars believe it is a folk work.

(2) Text When I was born, I was still inactive. After I was born, Han Zuo declined. The heaven is unkind and brings chaos and separation, the earth is unkind and brings me to this moment.

The roads are dangerous every day when fighting, and the people are in exile, so it is sad. The smoke and dust cover the fields, barbarians are abundant, and the will and integrity are at a loss.

Who should I sue when I am being humiliated and humiliated? The zither plays for a while, the harp plays, and no one knows the resentment in my heart. Rong Jie forced me to be a member of the family, and drove me to the end of the world.

Thousands of clouds and mountains are on my way home, and the strong wind is blowing up dust and sand. When there are many people, they are violent and fierce like adder; when they control strings and are covered with armor, they are arrogant and extravagant.

The two beats of the string are broken, the string is broken, the ambition is broken, the heart is broken, and the heart is broken, and I feel sad. Crossing the Han Dynasty and entering the city of Hu, it would be better to lose one's family and lose one's virginity than to live without one.

The felt and fur are used as clothing and my flesh and bones are shocked, and the smell of leather and mutton is in vain to contain my feelings. The sound of drums and drums has been rising since the night, and the roaring wind has made the camp dark.

The sad feeling of Jin Xi was made three times, and when will the sadness and hatred of Xi be calmed down. There is no day or night when I don't think about my hometown. I am the most miserable when my temperament and energy are combined.

The country is divided into chaos and has no owner due to natural disasters. I am the only one who has no soldiers and captives. The world is different, the mind is different, the body is in trouble, the desires are different, who can talk to him! There are many difficulties and obstacles in thinking and going through it, and it becomes more and more miserable when the four shots are completed.

The geese marching to the south want to send a side message, and the geese returning to the north want to win the Han Qing. The wild geese fly high and are hard to find, and I feel empty and heartbroken, thinking about it.

I raise my eyebrows towards the moon and caress the elegant harp, and the five beats are lulling and the meaning is profound. The body is bitterly cold due to the biting frost, and I am hungry and cannot eat meat and cheese.

At night, the sound of long rivers weeps, and the road toward the Great Wall is full of apricot trees. Reminiscing about the past, it is difficult to carry luggage, and the six beats are sad and I want to stop playing.

At dusk, the wind makes sad sounds everywhere, I don’t know who the sad heart is talking to! The wilderness is desolate and the beacons are garrisoned for thousands of miles. The old and weak are vulgar and the young and strong are beautiful. Wherever there are water and grass, homes and fortresses are built, and the fields are full of cattle and sheep, gathering like bees and ants.

When the grass and water are gone, the sheep and horses have all moved away, and Qipai Liu hates to live here. If God has eyes, why doesn't he see me drifting alone? If God has a spirit, why should I be so far away from home? I don't live up to the sky. How can the sky be worthy of me? If I don't live up to God's will, why will God punish me by crossing the deserted state? I made eight beats here to relieve worries, but I didn't know that when the song was completed, my heart turned to worry.

The sky is boundless and the earth is boundless, and my heart is full of sorrow. Life is fleeting, like the passing of a white horse, but I will not be happy until I am in my prime.

I am resentful and want to ask the sky, but the sky is blue and there is no chance. Raising your head and looking up at the clouds and smoke in the sky, who can pass on this sentiment? The beacon fire at the top of the city has not been extinguished. When will the battle on the battlefield stop? Murderous aura rushes towards the door, and Hu Feng blows the moon every night.

There is no sound in my hometown, and I will cry without sound and I will lose my breath. A life of hard work brings separation, and deep sorrow brings tears of blood.

I don’t want to eat life but hate death. I can’t sacrifice my body because my heart is full. If you are still alive, you still hope to return to your hometown. If you die, your bones will be buried for a long time.

The sun lives in the moon, Zhu Xi is in the military base, and the barbarians dote on me. I have two sons. If you cultivate it without shame, you will grow up with contempt.

The beats of ten and one beats are here and there, and the mournful sound is lingering and piercing the heart. The east wind is blowing and there is a lot of heat. I know it is the emperor of Han Dynasty who is coming to Buyanghe.

The Qiang and the barbarians are dancing and the Japanese are singing, and the two countries are having fun but are not fighting. Suddenly I met an envoy from the Han Dynasty and called me Jinzhao. He left me a thousand gold coins to redeem my concubine.

I am so happy to be alive that I will meet the King of Stars, but I will be countryless after saying goodbye to my childishness. Ten times out of ten, there are both sorrow and joy, but it is difficult to describe the two emotions.

It doesn’t matter that I have to live a long life, but I have to return home, caress my beard and put my clothes on it. The envoys of the Han Dynasty came to welcome me, and who knew the number of Hu'er? At this time of my life and death, I am worried about being a son and the sun will not shine. How can I have wings to bring you back?

One step at a time, it is difficult to move, and the soul disappears, but the love remains. Three times out of ten, the beat of the strings is urgent and sad, and the liver and intestines are stirred and stabbed. I don't know.

When I return home, I don’t want my children to follow me, and my heart is hung up as if I’m hungry. All things in the four seasons have their ups and downs, but my sorrow will not change for a while.

The mountains are high and vast, so I can’t wait to see you. Even more late at night, I dream of you. When I hold my hand in the dream, I am happy and sad, and when I feel it, my heart aches and there is no rest.

Four times out of ten, tears will flow down my face, and my heart will be full of thoughts as the river flows eastward. Fifteen beats, the rhythm is quick, and the breath fills the chest. Who knows the music? The place is in the dome of the hut and there are special customs.

I am willing to come back, God obeys my desires, and I am happy and contented to return to the Han Kingdom. My heart is pregnant but my sorrow becomes deeper. The sun and moon are selfless but never come.

It’s no wonder that mother and son are separated. They are separated by the same sky and across the distance like ginseng. Where can we find each other if we don’t know each other between life and death? Sixteen beats, my thoughts are confused, my son and I are on separate sides. The sun in the east and the moon in the west look at each other, but we cannot follow each other. We are empty and heartbroken.

If you don’t forget about the camp grass, why do you feel so sad when you play the piano? Farewell now, I return to my hometown. Old grievances are settled, but new grievances are growing! Weeping blood, I raise my head and complain to the sky, Hu Weisheng is the only one who suffers from this disaster! Seventeen beats make my heart and nose feel sour, and the mountains are blocking the repairs, making it difficult to travel. When I left, I felt homely and careless, and when I came back, I was filled with thoughts of farewell.

Stuffed with mugwort branches and dry leaves, the bones of the battlefield are covered with scars from knives and arrows. The wind and frost are biting and the spring and summer are cold. The people and horses are hungry and their muscles are weak.

Little did I know that when I entered Chang'an again, I sighed and burst into tears. The Hujia originally comes from Huzhong, and the Yuanqin translation has the same melody.

Although the song of eighteen beats has ended, the sound is lingering and the thoughts are endless. This is how we know that silk and bamboo are delicate and all the work of nature. Sorrows and joys are all according to people's hearts. If they change, they will be normal.

Hu and Han are in different lands and have different winds, and the sky and the earth are separated by the west and the east. My bitterness and resentment are as vast as the sky. Although the heaven and earth are vast, I cannot tolerate them! (3) Appreciation "Eighteen Beats of Hujia" is a touching and eternal masterpiece, and its author is Cai Wenji.

When appreciating this poem, do not read it as ordinary written literature, but think that Cai Wenji, an unfortunate woman, was playing and singing to herself, and the sound of the piano was flowing with her thoughts. With the sound of piano and singing, we seemed to see her walking on a long road paved with humiliation and pain... She began to appear in front of the background of the great turmoil of the times, and the first shot clicked on the background of "chaos": Hulu Strong and prosperous, wars raged across the land, and the people fled into exile.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the world was in chaos. Eunuchs, relatives, and warlords took control of the government one after another. Peasant uprisings, warlords' melees, and foreign invasions continued one after another. Poems written in the late Han Dynasty said, "The armor is alive with lice, and all the surnames are dead.

The bones are exposed in the wild, and there is no rooster crow for thousands of miles." etc., are all true portrayals of the turmoil at that time.

Cai Wenji was plundered and carried away to the west by Hu cavalry during the chaos of war. Being kidnapped was the beginning and the source of her painful life. Therefore, the second beat of the poem is dedicated to describing her situation during her captivity. In the tenth beat, "Life is hard and fate is separated," to indicate the fate of her life. Unhappiness comes from being taken captive.

During the twelve years when she was forced to stay in the southern Xiongnu, she suffered both in life and spirit. 5. The story and introduction of Cai Wenji

Cai Yan, also known as Wenji, also known as Zhaoji, was born in 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, 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 Wen Ji returning to the Han Dynasty is widely circulated.

Extended information:

Cai Wenji was erudite and proficient in music. She married Wei Zhongdao of Hedong in his early years. Wei Zhongdao died early and they had no heirs, so Cai Yan returned to his own country. Home.

In the second year of Xingping (195), Dong Zhuo, Li Jue and others from the Central Plains successively rebelled against Guanzhong. The Xiongnu from the south of the country took the opportunity to rebel and plunder. Cai Yan was kidnapped by the Xiongnu King Zuoxian. Cai Yan lived in the north for twelve years and gave birth to two children.

In the eleventh year of Jian'an (207), Cao Cao always loved literature and calligraphy, and often had literary and calligraphy exchanges with Cai Yan's father, Cai Yong. Seeing that Cai Yong had no heirs, Cao Cao used a golden jade to redeem Cai Yan from the Southern Huns and married Cai Yan to Dong Si. 6. What’s the story of Cai Wenji?

Cai Wenji, whose name is Cai Yan and whose courtesy name is Wenji, is a female poet in the late Eastern Han Dynasty in my country. Chen Liuwei (now south of Qixian County, Henan Province) was born. His father, Cai Yong, was a famous writer and calligrapher in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Wenji was also good at calligraphy, and her writing style was included in the Song Dynasty "Chunhua Pavilion Notes".

Cai Yong was very surprised and deliberately broke the fourth string, and Wenji figured it out again. From then on, Cai Yong began to teach his daughter to learn the piano. Two years later, Wenji became a master of the piano and even won her father's most cherished Jiaowei Qin. At the age of 12, Cai Wenji's calligraphy has been passed down by Cai Yong. It is both steady and dignified, but also elegant and graceful. It is said that Cai Yong's calligraphy was taught by a god and passed on to Wenji, who then passed it on to Zhong Yao, and Zhong Yao passed it on to Mrs. Wei. , Mrs. Wei passed it to Wang Xizhi... At the age of 14, Cai Wenji's literary talent was already shining, and she was familiar with all poems, books, etiquette and music. Only when people know Wenji, do they know Cai Yong. Without publishing a book or promoting her work, Cai Wenji became famous through word of mouth.

1. Tiying saved her father

Her father, Cang Gong Chunyuyi, failed to save people, but was falsely accused of harming others. According to Han law, Dangdang's hands and feet were cut off, and Chunyu Yi had no son. His youngest daughter Tiying accompanied her father to Beijing to file a petition against the emperor. The emperor felt his courage and filial piety and ordered Chunyu Yi to be pardoned and abolish this cruel punishment

2. Wen Ji Returning to the Han Dynasty

Her father Cai Yong was also a very talented and strange woman. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the society was in turmoil. Cai Wenji was kidnapped to the Southern Xiongnu and married to the powerful Xiongnu King Zuoxian. The pain of living in a foreign land and foreign customs, but giving birth to children. Twelve years later, Cao Cao unified the north. Thinking of the teachings given to him by his mentor Cai Yong, Cao Cao paid a large sum of money to redeem Cai Wenji. After Wenji returned to the Han Dynasty, she married Dong Si and left behind the touching "Eighteen Beats of Hujia" and "Poems of Sorrow and Indignation"

Cao Cao was very envious of the original collection of books in Cai Wenji's home. When Cai Wenji told him that all the 4,000 volumes of books stored in his home had been lost after several wars, Cao Cao expressed deep disappointment. When he heard that Cai Wenji could recite 400 volumes, he was overjoyed, so Cai Wenji wrote them from memory. Four hundred articles were published, all of which were error-free, which shows Cai Wenji's high talent. Cao Cao brought Cai Wenji back and did a good thing in preserving ancient culture. Historically, "Wen Ji returned to the Han Dynasty" has been said to be a good story. 8. Who can tell me the story of Cai Wenji?

Fortunately, under the arrangement of Cao Cao, who was eager to love talents, Cai Wenji married Dong Si, the captain of the field school. She was 35 years old that year. Not satisfied with this marriage, Dong Si committed a crime and deserved death in the second year after the marriage. Cai Wenji ignored the quarrel and went to Cao Cao's prime minister's palace with her head and bare feet. Dong Si was grateful for Cai Wenji's true love, and it was only in the days to come. A little bit of mutual love.

Dong Si was the Commander-in-Chief of Tuntian, and he should die if he broke the law. Wen Ji③ went to Cao Cao to ask for her. At that time, the hall was full of officials, celebrities and envoys from far away. Cao said to the guests, "Uncle Cai is having sex with his daughter, and I want you to see her now." When Wen Ji came in, she walked alone with her head unkempt, kowtowed to plead guilty, and her words were clear and eloquent. The purpose was very sad, and everyone wanted to change their appearance. Cao Cao said: "We are sincere, but the document 5 has gone, what can we do?" Wen Ji said: "Ming Gong 6 stables ten thousand horses, tigers and warriors are in the forest, why would it be a pity to ride with a swift foot to save the dying man!" Cao Cao said: Feeling what he said, it was the crime of pursuing the original ⑦ sacrifice.

(Selected from "Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Biography of Dong Si's Wife")

[Notes ① Tuntian Duwei: the name of the official. ②Dang: Judgment. ③Wenji: Cai Wenji. ④Shiyi: Messenger. ⑤Written: Document. ⑥Ming Gong: a respectful title for Cao Cao. ⑦Original: Forgive, this refers to forgiveness of sins.

[Cultural knowledge]

Cai Wenji. Cai Wenji, whose name was Yan and whose courtesy name was Wenji, was a female poet in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Her father was Cai Yong (also known as Bo Zhe). She is erudite, talented in debate, and has a good command of music. First married to Wei Zhongdao. After her husband died, she returned to her mother's house. During the great chaos at the end of the Han Dynasty, he was captured by Dong Zhuo's generals and returned to the Southern Xiongnu, King Zuoxian. He lived with the Xiongnu for 12 years and had two children. After Cao Cao pacified the Central Plains, he thought that Cai Yong had no descendants, so he paid a large sum of money to redeem him and marry Dong Si again. She wrote more than 400 ancient essays from memory. Her "Poems of Sorrow and Indignation" and "Eighteen Beats of Hujia" are the most famous pieces of music and lyrics. The contemporary dramatist Cao Yu created the drama "Cai Wenji".

Translation

Dong Si held the official position of Tuntian Captain, violated the law and was sentenced to death. Cai Wenji met Cao Cao and asked for (pardon) him. At that time, the hall was full of ministers, celebrities and envoys from far away countries. Cao Cao said to his guests: "Cai Bozhe's daughter is outside the door. I invite you to see her today." When Cai Wenji came in, her hair was messy and she walked barefoot. She kowtowed to Cao Cao and apologized. She spoke clearly and clearly. She was very sad and sad, and everyone was moved by her. Cao Cao said: "Even if it is really as pitiful as you said, but the document of condemnation has been issued, what should I do?" Cai Wenji said: "Ming Gong, you have tens of thousands of good horses in your stable, and the brave soldiers are not enough." Even if the odds are stacked against him, would he begrudge a fast horse to save a dying life?" Cao Cao was moved by her words, so he sent someone to retrieve the document and pardon Dong Si's crime.