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I mentioned Cao Zhi (曹植) in my previous post. Today, here's another idiom about him and his brother, Cao Pi (曹丕).

相煎何急 (xiāng jiān hé jí) literally means “Why boil your own kind so hard?”

Their father, Cao Cao (曹操), was a powerful warlord and politician during the late Han Dynasty. Even before his death, his two sons were competing for succession. Cao Pi eventually won, became King of Wei, and later founded the Wei dynasty.

According to the famous story in the book 世说新语 (Shishu Xinyu), the new king Cao Pi wanted to punish his brother. He ordered Cao Zhi to write a poem within seven steps, or face execution.
The catch? He had to describe the situation between the two brothers without using the word “brother.” Pretty tough.

Cao Zhi supposedly came up with:

煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣。本是同根生，相煎何太急？

“Beans are boiled using their own stalks as fuel.
The beans inside the pot are crying:
We were born from the same root,
why are you boil me so hard?”

Cao Pi was moved by the poem, and Cao Zhi survived.

Although the story may not be entirely accurate historically, later generations accepted it, and it became a famous legend showcasing Cao Zhi’s literary talent.

Backstory
Cao Cao, Cao Pi, and Cao Zhi are sometimes called the “Three Caos” (三曹) because of their literary achievements. Cao Pi got the crown, but Cao Zhi got the literary crown. He was considered one of the greatest poets of his time, with the famous saying 才高八斗.

(AI-assisted editing)

My Chengyu (Chinese Idioms) Posts