Cao Zhi

Who was Cao Zhi?

Cao Zhi, courtesy name Zijian, was a prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period and an accomplished poet in his time. His poetry style, greatly revered during the Jin Dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties, came to be known as the Jian'an style. Cao Zhi was a son of Cao Cao, a warlord who rose to power towards the end of the Han Dynasty and laid the foundation of Wei. As Cao Zhi once engaged his elder brother Cao Pi in a power struggle to succeed their father, he was ostracised by his victorious brother after the latter became the emperor and established Wei. In his later life, Cao Zhi was not allowed to meddle in politics, despite his many petitions to seek office.