Tomb of Emperor Si

　　The Tomb of Emperor Si is the burial site of Cao Zhi, who was enfeoffed as the Prince of Chen during the Three Kingdoms period under the Wei Dynasty.

　　According to the Henan General Gazetteer: “The tomb of Cao Zhi of Wei from the Three Kingdoms period is located three li south of Chen Prefecture; he was enfeoffed as the Prince of Chen.” The Comprehensive Gazetteer of the Great Qing states: “The tomb of Cao Zhi of Wei from the Three Kingdoms period is located three li south of Huaining County.”

　　There are four consecutive mounds arranged from north to south with heights of 12 meters, 4 meters, 7 meters, and 15 meters respectively, and the areas of their tumuli are 1,656 square meters, 400 square meters, 900 square meters, and 3,000 square meters. The tallest mound at the southern end is the Tomb of Emperor Si.

　　Cao Zhi, courtesy name Zijian, was the third son of Cao Cao and a native of Qiao County (present-day Bozhou, Anhui). He was a renowned poet of the Three Kingdoms period. In the history of Chinese literature, especially in the field of poetry, he achieved remarkable success and received high praise from many notable figures throughout history. The famous poet Xie Lingyun of the Northern and Southern Dynasties once said: “Of all the talent in the world, which is one dan (a unit of weight), Cao Zijian alone possesses eight dou (one dan equals ten dou).” From a young age, Cao Zhi was exceptionally intelligent; he could compose poetry and prose at the age of 10. At 19, his work “Ode to the Bronze Sparrow Platform” became widely acclaimed and earned him the favor of Cao Cao, who even considered naming him as the crown prince. However, due to his “willful behavior and lack of self-discipline” as well as his “arrogance and disdain for others,” Cao Cao eventually lost trust in him.

　　After Cao Cao’s death, his elder brother Cao Pi and nephew Cao Rui harbored deep resentment toward him and subjected him to various forms of persecution. In an attempt to frame Cao Zhi, Cao Pi struggled to find any solid evidence of wrongdoing. One day, he summoned Cao Zhi to court and ordered him to compose a poem within seven steps, or face execution. Without hesitation, Cao Zhi immediately recited: “Beans boiled over beanstalks burning / The beans in the pot weep / We are born of the same root / Why must you boil me so fast?” Hearing this, Cao Pi was moved to tears. Though he did not kill Cao Zhi, he had him enfeoffed as a marquis and prince, exiling him far from the capital and distancing him politically. Even in exile, Cao Pi remained suspicious of Cao Zhi forming political factions, frequently transferring him around — within eleven years, Cao Zhi was moved three times and successively enfeoffed as the Prince of Yongqiu, the Prince of Dong’e, and the Prince of Chen. Cao Zhi repeatedly petitioned for meaningful employment, but was never granted his wish. Though titled as a prince, he lived like a prisoner, often in low spirits, and eventually died in Chen at the age of 41. After his death, four coffins were reportedly carried out simultaneously — this was done out of fear that Cao Pi would desecrate his body, hence the presence of four mounds. Posthumously, Cao Zhi was given the posthumous title “Si” (meaning “thoughtful” or “melancholic”), and thus came to be known as the “Prince of Chen Si.” His tomb is referred to as the Tomb of Emperor Si.

　　Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, literati and poets visiting Huaiyang have come here to pay their respects and compose poems in his memory. As a result, the Huaiyang County Annals preserves many fine literary works by these poets. The Ming Dynasty poet Dai Xin wrote in “Mist over the Tomb of Emperor Si”: “Gazing upon the Tomb of Emperor Si, mist stretches long / Who in this world can still see the noble Cao? / Ancient trees stand tall in the spring rain / Swallows flash as they fly against the setting sun. / Fame from composing in seven steps fades into silence / A fleeting dream of the mortal world turns bleak. / My eyes well up with inexplicable tears for him / I wipe them away and raise my cup in the east wind.”

　　Cao Zhi left behind numerous elegant and refined writings in his lifetime. About 80 poems survive today, along with approximately 40 more complete essays and fu (rhapsodies). Originally, his collected works comprised 30 volumes, most of which have been lost. His famous masterpiece, “Ode to the Goddess of Luo,” has been passed down through the ages and remains highly celebrated. During his time in Chen, he composed two poems, “In Praise of Fuxi” and “In Praise of Shennong.” “In Praise of Fuxi” reads: “Of the wood virtue, surname Feng, the Eight Trigrams were created. Dragon omens named the offices, following earth and emulating heaven. Kitchens prepared offerings, nets caught fish and game, zithers and lutes were made to mirror divine wisdom.” “In Praise of Shennong” reads: “Descendant of Shaodian, achieving virtue through fire and wood. He crafted the plough and hoe, teaching the people to sow grain. He established the correct tones for the qin, to enrich the customs and culture.”

　　Source: Huaiyang Government Website