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魏晋 Wei-Jin · 诗 Poem

七步诗

Seven-Step Poem

曹植

Cao Zhi

七步成诗composed in seven steps 手足之情fraternal bonds 讽喻allegory 乐府yuefu

煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣。
本是同根生，相煎何太急？

Boiling beans, burning beanstalks,
Beans in the pot weep.
Born from the same root,
Why so urgent to torment each other?

Listen

Meaning

When boiling beans, the beanstalks are burned to fuel the fire. The beans in the pot seem to weep. They both come from the same root, so why must they be so eager to harm one another?

煮豆子的时候燃烧豆秸来生火，豆子在锅里发出哭泣般的声响；豆子与豆秸本来是从同一根上生长出来的，既然同胞一体，又何必这样急切地相互煎熬、彼此逼迫呢？

Appreciation

Cao Zhi was forced by his brother Cao Pi to compose a poem within seven steps or face execution. He instantly produced this allegory of cooking beans: the beanstalk burning represents the aggressor, the beans in the pot represent the victim, both from the same root. The final rhetorical question condemns fraternal strife and has become a classic saying.

【白话串讲】 “本是同根生，相煎何太急”——曹丕要杀弟弟曹植，命他七步成诗，曹植用豆子和豆萁写出了这句千古名句。一首诗，救了自己的命。【意象与手法】通篇比兴，以物喻人，构思极巧。开篇“煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣”以日常炊事写骨肉相煎，将政治迫害化为可感画面【情感与主旨】此诗出自《世说新语·文学》，载曹丕称帝后忌恨曹植，命其七步成诗，不成则行大法【名句点睛】常考比喻（比兴）手法的运用、诗句的讽喻内涵及成语“相煎何太急”的出处

Background

This poem is recorded in 'Shishuo Xinyu'. After Cao Pi became emperor, he feared Cao Zhi's talent and ordered him to make a poem in seven steps. Cao Zhi responded with this verse, using the beanstalk and beans as a metaphor. The story reflects the dangerous political climate of the early Wei dynasty and Cao Zhi's plight.

《七步诗》相传为三国魏诗人曹植所作，其本事见于南朝宋刘义庆《世说新语·文学》：魏文帝（曹丕）尝令东阿王（曹植）七步中作诗，不成者行大法；应声便为诗曰煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣，本是同根生，相煎何太急，帝深有惭色。曹植（192—232），字子建，曹操第三子，建安文学的代表人物，才高八斗之说即源于他。其兄曹丕于黄初元年（220）代汉称帝后，对才名素著的曹植深怀忌惮，屡加迫害：先贬其爵位、迁封辗转，又借灌均之奏贬为安乡侯，并逼杀其亲信丁仪、丁廙，致使曹植处境危殆。此诗即以豆萁相煎为喻，讽喻骨肉相逼。需要指出的是，关于此诗本事，现代学者多存疑：其文本最早仅见于《世说新语》小说家言，且《三国志》本传不载，诗中煮豆燃萁的意象更像后世纪事者的提炼；今传版本亦有差异（一说为六句本：煮豆持作羹，漉菽以为汁，萁在釜下燃，豆在釜中泣，本是同根生，相煎何太急）。然无论本事真伪，此诗自南朝以来已凝固为手足相残、同室操戈的千古象征，其文学与文化的生命力远超考据之辨。在文学传统上，它承《诗经》兄弟阋墙之叹（如《常棣》）与汉乐府寓言诗（如《枯鱼过河泣》）而来，开以日常物事寓政治讽喻的短章传统。

Art

The poem uses pure analogy. The first two lines depict a common kitchen scene, personifying the beans to create a sorrowful mood. The last two lines shift to a rhetorical question, blending emotion and reason. In only twenty characters, it conveys a profound allegory with great economy.

此诗虽仅四句二十字，却尺幅千里，以极简的物象承载极重的政治悲愤，艺术上堪称寓言诗之极致。其结构由喻体到本体层层推进：前两句煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣铺陈一个日常炊事画面——燃萁煮豆，本是农家常景，诗人却赋予豆以人的知觉，釜中泣三字将物拟人，泣字一声，凄楚动人，顿使寻常烟火化为骨肉相逼的悲剧现场。后两句本是同根生，相煎何太急由物及人、点破喻旨：同根二字绾合豆与萁的同源关系，暗指曹丕与自己本为同母所生、一父所出的亲兄弟；相煎何太急以反问收束，词气委婉而锋芒内蕴，既是指责，亦是哀告。修辞上通篇比兴，无一字直说政治，却字字指向迫害，是含蓄与犀利的高度统一。句式为五言四句，短促紧逼，正合七步立成、情急辞迫的情境；豆字三现（豆萁、豆在、同根生前的豆），回环复沓，强化命运共同体之感。全诗以物喻人、以浅喻深，举重若轻，故能穿越千年而成为全民熟诵的名篇，其艺术奥秘正在于把最沉痛的政治迫害，凝缩进最寻常的一锅炊事之中。

Allusions

The 'seven steps' allusion originates here. It has become a term for quick poetic wit. The 'same root' metaphor also echoes the 'Book of Songs' theme of siblings fighting within the family, linking to a long tradition of using nature to comment on human relations.

此诗的用典与意象渊源，主要在物象的象征传统与兄弟主题的文学脉络。其一为豆萁相煎的物象，燃豆萁以煮豆本是汉魏北方常见的炊煮方式，诗人取其同出一物而自相残害的直观反差；这一隐喻与汉乐府《枯鱼过河泣》以鱼拟人、自伤险境的手法一脉相承，皆是以物之将死写人之危殆。其二为同根生，直承《诗经·小雅·常棣》凡今之人，莫如兄弟及兄弟阋于墙的基因，把豆萁同源转化为手足同根的伦理符号；后世煮豆燃萁遂成兄弟相残的成语定型。其三为泣字的人格化，渊源自《楚辞·九歌》的以物写哀与汉乐府的人化动植物（如《艳歌何尝行》双白鹄），赋予无生物以人的悲泣。其四关于本事与文本：此诗最早见《世说新语》，而《三国演义》第九十二回演为七步吟诗、且作六句本，遂使煮豆燃萁广为流传；版本上四句本与六句本并存，四句本更为精悍，今多从之。其五为相煎的煎字，本义熬煮，此处双关逼迫、折磨，由物理之煎升华为政治之煎，训诂上属词义的隐喻引申。综之，此诗以日常语汇承载《诗经》兄弟之诫与乐府寓言之体，是化典故为活喻的典范。

Commentary

Wang Fuzhi praised its brevity and completeness. Later critics often note Cao Zhi's talent inviting envy. Zhong Rong ranked him as a 'Jian'an master' for his spirit and elegance. This short poem exemplifies his skill in conveying deep emotion with few words.

此诗自《世说新语》载录后，迅速成为中国文化中手足相残的代名词，历代评点不绝。唐人已将其与曹植才名并提，李白《上留田行》田氏仓卒骨肉分，青天白日摧紫荆即承其悯兄弟相残之意。宋代以后，煮豆燃萁、相煎何太急凝为成语，广泛用于讽喻同室操戈。明清小说如《三国演义》更据以敷演七步成诗一节，使其深植入民间记忆。近人论此诗，多赞其构思之巧与情辞之切：郭沫若曾借之以喻文艺斗争，虽属借题，亦见其符号之强；余冠英《三曹诗选》则以为此诗即使本事出于附会，其反映的曹魏宗室相疑却合乎史实。在传播史上，此诗的地位特殊：它既是建安诗歌含蓄蕴藉一面的代表（与曹植《美女篇》《赠白马王彪》的寄托同脉），又是极少数能走出文人圈、成为全民谚语的古典短章。现代教育中，它列入各版教材，相煎何太急成为国民级警句，用以劝诫家庭、团体内部的自相残杀。其经典性不在辞藻，而在以二十字道尽人间最痛的骨肉之伤，故能历千载而常读常新。

Prosody

Form Yuefu-style four-character short poem, said to be composed in seven steps五言诗（四句，近古绝体；相传为应声口占，不依严格律格）

Rhyme Four lines, four characters each, rhyming (萁, 泣, 急 in ancient pronunciation). Short lines create a rapid, urgent rhythm matching the word 'urgent'.四句以萁（平声）、泣（入声缉韵）、生（平声）、急（入声缉韵）为字，古体不严格押平仄韵；其中泣与急同属入声缉韵，遥相呼应，萁、生则为平声不押，整体不以韵脚取胜而以气脉取胜。

Tone pattern Clear structure: two lines setting the scene, two lines delivering the moral. The analogy is tightly woven, making the poem expansive in meaning despite its brevity.此诗为古体口占，不受近体平仄黏对约束，以意驭声、以情运句。五言句式短促紧逼，豆字三现形成回环，节奏如危言之急、七步立成之迫；诵读时前两句当缓中带凄，后两句当于何太急处戛然一顿，以见诘问之力。

Reading note The poem uses the bean and beanstalk as an analogy for fraternal conflict. The final couplet has become a timeless warning against internal strife, even if the historical story may be embellished.此诗体制特殊：它虽为五言四句、形似唐人绝句，却是汉魏古体口占，不以声律精严见长，而以气脉紧逼、意象凝练取胜。四句之中，前两句铺物象、后两句点喻旨，起承转合在一瞬之间完成，正合七步立成、情急辞迫的情境——若从容雕琢反失其真。韵脚上，它不追求一韵到底，而让入声的泣、急形成内在呼应，平声的萁、生则作疏朗点缀，这种松散的用韵恰与古绝的自由体性相宜。句式上，豆字三现（豆萁、豆在、同根生前的豆）形成复沓，强化命运共同体之感；本是、何太急等虚词与反问，使短短二十字兼具叙事、抒情、议论三重功能。与唐人讲究对仗平仄的律绝相较，此诗更近汉乐府与《古诗十九首》的浑朴，是建安诗歌慷慨任气、以情纬文一面的集中体现，亦证明好诗之佳不在合律，而在能于至短之篇幅中逼出至重之情。

Line by line

煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣。

Boiling beans, burning beanstalks, the beans in the pot weep. This line sets up the analogy: the beanstalk (one brother) burns to cook the beans (the other brother), and the beans cry out, personifying their suffering.

煮豆子的时候燃烧豆秸来生火，豆子在锅里发出哭泣般的声响；

Boiling beans, burning the bean stalks; the beans weep in the pot.

这是全诗的比喻本体，也是全诗意蕴展开的起点。煮豆燃豆萁写的是一个再平常不过的炊事场景：农人燃起豆秸（萁）来煮豆子，火在锅下、豆在锅中，本是相依为命的同源之物，却处在燃烧与被煮的对立位置。诗人极善用反差——同出一株的豆与萁，此刻竟成加害者与受害者，这种荒诞而真实的物象，正是曹丕与曹植兄弟关系的绝妙缩影。豆在釜中泣更将此景人格化：豆在沸水中竟发出哭泣之声，泣字一声，把无生命的豆写得有痛、有惧、有冤，物我于此互通，读者遂不自觉地代入那个在政治上被煎熬的诗人自身。釜是古代炊器，点出场景的寻常与逼近；一个在字写出豆的无助与被动。这两句妙在无一字提兄弟、无一字说政治，却句句都是政治与亲情的撕裂，是比兴手法含蓄而犀利的极致，也为后两句的点破蓄足了势。

This is the poem's metaphor body, the starting point of its meaning. Boiling-beans-burning-bean-stalks writes an ordinary kitchen scene: the farmer lights the stalks to boil the beans, fire below, beans above - beings of the same origin yet in the opposition of burning and being boiled. The poet uses contrast supremely: beans and stalks from one plant now become persecutor and victim, this absurd yet real image being the perfect miniature of Cao Pi and Cao Zhi's brotherly relation. The-beans-weep-in-the-pot further personifies the scene: the beans in boiling water emit weeping sounds; one weep character writes the lifeless bean as having pain, fear, and grievance; thing and self here interflow, the reader unconsciously enters the poet being politically tormented. The fu is an ancient cooker, naming the ordinary and near scene; one in character writes the bean's helpless passivity. The two lines' beauty: not one word of brothers, not one word of politics, yet every line is the tearing of politics and kinship - the ultimate of bi-xing's reserve and sharpness, also preparing the power for the next two lines' revelation.

本是同根生，相煎何太急？

Originally from the same root, why so urgent to torment each other? The rhetorical question highlights the irony and cruelty of siblings harming each other, contrasting 'same root' with 'mutual torment'.

豆子与豆秸本来是从同一根上生长出来的，既然同胞一体，又何必这样急切地相互煎熬、彼此逼迫呢？

Born from the same root, why boil each other so fiercely?

这两句是全诗的诗眼与收束，由物及人、由喻入理，一语道破骨肉相逼的荒谬与残忍。本是同根生以豆萁同源回应前文的燃萁煮豆，点明二者本是同根所生、一体所出，暗指曹丕与曹植同父同母、血脉相连；同根二字分量极重，它把政治迫害还原为伦理的悖逆——连草木同源之物尚且不该相残，况骨肉至亲？相煎何太急以反问作结，煎字双关物理之熬煮与政治之逼迫，何太急三字既是责问（为何如此急切地置我于死地），亦是哀告（可否稍缓、稍恕），词气委婉而锋芒内蕴，恰合曹植在绝对权力面前的卑微与无奈。这一问，据说令曹丕深有惭色，足见其力量。从艺术看，它把前两句铺陈的物象一举点醒为政治寓言，由隐到显、由浅入深，举重若轻。千百年来，同根生与相煎何太急已成为劝诫手足、同僚乃至族群勿自相残杀的终极箴言，其感召力远超一首诗的边界。

These two lines are the poem's eye and resolution, moving from thing to man, metaphor to reason, hitting the absurdity and cruelty of kinsmen's mutual persecution. Born-from-the-same-root answers the burning-stalks-boiling-beans with the stalks' common origin, naming the two as from one root, one body - secretly meaning Cao Pi and Cao Zhi sharing father and mother, linked by blood. Same-root two characters carry immense weight, reducing political persecution to ethical inversion: even plants of one root should not harm each other, how much more flesh and blood? Why-boil-each-other-so-fiercely? closes in a rhetorical question; boil double-guides physical boiling and political pressure; why-so-fiercely is both reproach (why so eager to destroy me?) and entreaty (could you not slow or forgive?). The tone is reserved yet edged inward, exactly fitting Cao Zhi's lowliness and helplessness before absolute power. This question, legend says, made Cao Pi deeply ashamed, showing its power. Artistically, it wakes the preceding description into a political fable, from hidden to manifest, from shallow to deep, handling weight with lightness. Through the ages, same-root and why-boil-so-fiercely have become the ultimate exhortation to brothers, colleagues, even clans not to destroy each other, their influence far exceeding one poem's bounds.

Study

Word focus

煎 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 相煎何太急之煎字，是全诗的炼字之眼，兼具物理与政治双重意涵。煎的本义是在锅里熬煮（如煎药、煎茶），此处既指前句燃萁煮豆的物理之煎（豆在釜中被熬），又双关曹丕对曹植的政治逼迫与精神折磨——以煎熬喻迫害，词义由具体的烹饪动作隐喻引申为广义的逼迫、摧残。这个字的妙处在于它把前两句的物象（煮豆燃萁）与后两句的喻旨（兄弟相逼）绾合为一：物在煎、人亦在煎，锅中之豆的沸腾正是诗中人被命运煎熬的写照。它与泣字呼应——泣是受害者的声音，煎是加害者的动作，一被动一主动，构成完整的迫害图景。何太急三字佐以煎字，更显出诗人既控诉又乞怜的复杂语气：急字写出迫害的紧迫与残酷，太急则含不忍与诘问。一个煎字，凝物理、政治、伦理于一炉，是汉字隐喻力量的绝佳示范，也是此诗能由一锅炊事升华为千古警句的关键所在。

同根 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 本是同根生之同根二字，是此诗伦理力量的根柢，也是它由物及人的转换枢纽。根指植物的本根，同根即同出一源、共一母体；诗人以豆与萁同生一根，暗喻曹丕与自己本为同父之子、一母所出的亲兄弟，血脉相连、休戚与共。这个词的深意在于它把一场政治诛杀，还原为违背天理人伦的骨肉相残——草木同源尚不该相煎，况手足至亲？从而赋予全诗以不容辩驳的伦理重量。其渊源在《诗经·小雅·常棣》凡今之人，莫如兄弟的基因，与汉乐府、古诗中反复咏叹的兄弟之情（如《箜篌引》的兄弟之亲）一脉相承；而同根生后来更凝结为成语，专指血缘或本源的同一。值得注意的是，同根不只是一种亲情的吁求，更是一种对权力逻辑的控诉：当权力使人沦为釜中之豆，连同根都成了被碾碎的伦理。二字平易，却重逾千钧，是此诗能穿越千年、成为劝诫自相残杀之终极符号的根本。

泣 weep; personifies the beans, making the cooking process sound sorrowful and pitiful. 豆在釜中泣之泣字，是全诗情感启动的开关，也是将物象人格化的关键一笔。泣即小声哭、带悲声的哭泣，与无声的哭（泣无声）、放声的号有别，更显委屈、隐忍与无助。诗人让锅中被煮的豆发出泣声，是把无生命的植物赋予人的痛觉与哀情，物我于此互通——读者立刻会越过豆而想到那个在政治上被煎熬、有冤难诉的曹植自己。这个字的妙处有三：一是以物之泣写人之冤，避开了直抒胸臆可能招致的更大祸患（在政治高压下，借物代言是最安全的抗议）；二是泣字声带凄楚，与燃萁的烈火、釜中的滚汤构成声画对立，以静（泣声）反衬动（煎熬），愈显孤弱；三是它与后文相煎何太急的急形成情绪递进——先有泣的悲，后有急的诘。一个泣字，举重若轻地将一锅家常炊事点化为政治悲剧的现场，是汉乐府人化物象（如枯鱼过河泣）传统的精彩承继。

七步诗