Dashu Fu---a Poem Written by Cao Zhi

“The Yan emperor (one of the ancestors of the Chinese nation) controls the seasons, Zhu Rong (the god of fire in Chinese mythology) controls the cold and heat, Xi He (the mother of the sun in Chinese mythology) stops the sun to parch the earth, and the rose finch represents the fire dance around the buildings. The big mulberry tree is surrounded by hot waves. It seems that everything is parched by nine suns.

This is the famous Major heat’s rising. Black clothes can not be worn anymore. Yellow is popular due to its coolness. Snakes are tortuous in their caves, while dragons are hiding in the sky. Grass is parched, mountains are collapsing, seas are boiling and sands are melting. Fish jump over the water and turtles climb to the bank. Birds hold back their wings and rest. Animals who used to travel in packs scatter and hide separately to avoid the heat.

People all walk outside their houses and seek cool places to rest. They are like chess pieces and leaves scattered around. Both women weavers and farmers all stop working. People meet with each other without making appointments for the common purpose of avoiding summer heat.

Therefore, some people move to houses in peaceful and wild places to calm their nerves and nourish their brains. The houses are overlapping like clouds. The unoccupied rooms are clean and refreshing. Cool and pure spring water flows and tall trees strive for growth. The quiet and beautiful houses are filled with white ice cakes which make the air congeal into frost. Play a movement of snow with the Chinese lute and then feel the coolness of the north winds.” The four paragraphs above are the main contents of the poem entitled “Dashu Fu,” written by Cao Zhi (192~232), who was a son of Cao Cao. In the first part, through mythology, the poet explains the reason for the extreme heat in Major heat, and the influence of it on animals. In the second part, the poet talks about how people feel during Major heat and how to seek coolness.