Cao Zhi, styled Zijian, was the third son of Cao Cao and brother of Cao Pi. All three were literary figures, but Cao Zhi's talent shone brightest. He was brilliant from childhood - quick of mind, rich in language. Xie Lingyun, the greatest poet of the Southern Dynasties, said of him: 'All the literary talent in the world totals ten dou - and Cao Zhi alone holds eight!' This grand praise became the idiom 'eight dou of talent,' used to describe a person of extraordinary literary gifts.
曹植，字子建，是魏武帝曹操的第三个儿子，魏文帝曹丕的兄弟。曹操、曹丕、曹植，父子三人，都是文学家，而曹植的文才似乎更见突出。曹植从小就很聪明，才思敏捷，文词富丽。南朝宋代的谢灵运，是南北朝时我国著名的诗人和文学家，他对曹植十分钦佩，给曹植下了怎样的评语：天下文才共一石，而子建独得八斗！（一石等于十斗）称誉作者的学问高，文才好，后来就叫做才占八斗、八斗之才。
Reflection & Analysis · 寓意解读
Core Wisdom
Some talents are so vast they seem to hold the lion's share of the world's gifts. The idiom celebrates supreme literary ability and the enduring legacy of Cao Zhi.
Some talents are so vast they seem to hold the lion's share of the world's gifts. The idiom celebrates supreme literary ability and the enduring legacy of Cao Zhi.