The Poem of Seven Steps
The Seven Steps Verse, also known as the Quatrain of Seven Steps (traditional Chinese: 七步詩; simplified Chinese: 七步诗; pinyin: Qī Bù Shī; Cantonese Jyutping: Cat1 Bou6 Si1), is a highly allegorical poem that is usually attributed to the poet Cao Zhi. == Background == During the life of the great warlord Cao Cao who dominated northern China towards the end of the Han dynasty, he had shown favor to his third son Cao Zhi due to his intelligence and literary talents.