The Quatrain Of Seven Steps

The Quatrain of Seven Steps, also known as the Seven Steps verse is a poem supposedly written by Cao Zhi, although nobody can really be sure because the story of the Seven Steps verse appeared hundreds of years after his death. 

Cao Zhi is the son of Cao Cao and the brother of Cao Pi. He was a very talented poet, and everybody respected his knowledge, except for Cao Pi, as Cao Pi saw Cao Zhi posed as a big threat to his throne Cao Pi was Cao Cao’s eldest son, and should have been the heir to Cao Cao’s throne. However, Cao Cao was also a talented poet and favored Cao Zhi because of his knowledge. He even gave Cao Zhi multiple chances to prove himself worthy of the throne. In the end, when Cao Cao died, Cao Pi became king. Once, after Cao Pi became king, Cao Zhi went to visit Cao Pi, but Cao Pi got mad and said: 

“Even though we are brothers, I am still your king and you should treat me with respect!” As he paused, Cao Zhi bowed his head and he continued, “when father was alive, you often showed off poems you wrote, did you hire other people to write those poems?” 

Cao Zhi replied: “I have never asked anybody else to write poems for me.”

“Fine!” Cao Pi said, “if you are really this talented, then write a poem now and prove it! I will give you a topic and you have to come up with a poem within seven steps or else I will execute you.” 

“What is the topic?” Cao Zhi asked.

“The topic is brothers because we are brothers. However, there can not be the word brother in the poem.” Cao Pi responded.

“Yes your majesty.” Cao Zhi answered, then started reciting the poem. Cao Zhi took one step and recited a line of the poem. Then, he took another step and recited the second line of the poem. He continued doing that and recited the last two lines of the poem in only four steps. 

Here is the poem in chinese:

煮豆燃豆萁，(zhǔ dòu rán dòu qí)
豆在釜中泣，(dòu zài fǔ zhōng qì)
本是同根生，(běn shì tóng gēn shēng)
相煎何太急！(xiāng jiān hé tài jí)

Here is the translation in English: 

煮豆燃豆萁，usually the beanstalk is burned to cook beans
豆在釜中泣，the bean is crying in the pot(the brother/Cao Zhi is sad)
本是同根生，we were originally from the same root(we were brothers)
相煎何太急！why are you in such a rush to fry me(why are you trying to hurt me?)

Because Cao Zhi passed Cao Pi’s test, Cao Pi could not kill Cao Zhi. So, instead of killing him, he demoted him and sent him away from the capital to a distant fiefdom, where he wouldn’t be a threat to Cao Pi’s throne anymore.