Dian lun 典論 (Discourse on Literature) is a compilation of theories and written literature by Cao Pi.[3] The work is five juǎn 卷 (scrolls) large. The literary text implied that the then culturally accepted answers for death and dying weren't satisfactory enough to answer his thoughts about it.
Bits of information[]
Fragments in Records of the Three Kingdoms[]
Book of Wei 1 - Annals of Emperor Wu (Cao Cao)[]
- 太祖稱「長大而能勤學者，惟吾與袁伯業耳。」語在文帝《典論》。
- The Great Ancestor commented, “Of those who have matured and are still able to be industrious learners there are only myself and Yuan Boye.” This statement was discovered in Discourse on Literature by Emperor Wen.
Book of Wei 2 - Annals of Emperor Wen (Cao Pi)[]
- 《典論》帝自敘曰：初平之元，董卓殺主鴆后，盪覆王室。是時四海旣困中平之政，兼惡卓之凶逆，家家思亂，人人自危。山東牧守咸以春秋之義，「衞人討州吁于濮」，言人人皆得討賊。於是大興義兵，名豪大俠，富室彊族，飄揚雲會，萬里相赴；兖、豫之師戰於滎陽，河內之甲軍於孟津。卓遂遷大駕，西都長安。而山東大者連郡國，中者嬰城邑，小者聚阡陌，以還相吞滅。會黃巾盛於海、岱，山寇暴於并、兾，乘勝轉攻，席卷而南，鄉邑望煙而奔，城郭覩塵而潰，百姓死亡，暴骨如莽。余時年五歲，上以世方擾亂，教余學射，六歲而知射，又教余騎馬，八歲而能騎射矣。以時之多故，每征，余常從。建安初，上南征荊州，至宛，張繡降。旬日而反，亡兄孝廉子脩、從兄安民遇害。時余年十歲，乘馬得脫。夫文武之道，各隨時而用，生於中平之季，長於戎旅之間，是以少好弓馬，于今不衰；逐禽輒十里，馳射常百步，日多體健，心每不猒。建安十年，始定兾州，濊、貊貢良弓，燕、代獻名馬。時歲之暮春，句芒司節，和風扇物，弓燥手柔，草淺獸肥，與族兄子丹獵於鄴西，終日手獲麞鹿九，雉兔三十。後軍南征次內蠡，尚書令荀彧奉使犒軍，見余談論之末，彧言：「聞君善左右射，此實難能。」余言：「執事未覩夫項發口縱，俯馬蹄而仰月支也。」彧喜笑曰：「乃爾！」余曰：「埒有常徑，的有常所，雖每發輒中，非至妙也。若馳平原，赴豐草，要狡獸，截輕禽，使弓不虛彎，所中必洞，斯則妙矣。」時軍祭酒張京在坐，顧彧拊手曰「善」。余又學擊劔，閱師多矣，四方之法各異，唯京師為善。桓、靈之閒，有虎賁王越善斯術，稱於京師。河南史阿言昔與越遊，具得其法，余從阿學之精熟。甞與平虜將軍劉勳、奮威將軍鄧展等共飲，宿聞展善有手臂，曉五兵，又稱其能空手入白刃。余與論劔良久，謂言將軍法非也，余顧甞好之，又得善術，因求與余對。時酒酣耳熱，方食芋蔗，便以為杖，下殿數交，三中其臂，左右大笑。展意不平，求更為之。余言吾法急屬，難相中面，故齊臂耳。展言願復一交，余知其欲突以取交中也，因偽深進，展果尋前，余却脚鄛，正截其顙，坐中驚視。余還坐，笑曰：「昔陽慶使淳于意去其故方，更授以祕術，今余亦願鄧將軍捐棄故伎，更受要道也。」一坐盡歡。夫事不可自謂己長，余少曉持複，自謂無對；俗名雙戟為坐鐵室，鑲楯為蔽木戶；後從陳國袁敏學，以單攻複，每為若神，對家不知所出，先曰若逢敏於狹路，直決耳！余於他戲弄之事少所喜，唯彈棊略盡其巧，少為之賦。昔京師先工有馬合鄉侯、東方安世、張公子，常恨不得與彼數子者對。上雅好詩書文籍，雖在軍旅，手不釋卷，每每定省從容，常言人少好學則思專，長則善忘，長大而能勤學者，唯吾與袁伯業耳。余是以少誦詩、論，及長而備歷五經、四部，史、漢、諸子百家之言，靡不畢覽。
Book of Wei 6 - Biography of Yuan Shao[]
- 《典論》曰：譚長而惠，尚少而美。紹妻劉氏愛尚，數稱其才，紹亦奇其皃，欲以為後，未顯而紹死。劉氏性酷妬，紹死，僵尸未殯，寵妾五人，劉盡殺之。以為死者有知，當復見紹於地下，乃髠頭墨靣以毀其形。尚又為盡殺死者之家。
Book of Wei 21 - Biography of Wang Can[]
- 《典論》曰：今之文人，魯國孔融、廣陵陳琳、山陽王粲、北海徐幹、陳留阮瑀、汝南應瑒、東平劉楨，斯七子者，於學無所遺，於辭無所假，咸自以騁騏驥於千里，仰齊足而並馳。粲長於辭賦。幹時有逸氣，然非粲匹也。如粲之初征、登樓、槐賦、征思，幹之玄猨、漏巵、圓扇、橘賦，雖張、蔡不過也，然於他文未能稱是。琳、瑀之章表書記，今之儁也。應瑒和而不壯；劉楨壯而不密。孔融體氣高妙，有過人者，然不能持論，理不勝辭，至于雜以嘲戲；及其所善，揚、班之儔也。
Book of Wei 29 - Biography of Hua Tuo[]
- 文帝《典論》論郤儉等事曰：「潁川郤儉能辟穀，餌伏苓。甘陵甘始亦善行氣，老有少容。廬江左慈知補導之術。並為軍吏。初，儉之至，巿伏苓價暴數倍。議郎安平李覃學其辟穀，餐伏苓，飲寒水，中泄利，殆至隕命。後始來，衆人無不鳥視狼顧，呼吸吐納。軍謀祭酒弘農董芬為之過差，氣閉不通，良久乃蘇。左慈到，又競受其補導之術，至寺人嚴峻，往從問受。閹豎真無事於斯術也，人之逐聲，乃至於是。光和中，北海王和平亦好道術，自以當仙。濟南孫邕少事之，從至京師。會和平病死，邕因葬之東陶，有書百餘卷，藥數囊，悉以送之。後弟子夏榮言其尸解。邕至今恨不取其寶書仙藥。
See also[]
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ Goodman. Ts'ao P'i Transcendent, page 48.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 de Crespigny. “Index of Books and Writers quoted in the P'ei Sung-chih commentary to San-kuo chih” in The Records of the Three Kingdoms.
- ↑ 文帝作《典論》 (“Emperor Wen 文帝 composed 作 Dian lun 典論”)
Chen Shou. "Book of Wei 21" in Records of the Three Kingdoms, cited by Pei Songzhi.
Sources[]
- Chen Shou 陳壽 (233–297). Sanguo zhi 三國志 “Records of the Three Kingdoms”, with official commentary compiled by Pei Songzhi 裴松之 (372-451).
- de Crespigny, Rafe. The Records of the Three Kingdoms: a study in the historiography of San-kuo chih. Canberra: The Australian National University, 1970.
- Goodman, Howard L. Ts’ao P’i Transcendent: Political Culture and Dynasty-Founding in China at the End of the Han. Washington: Routledge, 1998.