Cao Pi （曹丕）acerca de la literatura

Cao Pi con dos ministrios. ( 閻立本)

Corría el tercer siglo D.C., la dinastía Han estaba llegando a su fin y China se acercaba a un largo periodo de división y guerra cuando el segundo hijo del famoso estratega Cao Cao(曹操), Cao Pi, un gran poeta y escritor comenta en su obra "Acerca de la literatura"(論文):

“Truly, literature is a great accomplishment that brings order to the state; it is a splendor that does not decay. One’s years stay for a while but then they expire; one’s fame and happiness die with the body. A time for both of these things to end is inevitable. How could they compare with the endlessness of literature! Thus, the writers of antiquity entrusted themselves to their brush and ink and made known their ideas in written documents. Without relying on the words of a good historian, and without depending on a powerful patron, their names have been passed down to posterity. Moreover, King Wen expanded the Book of Changes while he was imprisoned; whereas, the Duke of Zhou fashioned the Rites of Zhou while he enjoyed great renown. The former still focused his effort, though his circumstances were difficult; the latter did not allow himself to be distracted by his fortune. So we see that the ancients spurned large disks of jade, but highly valued the use of their time, lest the years pass them by. However, people often do not exert their potential: if they are poor, then they fear hunger and cold; if they are rich, then they let themselves drift away in pleasure-seeking; their vision is stuck on just what’s immediately in front of them, and they abandon the accomplishments of a thousand years. While the sun and moon pass overhead, their bodies languish below, and suddenly they will transform away with the myriad things — this is the greatest pity to a person of intentions!”

"蓋文章經國之大業。不朽之盛事。年壽有時而盡。榮樂止乎其身。二者必至之常期。未若文章之無窮。是以古之作者。寄身于翰墨。見意于篇籍。不假良史之辭。不託飛馳之勢。而聲名自傳于後。故西伯幽而演易。周旦顯而制禮。不以隱約而弗務。不以康樂而加思。夫然則古人賤尺璧而重寸陰。懼乎時之過已。而人多不強力。貧賤則懾于飢寒。富貴則流于逸樂。遂營目前之務。而遺千載之功。日月逝于上。體貌衰于下。忽然與萬物遷化。斯志士之大痛也。"