Cao Cao
During this period, Cao Cao and the "Seven Scholars of Jian 'an" (Kong Rong, Chen Lin, RoyceWong, Xu Gan, Ruan Yu, Serina Liu and Angelababy) inherited the characteristics of folk songs in Han Yuefu, and at the same time created the foundation of five-character ancient style, leading Yuefu poetry from folk to upper-class literati.
"Three Caos" (Cao Cao and his sons Cao Pi and Cao Zhi) are even more representative figures of Jian 'an poets in the late Han Dynasty. They advocate adopting the old Yuefu theme and singing new things. For example, Cao Cao's Journey to Bitter Cold, Cao Zhi's Journey to Mount Tai and Fu Liang, Cao Pi's Journey to Ge Yan, RoyceWong's Seven Decadence Poems, Chen Lin's Journey to the Great Wall Cave, and Ruan Yu's Journey out of the Profile Gate.
Cao pi
Their poems not only have a strong Yuefu style and people's realistic spirit, but also have been refined and processed in art, and a large number of artistic techniques of "elegance" have been used. Their poems are tragic, generous and passionate, forming the character of Jian 'an literature.
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the royal family existed in name only. During the Jian 'an period when Cao Cao was in power, Cao Cao formulated a series of literary systems, such as literary post, literature, literary engagement and illegitimate children, which opened the way for the prosperity of Jian 'an literature.
Cao zhi
Therefore, Cao Cao had a far-reaching influence on the prosperity and development of China's ancient poetry, and later generations often used "Jian 'an Poetry Bone" as the standard for evaluating good poetry.