Should Cao Pi be pronounced as "pi" or "pei"? What are the respective arguments for each pronunciation?
2024-05-07 14:19:12 中文版

Cao Pi was the founding emperor of the Wei Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, and during his reign, he implemented a series of important reforms and policies. Among them, a minor matter has caused controversy among historians, that is, whether Cao Pi pronounced "pi" or "pei".

According to historical records, Cao Pi once asked a courtier at a banquet, "Can I drink this wine?" The courtier replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, you can drink it." Cao Pi then asked, "If I drink it, how can I dispel my worries?" The courtier answered, "Treat worries as worries, and treat happiness as happiness." After hearing this, Cao Pi suddenly asked, "I want to drink this wine, but how can I not know its taste?" The courtier replied, "Your Majesty, this wine is called 'Shu' and it is a strong drink."

In this dialogue, Cao Pi's final question was, "I want to drink this wine, but how can I not know its taste?" The word "taste" in this sentence has two pronunciations: one is "wèi" and the other is "pǐ". Therefore, historians have different interpretations of whether Cao Pi pronounced "pi" or "pei".

Some scholars believe that Cao Pi should have pronounced "pi", because in this sentence, he was inquiring about how to taste this wine. The syllable "pi" fits more closely with commonly used vocabulary in Chinese to describe taste. Other scholars argue that Cao Pi should have pronounced "pei", because in this sentence, he was expressing his confusion about the taste of the wine. The syllable "pei" fits more closely with commonly used vocabulary in Chinese to describe feelings of doubt and uncertainty.

In conclusion, the question of whether Cao Pi pronounced "pi" or "pei" remains unresolved. However, regardless of which syllable he pronounced, this dialogue demonstrates Cao Pi's wisdom as a ruler and his attention to detail.

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