Cao Cao Short Song Row Authorship | Generated by AI
Question: “The moon is bright and stars are sparse, magpies fly south” is a line from a poem by A. Li Bai B. Su Shi C. Cao Cao D. Du Fu
Answer:
The correct answer is C. Cao Cao.
The line “月明星稀,乌鹊南飞” (The moon is bright and the stars are sparse, magpies fly south) comes from Cao Cao’s famous poem 《短歌行》 (Short Song Row / A Short Song), written during the late Eastern Han dynasty (around the early 3rd century).
Full relevant section:
月明星稀,乌鹊南飞。
绕树三匝,何枝可依?
山不厌高,海不厌深。
周公吐哺,天下归心。
This is one of Cao Cao’s most well-known works. It is not written by Li Bai, Du Fu (Tang dynasty poets), or Su Shi (Song dynasty poet).
Explanation of the other options:
- A. Li Bai: Famous for romantic, imaginative, and often wine-related poetry (e.g. “将进酒”, “静夜思”).
- B. Su Shi: Known for bold, philosophical, and descriptive works (e.g. “水调歌头·明月几时有”, “念奴娇·赤壁怀古”).
- D. Du Fu: Known as the “Poet-Historian”, focused on social reality, war, and suffering (e.g. “春望”, “茅屋为秋风所破歌”).
Only Cao Cao matches both the historical period and the specific imagery/style of this line.
References: