The Tesla CEO took to Twitter and posted an ancient Chinese poem in Mandarin on Tuesday, which has driven the Chinese internet users to engage in a frenzied discussion over his meaning.
The poem is known as "The Seven Steps Verse" and it's about beans. Or rather, it uses beans as an allegory to describe a conflict between Cao Zhi and his powerful elder brother Cao Pi.
It is translated as follows:
"Beanstalks are ignited to boil beans,
The beans in the pot cry out.
We are born of the selfsame root,
Why should we incinerate each other with such impatience?"
Legend has it that the poet Cao Zhi's brother, Cao Pi, assumed the throne of one of ancient China's kingdoms. Cao Pi was a jealous ruler and accused Cao Zhi of trying to usurp him.
He summoned Cao Zhi to court and told him to create a poem within seven steps that would convince the king of his innocence. Cao Zhi complied, and recited the above, comparing the beans to himself and Cao Pi.
According to the tale, Cao Pi was so touched that he spared his brother.
Musk didn’t explain why he tweeted the poem. Some think that it is a reference to the COP26 Climate Change conference. Another popular theory on both Twitter and Weibo is that Musk chose the poem to refer to a battle between Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency backed by the multibillionaire, and rival Shiba Inu coin.
The Chinese word for bean is pronounced "dou," which sounds similar to Doge.
*Source: internet