Elon Musk’s Mysterious Chinese Tweet

Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted a mysterious tweet in Mandarin labeled “Humankind.” The poem is called The Seven Steps Verse, also known as The Quatrain of Seven Steps. There are two versions of the poem. The version that Musk tweeted out is a condensed version found in Chapter 79 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, published in the 14^th century.

The poem uses an extended metaphor to describe the relationship of siblings harming each other over petty arguments.

The poem is as follows:

Beanstalks are ignited to boil beans,

The beans weep in the pot

We are born of the selfsame root,

Why are you in such a rush to incinerate me?

Legend says that the brother of the poet assumed the throne to one of ancient China’s kingdoms. The jealous brother accused the poet of trying to overthrow him. The poet wrote this poem to try to save himself, and legend has it that it was enough for the ruler to spare his brother.

It is unknown as to why the CEO posted this poem with the title “Humankind.” Translators and Tesla fans alike have been puzzling over why Musk would post the poem. One theory is that it refers to an ongoing battle between cryptocurrencies.

One thing is for sure: many people were educated about ancient Chinese poetry on this day. If you need something translated, contact us for a free quote today.