compose a poem in the time it will take to walk seven paces;have a ready pen ? 文帝嘗令東阿王七步中作詩，不成者行大法。(劉義慶《世說新語·文學》)Emperor Wen of Wei once ordered the prince of Dong’e to compose a poem in the time it would take to walk seven paces. If it was not completed,the maximum penalty was to be inflicted.