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三国演义 Romance of the Three Kingdoms - High achievements of 'lowlife' writer
April 7, 2013, Sunday
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"SAN guo Yan yi," or "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," is a very popular Chinese historical novel depicting the fierce power struggle among warlords before and after the collapse of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).
Written by Luo Guanzhong (circa 1330-1400), a renowned novelist and dramatist, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, alongside "Water Margin," "Journey to the West" and "A Dream of Red Mansions."
Luo was born in Taiyuan in today's Shanxi Province in northwest China. There are few historical records of his life because as a playwright who mingled with entertainers and female singers and dancers, Luo was regarded by scholars and historians of his time as "lowlife," unworthy of mention in official histories.
However, Luo was indisputably the inventor of the traditional Chinese "Zhanghui" novels, very popular during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In this genre, each chapter in the novel begins with a couplet that explains the gist of the contents to follow.
Luo wrote several novels, including, some scholars believe, the last 30 chapters of his teacher Shi Nai'an's classic "Water Margin."
But it's his novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" that has established Luo's status as one of the greatest novelists in Chinese literature.
This 120-chapter work mainly describes the political power struggle and constant warfare among the Kingdom of Wei (AD 220-265), the Kingdom of Shu Han (AD 221-263) and the Kingdom of Wu (AD 222-280)
In the novel, Luo tells many interesting stories of that time and creates nearly 500 vivid characters, such as Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan, the three rulers of the three kingdoms, and also Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
Among those characters, Cao Cao, Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu have come to be regarded as symbols of unscrupulousness, great wisdom and unfailing loyalty, respectively.
Cao Cao (AD 155-220) was a central figure in the late years of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220) and the early years of the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280). He laid the foundation for the Kingdom of Wei and was posthumously given the title Emperor Wu of Wei.
However, in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Cao is portrayed as a schemer and blamed for involvement in numerous sly and vicious political and personal plots.
As a result, he is today best remembered in a widespread Chinese idiom: "Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives," an equivalent of the English saying "speak of the devil."
Zhuge Liang, prime minister of the Kingdom of Shu Han (AD 221-263), was known as a great strategist, statesman, scholar and inventor.
In addition to his great political achievements and unmatched successes in battle, Zhuge Liang is today also remembered as an erudite scholar and godlike prophet who knew everything that had happened in the previous 500 years and could predict what was going to occur in the coming 500 years.
Guan Yu (AD 160-219) was a famous general and sworn brother of Liu Bei, founder of the Kingdom of Shu Han.
Due to his unswerving loyalty, righteousness and matchless bravery, Guan later became one of the best-known Chinese historical figures.
Now, people usually call him Lord Guan and his statue, with an iconic crimson red face and long black beard, can be seen in almost all Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist temples or temples solely devoted to him.
Thanks to "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Cao Cao, Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and many other vivid characters portrayed by Luo in the novel, have today become legendary figures in Chinese folk culture.
Written by Luo Guanzhong (circa 1330-1400), a renowned novelist and dramatist, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, alongside "Water Margin," "Journey to the West" and "A Dream of Red Mansions."
Luo was born in Taiyuan in today's Shanxi Province in northwest China. There are few historical records of his life because as a playwright who mingled with entertainers and female singers and dancers, Luo was regarded by scholars and historians of his time as "lowlife," unworthy of mention in official histories.
However, Luo was indisputably the inventor of the traditional Chinese "Zhanghui" novels, very popular during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In this genre, each chapter in the novel begins with a couplet that explains the gist of the contents to follow.
Luo wrote several novels, including, some scholars believe, the last 30 chapters of his teacher Shi Nai'an's classic "Water Margin."
But it's his novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" that has established Luo's status as one of the greatest novelists in Chinese literature.
This 120-chapter work mainly describes the political power struggle and constant warfare among the Kingdom of Wei (AD 220-265), the Kingdom of Shu Han (AD 221-263) and the Kingdom of Wu (AD 222-280)
In the novel, Luo tells many interesting stories of that time and creates nearly 500 vivid characters, such as Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan, the three rulers of the three kingdoms, and also Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
Among those characters, Cao Cao, Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu have come to be regarded as symbols of unscrupulousness, great wisdom and unfailing loyalty, respectively.
Cao Cao (AD 155-220) was a central figure in the late years of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220) and the early years of the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280). He laid the foundation for the Kingdom of Wei and was posthumously given the title Emperor Wu of Wei.
However, in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Cao is portrayed as a schemer and blamed for involvement in numerous sly and vicious political and personal plots.
As a result, he is today best remembered in a widespread Chinese idiom: "Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives," an equivalent of the English saying "speak of the devil."
Zhuge Liang, prime minister of the Kingdom of Shu Han (AD 221-263), was known as a great strategist, statesman, scholar and inventor.
In addition to his great political achievements and unmatched successes in battle, Zhuge Liang is today also remembered as an erudite scholar and godlike prophet who knew everything that had happened in the previous 500 years and could predict what was going to occur in the coming 500 years.
Guan Yu (AD 160-219) was a famous general and sworn brother of Liu Bei, founder of the Kingdom of Shu Han.
Due to his unswerving loyalty, righteousness and matchless bravery, Guan later became one of the best-known Chinese historical figures.
Now, people usually call him Lord Guan and his statue, with an iconic crimson red face and long black beard, can be seen in almost all Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist temples or temples solely devoted to him.
Thanks to "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Cao Cao, Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and many other vivid characters portrayed by Luo in the novel, have today become legendary figures in Chinese folk culture.
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