Romance of the Three Kingdoms zim:///A/html/R/o/m/a/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms.

html

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the historical period see Three Kingdoms.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms (traditional Chinese: 三國演義;

simplified Chinese: 三 国 演 义 ; pinyin: sānguó yǎnyì), written by Luo
Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel about the
events in the turbulent years of the late Han Dynasty and the Three
Kingdoms era, from 169 AD to 171 AD. C. until the reunification of
all of China in 280 AD. C.[ 1] It is based in part on Chen Shou's book
Records of the Three Kingdoms.[2]

It is one of the four classic Chinese novels in Chinese literature, with a

total of 800,000 words, that is, nearly one million characters,[ 3] and
120 chapters.
Book illustration.

Beginnings
Myths from the Three Kingdoms era exist in Chinese oral tradition long before they were compiled in writing.
Focusing on the Han Chinese, the story's popularity grew during the Mongol rule of the Yuan Dynasty. During
the Ming Dynasty, interest in works and novels about this period led to an expansion and reinvention of these
stories.

The first attempt to combine these stories into a novel was the Sanguozhi Pinghua (三國誌評話，三国志评 话; Sānguózhì
Pínghuà), published between 1321 and 1323. He combined legends and stories of magic and morality to
influence the peasants. This version of the story included elements such as reincarnation and karma. The
“Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is traditionally attributed to Luo Guanzhong who lived between 1315 and
1400 (late Yuan, early Ming). Some theories indicate that it was actually written in the mid-15th century (during
the Ming era), a theory that is developed in Andrew Plaks' book, Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel. The
novel was written partly in Classical Chinese and was the standard text for 300 years. The author used historical
documents, including the “Records of the Three Kingdoms” compiled by Chen Shou, which covered the period
from the Yellow Turban Rebellion in 184 to the unification of the Three Kingdoms under the Jin Dynasty in
280. The novel also includes poetic material from the Tang and Yuan periods as well as its own interpretation of
elements such as virtue and legitimacy. It was published in 24 volumes and copied by hand until its first printing
in 1522.

In the 1660s, during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Mao Lun 毛綸; 毛纶） and his son Mao
Zonggang （毛宗崗; 毛宗岗） edited the text, setting it to 120 chapters and abbreviating the title and text. The use of
poems from other sources was reduced, as were many of the speeches of Cao Cao and his advisors and generals.
There have been long debates over whether the text is pro-Qing or anti-Qing. This edition supplanted the
original.

Argument
One of the greatest achievements of the Three Kingdoms is the extreme complexity of its stories and characters.
The novel has several fragments that could be considered complete novels. An example is the Battle of Red
Cliffs.

1 of 5 6/18/2021 11:12 PM
Romance of the Three Kingdoms zim:///A/html/R/o/m/a/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms.html

The main facts of the novel are:

The rebellion of the yellow turbans

The story begins in the final years of the Han Dynasty, when eunuchs trick the emperor and expel his loyal
officials. The government becomes extremely corrupt at all levels, causing the Empire to deteriorate. During the
reign of the penultimate emperor of Han, Emperor Ling, the Yellow Turban Rebellion occurred under the
leadership of Zhang Jiao. He pretended to be a healer who, while curing people of their illnesses, also incited
them to rebel. In this time of turmoil, the main characters appear: Liu Bei, Sun Jian, Zhang Fei, Cao Cao, etc.

The rebellion was put down by the imperial troops of He Jin, Emperor Ling's brother-in-law and supreme
commander of the government armies. Fearing his increasing power, he was assassinated by his rivals, Zhang
Rang's eunuchs. His guard, led by Yuan Shao, responded by entering the palace and carrying out an
indiscriminate slaughter. In the ensuing confusion, the young Emperor Shao and Prince Chen Liu (later Emperor
of Xian) disappeared from the palace.

The tyrannical rule of Dong Zhuo

Soon, the emperor and the prince discovered that soldiers belonging to the warlord Dong Zhuo of Western
Liang, under the pretext of protecting the emperor, took the capital. Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao and
replaced him with Prince Chen Liu. Under Dong Zhuo's violent rule the people suffered greatly. There were
attempts to assassinate him by his physician Wu Fu and Cao Cao, but both failed. Cao Cao drafted an edict
calling on all warlords and governors to rise up against Dong Zhuo in the name of the Emperor. Under Yuan
Shao's leadership, 18 prefectures and nobles joined forces in a campaign against Dong Zhuo, but due to poor
leadership and conflicts of interest, they only succeeded in having him move the capital from Luoyang to
Chang'an. Dong Zhuo was later betrayed and killed by his adopted son, Lu Bu, over an argument over the
beautiful Diao Chan, planned by the minister Wang Yun.

Conflict between warlords and nobles

At the same time, the Empire was disintegrating into civil war. Sun Jian, governor of Changsha, found the
Imperial Jade Seal deep in the ruins of Luoyang but kept it for his own interests. Without a strong central
government, warlords began to fight for land and power. Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan were at war, and in the
south, Sun Jian and Liu Biao. Many others, without title or land, such as Cao Cao and Liu Bei, began to
accumulate power. Cao Cao took the Emperor of Xian from Dong Zhuo's subordinates Li Jue and Guo Si and
established the new court in Xuchang. With the emperor under his control, Cao Cao subdued his rivals Yuan
Shu, Lu Bu, and Zhang Xiu, culminating in his greatest military victory, the Battle of Guandu, despite the odds
being 1 to 10. Cao Cao pursued the Yuan clan, who unified northern China, which would be the territory on
which the kingdom of Wei would be founded.

Sun Ce builds a new dynasty in Jiangdong

Meanwhile, Sun Jian lost his life in a war with Liu Biao. His firstborn son Sun Ce gave the Imperial Jade Seal as
a tribute to the royal uprising of the pretender Yuan Shu of Juanian, in exchange for the need for reinforcements.
He then secured the lands of Jiangdong, on which the kingdom of Wu would

2 of 5 6/18/2021 11:12 PM
Romance of the Three Kingdoms zim:///A/html/R/o/m/a/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms.html

be founded. Tragically, Sun Ce died of an illness he contracted in a terrifying encounter with Yu Ji, a falsely
accused and executed Taoist monk. His successor, Sun Quan, had Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao as advisors.

Liu Bei's ambition

Together with his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, he had sworn loyalty to the Han dynasty (in the
famous Oath of the Peach Garden) and promised to serve the emperor and the people. Liu Bei, who successfully
put down the Yellow Turban Rebellion, was not recognized for his efforts, and was only rewarded with being
appointed as a magistrate of a small county. Later, Liu Bei participated in the war against Dong Zhuo. Cao Cao
invaded Xuzhou to take revenge on Tao Qian, the governor of Xuzhou, who had ordered his subordinates to
assassinate Cao Cao's father. Liu Bei led his troops from Pingyuan to assist Tao Qiu, who appointed him
Governor of Xuzhou before he died. At the same time, Lu Bu was at war with Cao Cao because he wanted to
dominate China after having killed Dong Zhuo. He was defeated by Cao Cao and sought protection from Liu
Bei. Lu Bu later betrayed him and took control of Xuzhuo. Liu Bei allied with Cao Cao to fight Lu Bu who was
defeated and executed.

The Battle of Red Cliffs

Cao Cao, who had declared himself prime minister, sent his troops to the
southeast of China, after having unified the north. To resist Cao Cao's
invasion, Liu Bei sent Zhuge Liang to persuade Sun Quan in Jiangdong to
form a coalition. Zhuge Liang managed to persuade Sun Quan to form an
alliance with Liu Bei against Cao Cao, remaining in Jiangdong as a temporary
advisor. Zhou Yu thought that Zhuge Liang might become a threat to
Jiangong, so he attempted to assassinate him several times, always failing. In
the end he had no choice but to make a pact with him, because Cao Cao's army
was approaching the border. Cao Cao was defeated at the Battle of Red Cliffs
by the combined forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan and forced to retreat to
Jingzhou. Place considered the scene of the
Battle of the Red Cliffs.
Liu Bei takes over Yi Province
After Zhou Yu's death, relations between Liu Bei and Sun Quan gradually deteriorated but not to the point of
open conflict. According to the Longzhong Plan, Liu Bei led his troops west and seized territory from the
incompetent Liu Zhang. With this victory, Liu Bei's domains encompassed a vast territory from Ping Province to
Yi Province, which would serve as the foundation for the future state of Shu Han. He proclaimed himself “King
of Hanzhong” after his victory over Cao Cao at the Battle of Hangzhong.

At the same time, Cao Cao had secured the title of “King of Wei” through the emperor, while Sun Quan is
known as “Duke of Wu”. In the east, Sun Quan and Cao Cao's troops clash in the battles of Ruxukou and Hefei
with no apparent victor. A balance emerges between the three great powers that lasts until Cao Cao's death.

Death of Guan Yu
Meanwhile, Sun Quan, tired of Liu Bei not returning Jing province to him, prepares to take it back. He signs
peace with Cao Cao and proclaims himself his vassal with the title of “King of Wu”. Guan Yu,

3 of 5 6/18/2021 11:12 PM
Romance of the Three Kingdoms zim:///A/html/R/o/m/a/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms.html

who is in charge of Jing Province, launches his troops against Cao Ren at the Battle of Fancheng. At that time
Sun Quan, as part of his secret agreement with Cao Cao, sends an army to Jing under the orders of Lu Meng
taking advantage of Guan Yu's absence. Guan Yu is caught off guard and loses the province without even
knowing it. He retreats to Maicheng, where he is surrounded by Sun Quan's large army. Soon many of his troops
begin to surrender or desert. Desperate, he tries to break the siege, but is captured in an ambush. Sun Quan
orders him executed after he refuses to renounce his loyalty to Liu Bei.
Shortly after, Cao Cao died of a brain tumor and his son Cao Pi took over the throne, ending the Han dynasty
and naming his new dynasty “Cao Wei.” In response, Liu Bei, as a member of the imperial family, proclaims
himself emperor. As Liu Bei prepares to avenge Guan Yu, his other sworn brother, Zhang Fei is killed in his
sleep by his subordinates, who have defected to Sun Quan's side.

Battle of Xiaoting
Faced with the immense army that Liu Bei mobilized to avenge Guan Yu, Sun Quan offered him the province of
Jing as compensation. Liu Bei's advisors, including Zhuge Liang, tried to persuade him to accept the gesture of
peace, but Liu Bei persisted in seeking revenge. Following initial victories, a series of strategic errors coupled
with Liu Bei's impetuosity led to disaster for the Shu Han army at the Battle of Xiaoting. Lu Xun, the
commander of Sun Quan's armies, was stopped in his pursuit by a maze of sentinel stones that Zhuge Liang had
left in anticipation of his arrival.

Liu Bei died shortly after this defeat due to illness. In his last conversation with Zhuge Liang, on his deathbed,
he entrusts Zhuge Liang with the care of his domains with the authority to seize the throne if his successor Liu
Shan proves to be an unsuitable ruler. Zhuge Liang rejects the latter, but swears that he will be loyal to the trust
Liu Bei has placed in him. This promise would mark Zhuge Liang for the
rest of his life.

Zhuge Liang's Campaigns

Following Liu Bei's death, on the advice of Sima Yi, Cao Pi mobilized
various forces, including Sun Quan, the traitor general Meng Da, Meng Huo
of the Nanman, and the Qiang tribes, to attack Shu Han in coordination with
a Cao Wei army. Zhuge Liang managed to force the five armies to retreat
without bloodshed. Deng Zhi, as an envoy of Shu Han, convinces Sun Quan
to restore the old alliance with Shu Han. Zhuge Liang personally leads a
series of campaigns in the south against the Nanman barbarian king Meng
Huo. The king is defeated and captured seven times, but Zhuge Liang frees
him each time to win him over to his side. After his seventh defeat, Meng
Huo swears eternal friendship with Shu Han.

After pacifying the south, Zhuge Liang leads the Shu Han army on five
expeditions to attack Cao Wei and restore the Han Dynasty. Suffering from
chronic tuberculosis, his health worsened due to the effort of the campaigns.
His last great success against Cao Wei is probably the defection of Jiang
Wei, a promising general expert in military strategy. Zhuge Liang dies of
Artist's engraving by Zhuge Liang. illness at the Battle of Wuzhang Plain, while leading an evenly matched
battle against his arch-enemy on the Cao Wei side, Sima Yi. Before dying,
he orders his trusted generals to build a statue of himself and use it to scare the enemy, thus gaining time to
retreat.

The End of the Three Kingdoms

The long years of fighting between Shu Han and Cao Wei saw many changes in the ruling Cao family. His

4 of 5 6/18/2021 11:12 PM
Romance of the Three Kingdoms zim:///A/html/R/o/m/a/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms.html

influence weakened after the death of Cao Rui and power in Cao Wei gradually fell into the hands of the Sima
clan, led by Sima Yi's sons Sima Shi and Sima Zhao.

In Shu Han, Jian Wei takes up Zhuge Liang's legacy and leads nine campaigns against Cao Wei over three bitter
decades to no avail. Liu Shan turns out to be an incompetent who puts all his faith in disloyal officials, gradually
leading to the decline of Shu Han which ends up being conquered by Cao Wei. Jiang Wei tries to restore the Shu
Han dynasty with the help of Zhong Hui but his plans are discovered and both are killed by Sima Zhao's troops.
Following the fall of Shu Han, Sima Zhao's son Sima Yan forces the last emperor of Cao Wei, Cao Huan, to
abdicate, ending the dynasty. The new dynasty is called Jin.

Since the death of Sun Quan, internal conflicts between the nobles dominate Wu. Zhuge Ke and Sun Lin try to
seize power. Although stability is restored, Wu's last ruler, Shu Hao, is a tyrant who makes no effort to improve
his domain. Wu, the last of the Three Kingdoms, is taken by Jin after a bitter struggle. After almost a century of
civil wars, the Three Kingdoms period ends.

References
1. ↑ Wu, Jonathan. «Romance of the Three Kingdoms Novel and History Introduction». Consulted on 11-11-2007.
2. ↑ «Bamboo scrolls».
3. ↑ Roberts 1991, pg. 940

External links
■ > Wikimedia Commons has media related to Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

■ English text on Wikisource.

■ French text on Wikisource.
■ Chinese text on Wikisource.
■ Chinese text on Google Books.

■ TV series: videos with Spanish subtitles.

■ Chapter I: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5.
■ Chapter II: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5.
■ Chapter III: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5.

This article is issued from Wikipedia (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_de_los_Tres_Reinos). The text is

available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa
/3.0/); additional terms may apply for the media files.

5 of 5 6/18/2021 11:12 PM