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Romance of the Three Kingdoms , written by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong , born Luo Ben , was a Chinese literature author attributed with writing Romance of the Three Kingdoms , and editing Water Margin , two of the most revered adventure Epic poetry in Chinese literature....
 in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel
Historical novel

A historical novel is a novel in which the story is set among historical events, or more generally, in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the author....
 based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Han Dynasty was ruled by the family known as the Liu clan who had peasant origins....
 and the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty emperors....
 era of China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in 280.

It is acclaimed as one of the Four Great Classical Novels
Four Great Classical Novels

The Four Great Classical Novels, or the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly counted by scholars to be the greatest and most influential in classical Chinese fiction....
 of Chinese literature
Chinese literature

Chinese literature extends back thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novel that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese....
, with a grand total of 800,000 words, nearly a thousand characters, and 120 chapters.

s from the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty emperors....
 era existed as oral traditions before any written compilations.






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Romance of the Three Kingdoms , written by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong , born Luo Ben , was a Chinese literature author attributed with writing Romance of the Three Kingdoms , and editing Water Margin , two of the most revered adventure Epic poetry in Chinese literature....
 in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel
Historical novel

A historical novel is a novel in which the story is set among historical events, or more generally, in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the author....
 based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Han Dynasty was ruled by the family known as the Liu clan who had peasant origins....
 and the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty emperors....
 era of China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in 280.

It is acclaimed as one of the Four Great Classical Novels
Four Great Classical Novels

The Four Great Classical Novels, or the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly counted by scholars to be the greatest and most influential in classical Chinese fiction....
 of Chinese literature
Chinese literature

Chinese literature extends back thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novel that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese....
, with a grand total of 800,000 words, nearly a thousand characters, and 120 chapters.

Overview

Myths from the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty emperors....
 era existed as oral traditions before any written compilations. In these popular stories, the characters typically took on exaggerated characteristics, often becoming immortals or supernatural beings with magical powers. With their focus on the history of Han Chinese
Han Chinese

Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and, by most modern definitions, the largest single ethnic group in the Earth.Han Chinese constitute about 92 percent of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98 percent of the population of the Republic of China , 75 percent of the population of Singapore, and about 19 percent...
, the stories grew in popularity during the reign of the foreign Mongol emperors of the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was both the continuation of the Mongol Empire and the Mongol founded historical state in Mongolia and China, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368....
. During the succeeding Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty , or Empire of the Great Ming , was the ruling Dynasties in Chinese history of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty....
, an interest in plays and novels resulted in further expansions and retelling of the stories.

The earliest attempt to combine these stories into a written work was Sanguozhi Pinghua (?????,?????; Sanguózhì Pínghuà), literally "Story of Sanguozhi", published sometime between 1321 and 1323. This version combined themes of legend, magic, and morality to appeal to the peasant class. Elements of reincarnation
Reincarnation

Reincarnation, literally "to be made flesh again", is a doctrine or Metaphysics belief that some essential part of a living being survives death to be reborn in a new body....
 and karma
Karma

Karma is the concept of "action" or "deed" in Indian religions understood as that which causes the entire cycle of causality originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Buddhism philosophies....
 were woven into this version of the story.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is traditionally attributed to Luo Guanzhong, who lived sometime between 1315 and 1400 (late Yuan to early Ming period). Some scholars argue for an origin from around the second half of the fifteenth century (mid-Ming) based on characteristics of the text. This theory is extensively developed in Andrew Plaks' Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel. It was written in partly vernacular
Vernacular Chinese

Vernacular Chinese is a style or register of the written Chinese language essentially modeled after the spoken Chinese and associated with Standard Mandarin....
 and partly Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese

Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any Chinese spoken language....
 and was considered the standard text for 300 years. The author made use of available historical records, including the Records of the Three Kingdoms compiled by Chen Shou
Chen Shou

Chen Shou , born in Nanchong, Sichuan, was the author of the Sanguo Zhi, a historical account of the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was once an officer from the Shu Han of Three Kingdoms....
, which covered events from the Yellow Turban Rebellion
Yellow Turban Rebellion

The Yellow Turban Rebellion, sometimes also translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a wikt:AD 184 peasant rebellion against Emperor Ling of Han....
 in 184 up to the unification of the three kingdoms under the Jin Dynasty
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)

The J?n Dynasty , one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms period and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. The dynasty was founded by the Sima family ....
 in AD 280. The novel also includes material from Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty

The Tang Dynasty was an Dynasties in Chinese history preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire....
 poetic works, Yuan Dynasty operas and his own personal interpretation of elements such as virtue and legitimacy. The author combined this historical knowledge with a gift for storytelling to create a rich tapestry of personalities, and initially published it in 24 volumes. It was copied by hand until first printed in 1522 as Sanguozhi tongsu yanyi In the 1660s, during Kangxi's reign in the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty , also known as the Manchu Dynasty, followed the Ming Dynasty in History of China, and was the last ruling Chinese Dynasties of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 ....
, Mao Lun (??; ??) and his son Mao Zonggang (???; ???) significantly edited the text, fitting it into 120 chapters, and abbreviating the title to Sanguozhi yanyi. The text was reduced from 900,000 to 750,000 characters; significant editing was done for narrative flow; use of third party poems was reduced and shifted from conventional verse to finer pieces; and most passages praising Cao Cao's advisers and commanders were removed. Scholars have long debated whether Mao's viewpoint was anti-Qing (identifying Southern Ming remnants with Shu-Han) or pro-Qing. The previous version was almost completely supplanted by Mao's edition, which is considered to be the superior literary work.

This novel reflects the Confucian values
Confucianism

Confucianism is a China Ethics and Philosophy developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . It focuses on human morality and right action....
 that were prominent at the time it was written. According to Confucian moral standards, loyalty to one's family, friends, and superiors are important measures for distinguishing good and bad people. In the novel, characters who were not loyal to the collapsing Han Dynasty are portrayed as bad people; on the contrary, modern mainstream ideology in Communist China would say that the deeply suffering masses were trying to overthrow the ruling feudal lords.

Story

One of the greatest achievements of Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the extreme complexity of its stories and characters. The novel contains numerous secondary stories. As such, the following only serves as a summary of the central plot.

Three Brothers

Yellow Turban (Scarf) Rebellion

The story begins in the final years of the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Han Dynasty was ruled by the family known as the Liu clan who had peasant origins....
 when incompetent eunuchs deceived the emperor and banished good officials. The government had become extremely corrupt on all levels, leading to widespread deterioration of the empire. During the reign of the penultimate Han emperor, Emperor Ling
Emperor Ling of Han

Emperor Ling of Han, traditional Chinese character ???;, simplified Chinese character ???, Pinyin. h?n l?ng d?, Wade-Giles. Han Ling-ti, was an emperor of China of the Chinese Han Dynasty....
, the Yellow Turban Rebellion
Yellow Turban Rebellion

The Yellow Turban Rebellion, sometimes also translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a wikt:AD 184 peasant rebellion against Emperor Ling of Han....
 broke out under the leadership of Zhang Jiao
Zhang Jiao

Zhang Jiao or Zhang Jue was the leader of the Yellow Turbans during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He was said to be a sorcerer, and was a follower of Taoism....
, who allegedly practiced Taoist wizardry. Zhang Jiao pretended to be a traveling healer curing people of sickness while secretly inciting them to revolt. In this time of turmoil, many of the major characters in the story are introduced; Liu Bei
Liu Bei

Liu Bei , Chinese style name Xu?nd? , was a general, warlord, and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
, Guan Yu
Guan Yu

Guan Yu was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the Shu Han, of which Liu Bei was the first emperor....
, Zhang Fei, Cao Cao
Cao Cao

C?o Cao was a warlord and the penultimate Chancellor of China of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during its final years in ancient China....
, Sun Jian
Sun Jian

Sun Jian was a military general and minor warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. He allied himself with Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a coalition to oust Dong Zhuo, a tyrannical warlord who held the puppet Emperor Xian of Han China in his power....
, etc.

The rebellion was barely suppressed by imperial troops under the command of He Jin
He Jin

He Jin was the elder half-brother of Empress He , consort to Emperor Ling of Han China of the late Eastern Han Dynasty in China. He shared power with his sister as regents in 189, following the death of Emperor Ling....
, Emperor Ling’s brother-in-law and the Supreme Commander of the armies of the Central Government. Fearing his growing power, the eunuchs under Zhang Rang
Zhang Rang

Zhang Rang was a eunuch of the late Han Dynasty, who served Emperor Ling of Han; he was also the leader of the Ten regular attendants , a group of court eunuchs who held great influence in the Han imperial court....
 lured He Jin alone into the palace following Emperor Ling's death and murder that was orchestrated by his rivals. His stunned guards, led by Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He occupied the northern territories of ancient China during the massive civil war towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era....
, responded by charging into the palace, which turned into an indiscriminate slaughter. In the ensuing confusion, the child Emperor Shao
Prince of Hongnong

The Prince of Hongnong , was briefly an sovereign of China during the Han dynasty. He is also known as "Emperor Shao" , a name which he shares with several other emperors with brief reigns....
 and the Prince of Chenliu
Emperor Xian of Han

Emperor Xian of Han was the last emperor of China of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was forced to abdicate in favor of Cao Pi and was given the title of Duke of Shanyang ....
 (later Emperor Xian) disappeared from the palace.

Dong Zhuo's tyrannical rule

Soon, the Emperor and the Prince were discovered by soldiers belonging to the warlord Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo was a powerful warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He seized control of Luoyang in 189 after the capital fell into chaos following the death of Emperor Ling of Han China and a bloody clash between the powerful eunuch faction and the court officials....
 from Western Liang
Western Liang

The Western Liang was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. It was founded by the Li family of the Han Chinese. The founder of the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan , traced his ancestry to the Western Liang rulers....
, who proceeded to seize control of the capital under the pretext of protecting the emperor. Dong later had Emperor Shao deposed and replaced with the Prince of Chenliu, who became Emperor Xian. Under Dong Zhuo’s violent rule, the people suffered greatly. There were assassination attempts on him by both the court physician Wu Fu and Cao Cao but both attempts failed.

Cao Cao managed to escape and issued an edict in the emperor's name to all governors, calling them to remove Dong Zhuo from power. Under general Yuan Shao, 18 governors and nobles joined forces in a campaign against Dong Zhuo
Campaign against Dong Zhuo

The Campaign against Dong Zhuo in the year 190 was initiated by a coalition of regional officials hoping to end Chancellor of China Dong Zhuo's influence in the ailing Han Dynasty court in China....
, but undermined by poor leadership and conflict of interest, they only managed to drive him from the capital Luoyang
Luoyang

Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast....
 to Chang'an
Chang'an

Chang'an is an ancient Capital of more than ten Dynasties in Chinese history in Chinese history. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese....
. However, Dong Zhuo was later betrayed and murdered by his own foster son Lü Bu
Lü Bu

L? Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, L? Bu was a master in horseback riding and archery, and was thus known as the Flying General....
, from a dispute over the beautiful Diaochan
Diaochan

Diao Chan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have been born in 161 or 169 AD, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, she does not appear in any known historical writings, and is quite possibly a fictional character....
, in a scheme orchestrated by minister Wang Yun
Wang Yun

Wang Yun was the Minister over the Masses under Emperor Xian of Han China during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. During Wang Yun's time, the emperors were mere puppets under the power of eunuch#Chinas and warlords....
.

Conflict among the various warlords and nobles

In the meantime, however, the empire was already disintegrating into civil war. Sun Jian, governor of Changsha
Changsha

Changsha is the capital city of Hunan, a province of south-central China, located on the lower reaches of Xiang river, a branch of the Yangtze River....
, found the Imperial Seal
Imperial Seal of China

The Imperial Seal of China, or the Heirloom Seal of the Realm is a China jade Seal carved out of the He Shi Bi, a historically famous piece of jade....
 at the bottom of a well in the ruins of Luoyang but secretly kept it for his own purposes, further weakening royal authority. Without a strong central government, warlords began to rise up and fight each other for land and power. In the north, Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan
Gongsun Zan

Gongsun Zan , styled Bogui . A native of Liaoxi , he was a warlord with fierce reputation during the late Eastern Han Dynasty era of China....
 were at war, and in the south, Sun Jian and Liu Biao
Liu Biao

Li? Biao was the governor of the Jingzhou during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He was a member of the same extended family as the Han emperors....
. Many others, even those without title or land, such as Cao Cao and Liu Bei, were also starting to build up power.

Cao Cao took Emperor Xian from Dong Zhuo’s former subordinates Li Jue
Li Jue

Li Jue was a military general under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He took command of Dong Zhuo's army after the latter was assassinated by L? Bu, and with the help of Fan Chou, Guo Si, and Zhang Ji he managed to take control over Chang'an, and secure power within the Imperial Court....
 and Guo Si
Guo Si

Guo S? was formerly an officer under Niu Fu, who was a general serving under Dong Zhuo. After the death of his Lord, Guo Si occupied the capital of Chang'an with other former Dong Zhuo generals, Fan Chou and Li Jue, on the advice of Jia Xu....
 and established the new court in Xuchang
Xuchang

Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province of China, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
. Even more powerful now with the emperor in his control, Cao Cao quickly subdued his rivals such as Lü Bu, Yuan Shu
Yuan Shu

Yuan Shu was a warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the Han court in 189....
 and Zhang Xiu
Zhang Xiu

Zhang Xiu was a minor warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He eventually surrendered to Cao Cao in 200....
, culminating in his greatest military victory, over Yuan Shao in the famous Battle of Guandu
Battle of Guandu

The Battle of Guandu was a battle during the End of the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history that took place at the Yellow River in the spring of 200....
 despite being outnumbered 10-to-1. Cao Cao pursued the defeated Yuan clan and finally united northern China, which later served as the foundation for the Kingdom of Wei
Cao Wei

Cao Wei was one of the empires that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Lu?y?ng, the empire was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid....
.

Sun Ce builds a dynasty in Jiangdong

Meanwhile, an ambush had violently concluded Sun Jian's life in a war with Liu Biao, fulfilling his own rash oath to heaven. His eldest son Sun Ce
Sun Ce

Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. He was the eldest of five sons and one daughter of Sun Jian, who was killed in battle when Sun Ce was only sixteen....
 then delivered the Imperial Seal as tribute to rising royal pretender Yuan Shu of Huainan, in exchange for much needed reinforcements. Now, like the proverbial tiger that has been given claws, he soon secured himself a state in the rich riverlands of Jiangdong, on which the Kingdom of Wu
Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu , also known as Sun Wu , was one of the Three Kingdoms competing for control of China after the fall of the Han Dynasty in the Jiangnan region of China....
 would eventually be founded. Tragically, Sun Ce also died at the height of his career from illness under stress of his terrifying encounter with the ghost of Yu Ji, a venerable magician whom he had falsely accused and executed in jealousy. However, his successor and younger brother Sun Quan
Sun Quan

Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, courtesy name Zh?ngm?u , formally Emperor Da of Wu was the founder of Eastern Wu, during the Three Kingdoms period, in China....
, led by skilled advisors Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu

Zhou Yu was a famous and one of the most capable military strategists for Sun Ce and his successor Sun Quan during the Three Kingdoms era; the turbulent years leading to the end of Han Dynasty in China.Zhou Yu was the stratigist for Sun Ce and he was very well at his job....
 and Zhang Zhao
Zhang Zhao

Zhang Zhao was a civil officer who served Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. His stylename was Zibu .He was born in what is now part of Jiangsu....
, proved to be a masterful and charismatic ruler, inspiring hidden talents from across the land such as Lu Su
Lu Su

Lu Su , styled Zijing, was an advisor for the Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He took control of the military after the death of Zhou Yu....
 to join his service, while raising a strong military which would truly receive a trial by fire in Cao Cao’s great southern campaign.

Liu Bei's unrealized ambition

Liu Bei, along with his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had sworn allegiance to the Han Dynasty (in the famous Oath of the Peach Garden
Oath of the Peach Garden

The Oath of the Peach Garden was an oath in the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, by which the three warriors Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei became sworn brothers in a ceremony amid peach blossom trees....
) and pledged to do their best to serve the emperor and the common people. However, their goals and ambitions had not been realized until the later part of the novel. Liu Bei, ever since he had successfully quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion, was not recognized for his efforts and was made only the magistrate of a small county. Later, Liu Bei joined Gongsun Zan and participated in the war against Dong Zhuo. Cao Cao invaded Xuzhou
Xuzhou

Xuzhou , known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is the forth largest prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province of China, People's Republic of China....
 as a revenge against Tao Qian
Tao Qian

Tao Qian , also known as Tao Yuanming , born in modern Jiujiang, was one of the most influential pre-Tang Dynasty List of Chinese language poets....
, the governor of Xuzhou who unknowingly allowed his subordinate to kill Cao Cao’s father. Liu Bei led his troops from Pingyuan
Pingyuan

Pingyuan is the Hanyu Pinyin romanisation for several places in China.Among them:*Pingyuan County*Pingyuan of the People's Republic of China...
 to help Tao Qian and Tao passed on his post as Governor of Xuzhou to Liu Bei before he died. At that same time, Lu Bu was at war with Cao Cao as he also longed to dominate China ever since he had killed Dong Zhuo. Lu Bu was defeated by Cao Cao and he sought refuge under Liu Bei. Later, Lu Bu repaid Liu Bei’s kindness with evil and seized control of Xuzhou. Liu Bei was forced to join forces with Cao Cao and they defeated Lu Bu. Lu Bu was executed and Liu Bei became officially recognized by Emperor Xian as the Emperor’s Uncle. Liu Bei plotted with some officials to kill Cao Cao as Cao Cao wielded far too much power and had the intention of usurping the throne. Liu Bei failed to kill Cao Cao as the plot was exposed. He seized control of Xuzhou but lost to Cao Cao when Cao Cao led his troops to conquer Xuzhou. Liu Bei got control of Runan with help from some former Yellow Turban rebels but was defeated once again by Cao Cao in battle. Liu Bei had no choice but to move to Jingzhou to seek Liu Biao’s protection. Liu Biao treated Liu Bei with respect and put him in charge of Xinye. At Xinye, Liu Bei recruited the talented military strategist Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang was Chancellor of China of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
 personally and slowly built up his forces.

Battle of the Red Cliff

Cao Cao, who declared himself the Prime Minister, led his troops to attack southern China after uniting the north. At Xinye, he was defeated twice by Liu Bei’s forces but Liu Bei lost Xinye and had to move to Jingzhou. Unfortunately, Liu Biao had died by then and left Jingzhou split between his two sons Liu Qi
Liu Qi

Liu Qi may refer to:* Emperor Jing of Han, 6th emperor of the Western Han Dynasty* Liu Qi - eldest son of Liu Biao* Liu Qi - former mayor of Beijing and president of Beijing Organizing Committee during the 2008 Summer Olympics...
 and Liu Cong. Liu Bei led the civilians of Xinye to Xiangyang
Xiangyang

Xiangyang was a China city famous for the Siege of Xiangyang by invading forces of the Mongol-founded Yuan Dynasty. It was also an important city during the period of the Three Kingdoms, in the Romance of Three Kingdoms it was said that it was nearby Xiangyang that Zhuge Liang received his three visits from Liu Bei....
, where Liu Cong ruled but Liu Bei was denied entry. Liu Cong later surrendered to Cao Cao, and Liu Bei had no choice but to move to Jiangxia where Liu Qi ruled. On the way, Liu Bei and the civilians were pursued by Cao Cao’s troops and several innocent civilians were killed. Liu Bei and his men managed to reach Jiangxia where he established a strong foothold against Cao Cao’s invasion.

To resist Cao Cao’s invasion, Liu Bei sent Zhuge Liang to persuade Sun Quan in Jiangdong to form an alliance. Zhuge Liang managed to persuade Sun Quan to form an alliance with Liu Bei against Cao Cao and stayed in Jiangdong as a temporary advisor. Sun Quan placed Zhou Yu in command of the forces of Jiangdong (Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu , also known as Sun Wu , was one of the Three Kingdoms competing for control of China after the fall of the Han Dynasty in the Jiangnan region of China....
) to defend against Cao Cao’s invasion. Zhou Yu felt that the talented Zhuge Liang would become a future threat to Eastern Wu and tried several times to kill Zhuge Liang, but failed. In the end, he had no choice but to co-operate with Zhuge Liang for the time being as Cao Cao’s armies were at the border. Cao Cao was defeated at the Battle of the Red Cliff, also called the battle of Chibi, by the combined forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan and forced to flee back to Jingzhou.

Chibi

Tension between Liu Bei and Sun Quan

After the great battle at the Red Cliff, Eastern Wu and Liu Bei vied for control of Jingzhou. Zhou Yu led the troops of Eastern Wu to attack Jingzhou and gained a victory, but eventually Jingzhou ended up in Liu Bei’s hands, as Zhuge Liang had advised Liu Bei to seize Jingzhou while Zhou Yu and Cao Cao’s forces were at war. Zhou Yu was extremely unhappy and reported the matter to Sun Quan. Sun Quan dispatched Lu Su to Jingzhou to negotiate with Liu Bei for Jingzhou. Again and again, Liu Bei refused to hand over Jingzhou to Eastern Wu. Sun Quan had no choice but to use new strategies suggested by Zhou Yu to take Jingzhou. One of these was the Beauty Scheme, in which Sun Quan lured Liu Bei to Jiangdong (where he intended to hold Liu Bei hostage in exchange for Jingzhou) by pretending to betroth his younger sister, Lady Sun
Sun Shangxiang

Lady Sun, or more famously Sun Shangxiang as she is called in Chinese opera and in contemporary culture, lived during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
 to Liu Bei. However, Zhuge Liang outwitted Zhou Yu, and Liu Bei returned to Jingzhou safely with his new wife. Zhou Yu tried and failed repeatedly to take Jingzhou. After being infuriated by Zhuge Liang twice, Zhou Yu eventually coughed out blood. The third time, he coughed out even more, and died unconscious.

Ma Chao

In the northwest, Ma Chao
Ma Chao

Ma Chao was the eldest son of Ma Teng and a military general during the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. In Luo Guanzhong's 14th century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms he received the nickname "Ma Chao the Splendid" due to his elaborate armour and grand skill as a warrior....
 started a campaign against Cao Cao to avenge his father, Ma Teng
Ma Teng

Ma Teng was a warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He controlled the Liangzhou region together with his sworn brother Han Sui....
, who was killed by Cao Cao. Ma Chao’s forces were formidable as he had the support of Han Sui
Han Sui

Han Sui was a warrior and military leader in the waning years of the Han Dynasty and during the Three Kingdoms era of China. For most of his life he was active in Liangzhou and was involved in several rebellions against the Han Dynasty and against the warlord, Cao Cao....
 and troops from the Qiang minority. However, Cao Cao managed to defeat Ma Chao’s forces by using cunning strategies to make Ma Chao and Han Sui turn against each other. Han Sui surrendered to Cao Cao and Ma Chao was left stranded. Ma Chao later sought refuge under Zhang Lu
Zhang Lu

Zhang Lu was a warlord during the Three Kingdoms era of China. After his grandfather, and then father, he was the third leader of the Celestial Masters, a religious group....
 of Hanzhong, and eventually joined Liu Bei.

Liu Bei controls Xichuan and Jingzhou

After Zhou Yu’s death, relations between Liu Bei and Sun Quan deteriorated, but not to the point of outright war. Following Zhuge Liang's advice, Liu Bei invaded and conquered Xichuan, where the incompetent noble Liu Zhang
Liu Zhang

Liu Zhang may refer to:* Liu Zhang , Western Han imperial clan member involved in overthrowing the L? clan during the L? Clan Disturbance* Liu Zhang , warlord in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, who controlled Yi Province....
 ruled. He also took Hanzhong
Hanzhong

Hanzhong is a city in Shaanxi province, in central China. The population in 2004 was approximately 3.7 million....
, which had been in Cao Cao’s control. Liu Bei proclaimed himself King of Hanzhong, while Cao Cao had himself promoted from Prime Minister to King of Wei; Sun Quan was known as the Duke of Wu. At this time, Liu Bei ruled a vast area of land from Jingzhou to Sichuan
Sichuan

is a Province in western China proper with its capital in Chengdu. The current name of the province, ?? , is an abbreviation of ??? , or "Four circuit #Circuits in East Asia of rivers", which is itself abbreviated from ???? , or "Four circuits of rivers and gorges", named after the division of the existing circuit into four during the Song...
 in the west. This would later serve as a strong foundation for the founding of the Kingdom of Shu
Shu Han

Shu Han , sometimes known as the Kingdom of Shu was one of the Three Kingdoms competing for control of China after the fall of the Han Dynasty, based on areas around Sichuan which was then known as Shu ....
. Meanwhile, Cao Cao and Sun Quan were also at war, with defeats and victories for both sides at the Battle of Ruxukou
Battle of Ruxukou

The Battle of Ruxukou also known as the Battle of Ruxu was fought between the warlords Sun Quan and Cao Cao in the year 217, during the End of the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms era in China....
 and Battle of Hefei
Battle of Hefei

The Battle of Hefei was a significant event in the Three Kingdoms of China. The forces of Kingdom of Wu and Kingdom of Wei fought each other for control of the Wei-controlled garrison at Hefei....
.

The situation among the three major powers almost reached a stalemate after this, until Cao Cao died due to a brain tumor. The following year, Cao Cao’s son Cao Pi
Cao Pi

Cao Pi , formally Emperor Wen of Wei , courtesy name Zihuan , was born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery . He was the second son of the China politician and poet Cao Cao and was the first Emperor of China and the real founder of Cao Wei , one of the Three Kingdoms....
 forced Emperor Xian to abdicate, ending the Han Dynasty which had lasted for centuries. Cao Pi proclaimed himself emperor and renamed his dynasty Cao Wei. In response to this, Liu Bei declared himself Emperor of Shu Han, to signify that he still carried on the bloodline of the Han royal family, but was based in the lands of Shu
Sichuan

is a Province in western China proper with its capital in Chengdu. The current name of the province, ?? , is an abbreviation of ??? , or "Four circuit #Circuits in East Asia of rivers", which is itself abbreviated from ???? , or "Four circuits of rivers and gorges", named after the division of the existing circuit into four during the Song...
.

Death of Guan Yu

Sun Quan, tired of Liu Bei’s repeated refusals to hand over Jingzhou, made plans to retake it. He made peace with Cao Cao and was bestowed the title of Prince of Wu. Liu Bei left his sworn brother Guan Yu in charge of Jingzhou, and Guan led the Jingzhou troops to attack Cao Cao. Sun Quan took advantage of the situation and sent Lu Meng to seize Jingzhou. Lu Meng disguised his troops as merchants and finessed a quiet entry. As Guan Yu was besieging Cao Wei general Cao Ren
Cao Ren

Cao Ren was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant part in the civil wars leading to the disintegration of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the establishment of the Cao Wei....
, Lu Meng's forces attacked Guan Yu from the rear, and routed his army with ease. Guan Yu's general Liao Hua
Liao Hua

Liao Hua , courtesy name Yuanjian , was a military and political figure during the Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. According to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he was a former Yellow Turban rebel who proved himself a capable military general on multiple occasions....
 volunteered to ride his horse through the oncoming horde of Wu soldiers to Liu Feng
Liu Feng

Liu Feng was the adopted son of Liu Bei, and served as a general in Liu Bei's army during the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty of China....
's castle to request reinforcements. Liu Feng, fearing that he would be in danger with a smaller force of soldiers, refused, and this ultimately led to the fall of Guan Yu. In desperate retreat, Guan Yu's army scattered, and Guan was captured. Sun Quan had him beheaded after he refused to renounce his loyalty to Liu Bei. Liu Bei deeply grieved the death of Guan Yu and the loss of Jingzhou. He was already planning to avenge Guan Yu when he heard that his other sworn brother, Zhang Fei, had been murdered in his sleep by subordinates who then fled to Eastern Wu. Liu Bei was determined to avenge both brothers. Disregarding advice from Zhuge Liang, Zhao Yun
Zhao Yun

Zhao Yun was a major military general during the civil wars of the late Han Dynasty and during the Three Kingdoms era of China. For most of his career, Zhao Yun served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of Shu Han....
, and others, Liu Bei led a formidable army of 750,000 to attack Eastern Wu.

Battle of Yiling

Sun Quan offered Liu Bei the return of the Jing province and of his sister (Liu's ex-wife Lady Sun). Liu Bei's advisers, including Zhuge Liang, urged him to accept these terms, but Liu persisted. After initial victories, a series of strategic mistakes due to the impetuosity of Liu Bei led to the cataclysmic defeat of Han troops in the Battle of Yiling
Battle of Xiaoting

The Battle of Xiaoting , also known as the Battle of Yiling , is a battle in 222 during the Three Kingdoms period in China. It was fought between Shu Han and Eastern Wu in the plains of Yichang....
. However, Lu Xun
Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms)

Lu Xun was an officer of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was instrumental in causing Guan Yu's downfall, but is most famous for defeating Liu Bei in the celebrated Battle of Yiling....
, the commander of Wu who spearheaded the war against Shu Han, refrained from pursuing Liu Bei’s defeated troops. Famous generals from both Shu Han and Eastern Wu forces perished. Lu Xun’s caution was vindicated when Cao Pi launched an invasion against Wu, thinking that Wu forces would still be abroad. The invasion was crushed by strong Wu resistance, coupled with a plague outbreak.
Zhuge Liang
Meanwhile, in Baidicheng, sixty-two year old Liu Bei, ailing after three years of neglecting his health, died, leaving his young son Liu Shan
Liu Shan

Liu Shan, , was the second and last emperor of the Kingdom of Shu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. As he ascended the throne at the young age of sixteen, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of a group of veteran ministers, including the Chancellor Zhuge Liang and Imperial Secretary Li Yan ....
 in the care of Zhuge Liang. In a moving final conversation between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei asked Zhuge Liang to assume the imperial throne himself in place of Liu Shan, should Liu Shan prove to be inept. He refused to do so, and swore that he would remain faithful to the trust that Liu Bei had for him. This promise was to be a raison d'être
Raison D'être

Raison d'?tre is a phrase borrowed from French where it means simply "reason for being"; in English use it also comes to suggest a degree of rationalization, as "The claimed reason for the existence of something or someone"....
 for the rest of Zhuge Liang's life.

Zhuge Liang calmly fends off five armies

Cao Pi, following Sima Yi
Sima Yi

Sima Yi was a strategist, general, and politician of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He is perhaps best known for defending Cao Wei from Zhuge Liang's Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions....
’s advice, induced several forces, including Sun Quan, turncoat Shu general Meng Da
Meng Da

Meng Da was a general who served under Liu Zhang , Liu Bei, Cao Pi, and Cao Rui during the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty and in the Three Kingdoms period....
, Meng Huo
Meng Huo

Meng Huo was aristocrat in the Nanzhong region, south of Shu Han, during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was involved in several small skirmishes with Shu Han, and in retaliation Shu's strategist Zhuge Liang launched a full invasion on the Nanzhong region....
 of the Nanman
Nanman

File:Tianxia_zh-hant.svgNanman were aboriginal tribes who lived in Southwest China China. They may have been related to the Sanmiao, dated to around the 3rd century BC....
, and the Qiang tribe, to attack Shu Han, in coordination with a Cao Wei army. Zhuge Liang successfully deployed the Shu Han troops and caused the five armies to retreat without shedding a single drop of blood. An envoy from Shu Han named Deng Zhi
Deng Zhi

Deng Zhi was a minister serving under Liu Bei during the Three Kingdoms era of China. After the death of his lord Liu Bei, he was the one who was tasked to send an envoy to Eastern Wu to seal an alliance with them, which ended in success, which included the release of Zhang Yi ....
 subsequently persuaded Sun Quan to renew its former alliance with Shu Han.

In one of his final strokes of brilliance, Zhuge Liang personally led the Shu troops to subdue the southern barbarian king Meng Huo of the Nanman tribe. The barbarian troops were no match for the Shu troops and Zhuge Liang captured Meng Huo seven times by using cunning strategies. The first six times, Meng Huo complained that he had been captured by trickery, and had no chance to fight a real battle with the Shu troops. Zhuge Liang agreed to let him go every time, allowing him to come back again for another battle. The seventh time, Zhuge Liang wanted to release Meng Huo once again but this time Meng Huo refused. Meng Huo was ashamed of rebelling against Shu Han and was so deeply touched by Zhuge Liang’s benevolence that he swore allegiance to Shu Han forever.

Battle of wits between Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi

At this time, Cao Pi also died of illness and was succeeded by Cao Rui
Cao Rui

Cao Rui was the son of Cao Pi and the second emperor of the Cao Wei. He is also known as the Emperor Ming of Wei, ch. ???, py. w?i m?ng d?, wg....
. Ma Chao died of illness as well at age 46. In Jiangdong, Sun Quan declared himself Emperor of Eastern Wu. Zhuge Liang then turned his eyes northwards, and planned to attack Wei to restore the Han Dynasty as he had promised Liu Bei at the latter’s deathbed. However, his days were numbered and Shu was far too weak to overcome the material superiority of Wei. His last significant victory against Wei was probably the defection of Jiang Wei
Jiang Wei

Jiang Wei was a military general and later regent of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was originally a Cao Wei middle-level military officer, but because his mother was captured by Shu Han strategist Zhuge Liang, Jiang Wei joined him on Zhuge's first Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions against Cao Wei in 228....
, a young general whose brilliance paralleled his own.

Zhuge Liang all along had a chronic illness, which was compounded when he refused to rest even into the early hours of the morning, so that he would be able to complete his analysis of the battlegrounds or to formulate his next plan. He finally died of sickness at the Battle of Wuzhang Plains
Battle of Wuzhang Plains

The Battle of Wuzhang Plains is a famous standoff between the kingdoms of Cao Wei and Shu Han in 234 A.D. during the Three Kingdoms period of China....
, while leading a stalemated battle against the Wei commander, Sima Yi, with his far superior force. As a final ploy, he ordered his trusted generals to fake a statue of himself to scare off Sima Yi in order to buy time for the Shu army to retreat to Hanzhong.

Sima family controls Wei

The long years of battle between Shu and Wei saw many changes in the ruling Cao family in Wei. The Cao family gradually grew weak after the death of Cao Rui and Sima Yi slowly plotted to usurp the throne. Sima Yi removed Cao Shuang
Cao Shuang

Cao Shuang was the son of Cao Zhen, a famous commander of the Kingdom of Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. He initially held great power in the kingdom of Wei as the Grand Commander but later, he lost his power to Sima Yi and was executed on charges of treason....
, a powerful noble of Wei from power with a cunning strategy and since then the power of Wei had been in the hands of Sima Yi. After Sima Yi’s death, his sons Sima Shi
Sima Shi

Sima Shi , courtesy name Ziyuan , was an official of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He ultimately became the actual wielder of imperial power....
 and Sima Zhao
Sima Zhao

Sima Zhao , courtesy name Zishang , was the son of chief military strategist Sima Yi of Cao Wei, during the Three Kingdoms era of China....
 continued wielding the power of Wei in their hands. Sima Zhao had Cao Fang
Cao Fang

Cao Fang, Chinese character ??, Pinyin. c?o fang, wg. Ts'ao-Fang , courtesy name Lanqing was an emperor of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period....
 removed from the throne and replaced Cao Fang with Cao Mao
Cao Mao

Cao Mao , courtesy name Yanshi was an emperor of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. He was a grandson of Cao Pi and the Duke of Gaoguixiang....
. Later, Cao Mao tried to assassinate Sima Zhao, who had the intention of usurping the throne, but was killed by Sima Zhao’s subordinate. Sima Zhao pretended to grieve and mourn Cao Mao’s death and even later had his subordinate, whom he ordered to kill Cao Mao, executed for committing regicide
Regicide

The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the United Kingdom tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after alleged due process of law....
.

End of the Three Kingdoms

Jiang Wei carried on Zhuge Liang’s campaign against Wei for a bitter three decades. However, Liu Bei’s son Liu Shan did not heed Jiang Wei’s advice and listened to the evil eunuch Huang Hao
Huang Hao

Huang Hao was a eunuch serving Liu Shan, second and last emperor of China of the Kingdom of Shu during the Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. Highly favoured by Liu Shan, he was commonly blamed for misguiding the latter into surrendering to the Kingdom of Wei....
 instead. In order to escape from the rival officials in the court, Jiang Wei decided to resign from his military title for the time being and went off to a fertile land of Tazhong. The Wei general Deng Ai
Deng Ai

Deng Ai was a talented general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of China. It was said that whenever he saw a hill or wide valley, he would immediately size up the best places to store grain and position troops....
, who was at war with Jiang Wei, took the chance to attack Shu Han. Deng Ai and his troops arrived in front of Chengdu
Chengdu

Chengdu , located in southwest People's Republic of China, is the capital of Sichuan provinces of China and a sub-provincial city. Chengdu is also one of the most important economic centers and transportation and communication hubs in Southwestern China....
, the capital city of Shu-Han, by taking a shortcut. Liu Shan surrendered without a battle and ended the Kingdom of Shu-Han. Jiang Wei planned to rebuild Shu-Han by uniting forces with a Wei general, Zhong Hui
Zhong Hui

Zhong Hui, , courtesy name Shiji , was a military general during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was the son of Zhong Yao, a Chinese calligrapher and military officer for Cao Wei....
, who was at odds with Deng Ai. However, he was not able to see it to the end when his heartache grew intolerable in the midst of the final battle. Seeing the rebellion has failed, he then killed himself with a sword, marking the last stand of Shu.

In Eastern Wu, there was internal conflict among the nobles ever since the death of Sun Quan. Zhuge Ke
Zhuge Ke

Zhuge Ke , courtesy name Yuanxun , was an officer for Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was the son of the Wu minister, Zhuge Jin, whose younger brother was the great Shu Han strategist, Zhuge Liang....
 tried to usurp the throne of Eastern Wu but was assassinated by Sun Lin
Sun Lin

Sun Lin , courtesy name Zitong , was a regent during the reigns of emperors Sun Liang and Sun Xiu of Eastern Wu, whose conflicts with Sun Liang eventually led him to depose the emperor in favor of Sun Liang's brother Sun Xiu, but who was subsequently killed by Sun Xiu in a coup....
. Later, Sun Lin himself also lusted for power and had the emperor of Eastern Wu Sun Liang
Sun Liang

Sun Liang was an emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. He was the founding emperor Sun Quan's youngest son and heir. He is also known as the Prince of Kuaiji or Marquess of Houguan , which were his successive titles after his removal in 258 by the regent Sun Lin following his failed attempt to remove Sun Lin...
 deposed and replaced with Sun Xiu
Sun Xiu

Sun Xiu , courtesy name Zilie , formally Emperor Jing of Wu, was the third emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period in ancient China....
. Sun Xiu sought help from the old veteran general Ding Feng
Ding Feng

Ding Feng , styled Chengyuan , was a military general serving under the Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. His titles translate as "General Who Eliminates the Bandits" , "Lord of An Feng" and "Great Minister of War" ....
 and had Sun Lin assassinated, and the power of Eastern Wu went back into the hands of the emperor. This did not last for long.

In Wei, Sima Yan, son of Sima Zhao, finally forced the last Wei emperor Cao Huan
Cáo Huàn

Cao Huan, Chinese character ??, Pinyin. c?o h?an, wg. Ts'ao-Huan was a grandson of Cao Cao and last emperor of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period....
 to abdicate in the same manner as Cao Pi had forced Emperor Xian of Han to abdicate. Sima Yan established the Jin Dynasty
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)

The J?n Dynasty , one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms period and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. The dynasty was founded by the Sima family ....
 in AD 265, declaring himself the first emperor of the new dynasty. The Kingdom of Wei came to an end.

Sima Yan ordered the Jin troops to attack Eastern Wu from the former land of Shu-Han and succeeded in conquering Eastern Wu after a long period of struggle when the last tyrannical emperor of Eastern Wu, Sun Hao
Sun Hao

Sun Hao , courtesy name Yuanzong , originally named Sun Pengzu with the courtesy name Yuanzong , was the fourth and final emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period....
 surrendered. Thus the Three Kingdoms period concluded after almost a century of civil strife.

Historical accuracy

The novel draws from historical sources, including Chen Shou
Chen Shou

Chen Shou , born in Nanchong, Sichuan, was the author of the Sanguo Zhi, a historical account of the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was once an officer from the Shu Han of Three Kingdoms....
's Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms

The Records of Three Kingdoms , is the official and authoritative historical text on the period of Three Kingdoms covering from 189 to 280, that was written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century....
. Other major influences include Liu Yiqing's Shishuo xinyu or A New Account of Tales of the World, published 430, and the Sanguozhi pinghua, a chronological collection of eighty fictional sketches starting with the peach garden oath and ending with Zhuge Liang's death. Some fifty or sixty Yuan and early Ming plays about the Three Kingdoms are known to have existed, and their material is almost entirely fictional, based on thin threads of actual history. The novel is thus a return to greater emphasis on history, compared to these dramas. The novel also shifted towards better acknowledgement of the Southland's historical importance, while still betraying some prejudice against them. Zhang Xuecheng wrote that the novel consists of 70% history and 30% non-history. The "non-history" parts have different sources, besides unofficial historical records, folk stories and Sanguozhi pinghua, some were created by the author on his own. Nonetheless, the description of the social conditions and the logic that the characters use is accurate to the Three Kingdoms period, creating "believable" situations and characters, even if they are not historically accurate..

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, like the dramas and folk stories of its day, features Liu Bei and his kingdom as the protagonist; hence the depiction of the people in Shu-Han was glorified. The antagonists, Cao Cao, Sun Quan and their kingdoms, on the other hand, were often denigrated. This suited the political climate in the Ming Dynasty, unlike in the Jin Dynasty, when Cao Wei was considered the legitimate successor to the Han.

Some non-historical scenes in the novel have become well-known and entered traditional Chinese culture.

Literary analysis

Pang De Portrait
Dominant themes of the novel include: the rise and fall of the ideal liege (Liu Bei) finding the ideal minister (Zhuge Liang); the conflict between the ideal liege (Liu Bei) and the consummate villain (Cao Cao); and the cruelties and injustice of feudal or dynastic government.

Luo Guanzhong's re-telling of this story also gives a window into the politics of his time. The later Míng Emperor Wanlì
Wanli Emperor

Wanli Emperor was emperor of China between 1572 and 1620. His era name means "Ten thousand calendars". Born Zhu Yijun, he was the Longqing Emperor's son....
 had officially elevated Guan Yu to the position of a god, Lord Guan, to promote Guan Yu's characteristics of bravery and extreme fidelity (characteristics the emperor no doubt wanted to promote in his subjects). Recent research finds in Luo Guanzhong's Guan Yu a fascinating reflection of Chinese culture under Míng rule, the author complying with the program of imperial propaganda while also subtly subverting it.

Besides the famous oath, many Chinese proverbs in use today are derived from the novel:
TranslationChineseInterpretation
The relationship between a husband and a wife is like a garment; if a garment is torn, it can be mended. The relationship between two brothers is like a limb; if a limb is broken, it cannot be repaired.?????, ????? It is much easier for husband and wife to make up after a quarrel than it is for two brothers.

Some Chinese people also interpret this phrase to mean

A wife can be changed, like laundry, but friendship can never be replaced
Liu Bei "borrows" Jingzhou – borrowing without returning.?????——????There are people who borrow but never return what they borrowed, so be wary of them.
Speak of 'Cao Cao' and Cao Cao arrives.???,???

or,

???????		equivalent to "speak of the devil" in English when a person under discussion suddenly appears
Three reeking tanners (are enough to) overcome one Zhuge Liang. ?????, ???????

or more colloquially,

?????, ???????		When together, three incapable persons will always overpower one capable person
Losing your wife and your army.???????In reference to Lady Sun leaving for Liu Bei. Representing a bad deal in which a person loses on both sides of the deal.
East Wu arranges for a marriage, turning fake into real ????——????Refers to planning something that is intended to be fake, but becomes real.


Buddhist aspects

Romance of the Three Kingdoms recorded stories of a Buddhist monk, who was a friend of the renowned general Guan Yu
Guan Yu

Guan Yu was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the Shu Han, of which Liu Bei was the first emperor....
 and informed him of an assassination attempt. As the novel was written in the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty , or Empire of the Great Ming , was the ruling Dynasties in Chinese history of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty....
, more than 1000 years after the era, these stories showed that Buddhism had long been a significant ingredient of the mainstream culture and may not be historically accurate. Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong , born Luo Ben , was a Chinese literature author attributed with writing Romance of the Three Kingdoms , and editing Water Margin , two of the most revered adventure Epic poetry in Chinese literature....
 preserved these descriptions from earlier versions of the novel to support his portrait of Guan Yu as a faithful and a man of virtue. Guan Yu was, from then onwards, known as Guan Gong, "Lord Guan."

Popular saying

Regarding this novel and another Chinese classic Water Margin
Water Margin

Water Margin is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Attributed to Shi Naian, whom some believe to be Luo Guanzhong, the novel details the trials and tribulations of 108 outlaws during the mid Song Dynasty....
, there is a popular saying in China that goes: "?????, ?????", translated as "The young shouldn't read Water Margin while the old shouldn't read The Three Kingdoms." The former depicts the lives of outlaws and their defiance with the established social system. Depicting frequent violence, brawls, passionate brotherhood and an emphasis on machismo, it could easily have a negative influence on young boys. The latter presents all kinds of sophisticated stratagems, deceptions, frauds, trickeries, traps and snares employed by the three kingdoms and their individual characters to compete with each other, which might tempt the experienced old readers (the elderly are traditionally well respected, trusted and considered wise and kindhearted in Chinese society) to use them to harm other people. Also, old people are supposed to "know the will of the heavens" (says Confucius
Confucius

This articles talks about a Chinese thinker and social philosopher. For a food company in China with its brand name "Master Kong", please refer to Tingyi Holding Corporation....
). They shouldn't exhaust or strain themselves with always having to consider how to deceive others.

Cultural references

The story of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been told in numerous forms including television series
Television program

A television program , television programme , or television show is something that people watch on television. It may be a one-off broadcast or, more usually, part of a periodically recurring television series....
, manga
Manga

, , are comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century. In their modern form, manga date from shortly after World War II, but they have a long, complex pre-history in earlier Japanese art....
 and video games.

Chinese manhua

List of related manhua
  • The Ravages of Time
    The Ravages of Time

    The Ravages of Time is an on-going Chinese manhua series created by Chan Mou. It re-tells the events in the Three Kingdoms Period of Chinese history, with the story largely revolving around the many exploits of a young Sima Yi....
     is a Chinese manhua
    Manhua

    Manhua are Chinese comics originally produced in China. Possibly due to their greater degree of artistic freedom of expression and closer international ties with Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been the places of publication of most manhua thus far, often including Chinese language translations of Japanese manga....
     which retells the events of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The drawing style is dark and grim, and while it keeps the main plot intact, the finer details are dramatized.
  • Lee Chi Ching also has a manhua named Sanguozhi and a spin-off Battle of Chi Bi. He also has the 20-volume manhua Story of Heroes in Three Kingdoms and the 13-volume manhua Zhuge Kongming.
  • The manhua Wu Ba San Guo authored by Yong Ren (? ?) and Cai Jing Dong (? ??).
  • The manhua Sanguo Yanyi by Sun Jia Yu (? ??)
  • The manhua Jia Qing Qu by Lü Xiang Ru (? ??).
  • The manhua San Guo Shen Bing by Ip Ming Fat (? ??).
  • The manhua San Guo Wu Shuang and San Guo Wu Shuang Zhuan adapted from the game Shin Sangoku Muso by Koei
    Koei

    Koei Company, Limited , formerly ?? ) is a Japanese video game publisher and video game developer founded in 1978 in video gaming. The company is best known for its historical simulation games based on the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as well as simulation games based on historical events....
    , illustrated by Heui Ging-Sam (? ??).
  • The manhua San Guo Wu Shuang Meng Jiang Zhuan by Liu Gwong-Jou (? ??).
  • The manhua series Shu Yun Canglong Ji , and by Lam Ming-Fung (? ??).

Japanese manga

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been adapted into several comic versions in Japan, varying in levels of historical accuracy and loyalty to the original novel and popular tradition. Some of the most widely read in Japan are:
  • Sangokushi (which is also the Japanese reading for "The Three Kingdoms", the historical account on which "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is based) by Yokoyama Mitsuteru (Ushio Shuppansha) and the adapted anime Yokoyama Mitsuteru Sangokushi
    Yokoyama Mitsuteru Sangokushi

    is a Japanese anime series based on the Sangokushi manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, itself based on Eiji Yoshikawa's retelling of the China literary classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
    .
  • Soten Koro by King Gonta (Kodansha
    Kodansha

    is the largest Japanese publisher, headquartered in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Tokyo. Kodansha publishes manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon , Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzo, Weekly Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten....
    )
  • Ryuroden
    Ryuroden

    , also known as Legend of the Dragon's Son, is an historical fantasy manga by Yoshito Yamahara. It was published by Kodansha in Monthly Shonen Magazine from 1993 to 2007 and collected in 37 tankobon....
     by Yoshito Yamahara (Kodansha
    Kodansha

    is the largest Japanese publisher, headquartered in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Tokyo. Kodansha publishes manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon , Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzo, Weekly Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten....
    )
  • Tenchi o Kurau by Motomiya Hiroshi (Shueisha
    Shueisha

    is a major publisher in Japan, headquartered in Tokyo. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan....
    )
  • Qwan
    Qwan

    is a shonen manga by Aki Shimizu....
     (Media Factory
    Media Factory

    is a Japanese publisher. It was founded on December 1, 1986, and its headquarters are situated in Chuo, Tokyo. It is a subsidiary of Recruit Media Factory was possibly the first anime distributor to ask for sites to not link to fansubs of any anime licensed by the company....
    ) and its spin-off Foreign Grass by Aki Shimizu
    Aki Shimizu

    is a mangaka...
    .
  • The manga Ikki Tousen
    Ikki Tousen

    or "Bakunyu" Hyper-Battle Ikki Tosen is a 13 episode anime series loosely based on the manga by Yuji Shiozaki, which is in turn based on the classic Chinese literature Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
     is loosely based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but the characters in the story refer to the names in the Japanese version of the book. In the series most characters appear to have similar fates to the characters of the same name from the classic novel.
  • The manga Lord
    Lord (manga)

    Cho-Sangokushi -LORD also known as LORD is the manga authored by Ryoichi Ikegami , Buronson .The story is loosely based on the Three Kingdoms period, using both real and original characters and events from the historical period in Chinese history and folklore of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
     (?-LORD-) by Ryoichi Ikegami
    Ryoichi Ikegami

    is a manga artist. He was assistant to manga artist Shigeru Mizuki in 1966. In 2001, he won the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga as the artist of Heat ....
     and Buronson is very loosely based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In the series a general from the Nakoku
    Nakoku

    was a state which was located in and around modern-day Fukuoka, Fukuoka, on the Japanese island of Kyushu, from the 1st to early 3rd centuries....
     country became Liu Bei.
  • The story serves as the basis for SD Gundam Sangokuden: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a manga/model kit line in the long running Musha Gundam
    Musha Gundam

    are Gundam units modelled after samurai, ninja, or other forms of feudal Japanese warriors. Inheriting the base SD Gundam design, typical design element include changing beam sabre into katana, sheath that act as a gun, removable armour suits....
     SD Gundam series.
  • The manga Dragon Sister! Sangokushi Hyakka Ryoran by Nini
    Nini

    Nini is the surname of the following people*Achinoam Nini, Israeli musician*Alessandro Nini, Italian musician*Enzo Nini, Italian musician* Nini is also the name of one of the five fuwa ...
    .
  • The comedy manga Sangoku Shoden no Gentoku Daishingeki by Shirai Eriko (?? ???).
  • The manga Blade Sangokushi by Ichikawa Ryunosuke (?? ???).
  • The manga Magical Musou Tenshi Tsuki Irase!! Ryofuko-chan by Suzuki Jiro and its adapted anime Yawaraka Sangokushi Tsuki Isase!! Ryofuko-chan.
  • The manga Shinbu - Can Two Lords Be in the Grand Country? by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu (?? ??).
  • The manga Koutou no Akatsuki (Dusk of Jiangdong) by Takizawa Rinrin (?? ??).
  • The manga Sousou Moutoku Seiden by Daisuke Koichi (?? ??)

Film and television

There are multiple television series based on this tale. The 84-episode TV serial Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (TV series)

In 1995, China Central Television produced a television adaptation of the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It was a 84-part series with 44-minute long episodes....
 was aired by CCTV
China Central Television

China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV is the major state television network in mainland China....
, while the Japanese anime
Anime

is animation in Japan and considered to be "Japanese animation" in the rest of the world. Anime dates from about 1917.Anime, in addition to manga , is extremely popular in Japan and well known throughout the world....
 series Yokoyama Mitsuteru Sangokushi
Yokoyama Mitsuteru Sangokushi

is a Japanese anime series based on the Sangokushi manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, itself based on Eiji Yoshikawa's retelling of the China literary classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
  ran for 47 episodes on TV Tokyo between 1991 and 1992, focusing on the stories before the Battle of Chibi. A remake
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (2010 TV series)

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the second television series adaptation of Luo Guanzhong's famous Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Directed by Gao Xixi, the much anticipated series has a budget of over 100 million RMB and is due for release in 2010....
 of the original CCTV
China Central Television

China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV is the major state television network in mainland China....
 series is currently in production and scheduled to be released in 2010.

In 2007, a new anime series was created, focusing very loosely on the tale, it is called Koutetsu Sangokushi
Koutetsu Sangokushi

is one of the Japanese anime loosely-based adaptations of the Chinese Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
. It is a Shounen-Ai type of anime, in that it features homosexual relationships between some of the main male characters.

Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon

Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon is a Chinese films of the 2000s Cinema of Hong Kong based on the historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms....
 is a movie based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, released in 2008. The movie focused on the story of Shu general Zhao Yun
Zhao Yun

Zhao Yun was a major military general during the civil wars of the late Han Dynasty and during the Three Kingdoms era of China. For most of his career, Zhao Yun served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of Shu Han....
. The plot is very different and chronologically out of sync compared to the novel. A new fictional character, Cao Cao's grand daughter, is shown as campaigning against Zhao Yun
Zhao Yun

Zhao Yun was a major military general during the civil wars of the late Han Dynasty and during the Three Kingdoms era of China. For most of his career, Zhao Yun served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of Shu Han....
, although in the novel she does not appear.

Red Cliff is an acclaimed Chinese epic movie based on the pivotal Battle of Red Cliff, the first part released widely in Asia in July 2008. The plot hews very closely to the novel and its historical basis, the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms. Notable scenes depicted in the novel are the initial attacks of Cao Cao on Liu Bei's army in Shu territory; Zhuge Liang's skillful persuasion of Sun Quan to go to war; and the innovative battle formations used in war. The movie is highly acclaimed, claiming the Singapore box office #1 spot for many weeks.

Computer and video games

Liu Bei Art
There are also PC games based on this tale. The best known of these games are from Koei
Koei

Koei Company, Limited , formerly ?? ) is a Japanese video game publisher and video game developer founded in 1978 in video gaming. The company is best known for its historical simulation games based on the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as well as simulation games based on historical events....
, which released eleven Romance of the Three Kingdoms strategy titles, usually only released in Asia, excluding expansions (known as 'PK' packs). These strategy titles are one of their most famous franchises and were originally based on the same concept as the earlier Nobunaga's Ambition
Nobunaga's Ambition

is a series of Turn-based game strategy game video games first released in 1988 by the Japanese video game developer Koei.It has been released on a variety of gaming platforms including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sony PlayStation 2 co...
. This series is also released on video games consoles such as the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System

The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe and Australia in . In most of Asia, including Japan , the Philippines, China, Vietnam and Singapore, it was released as the ....
, Super NES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES is a History of video game consoles video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993....
, Sega
Sega

is a Multinational corporation video game software and hardware development company, and a home computer and console manufacturer headquartered in Ota, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan....
 Genesis
Genesis

Genesis or Breishit is the first book of the Bible used by Judaism and Christianity, and the first of five books of the Pentateuch or Torah....
, Sega CD, Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn

The is a 32-bit video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America, and July 8 1995 in Europe. The system was discontinued in 2000 in video gaming in Japan and in 1998 in video gaming in other countries....
, PlayStation
PlayStation

The PlayStation is a 32-bit history of video game consoles video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in December .The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation ....
 and PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a History of video game consoles video game console manufactured by Sony. The successor to the PlayStation, and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation 2 forms part of the PlayStation of video game consoles....
. Unlike their PC counterparts, the console versions are much more frequently found outside of Asia.

Another popular Three Kingdoms game series by Koei is Dynasty Warriors
Dynasty Warriors

is a series of Fighting game/tactical Action game video games created by Omega Force/Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
, which uses an action "beat 'em up
Beat 'Em Up

Beat 'Em Up, recorded at Hit Factory Criteria studios in Miami Beach, Florida, is the first Iggy Pop album that The Trolls were credited. The Trolls were: Iggy Pop, Whitey Kirst, Pete Marshall, Alex Kirst, Mooseman....
"-style with tactical elements. The series has been released for PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation3, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and the PC. It has also generated a spinoff series, Dynasty Tactics
Dynasty Tactics

Dynasty Tactics is a series of strategy games for the Sony Playstation 2. The titles are set in the same time-period as several of Koei's other series, including the action-oriented Dynasty Warriors series and the strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series....
, and Warriors Orochi
Warriors Orochi

Warriors Orochi, known in Japan as , is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a fictional crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors ....
 series.

Also seen are the Sango Fighter
Sango Fighter

Sango Fighter is a fighting game for DOS made by the Taiwan Panda Entertainment and released in 1993. Set in the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, it is very similar to Street Fighter, but with historical context....
 series which portrayed the generals as characters in a two-dimensional fighting game.

A 2D
2D computer graphics

2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them....
 computer role-playing game
Computer role-playing game

A computer role-playing game is a broad video game genre originally developed for personal computers and other home computers. While technically not a separate genre, and sharing the same defining characteristics as console RPGs there are nonetheless general tendencies that make them distinct from RPGs on other platforms....
 series, entitled Fantasia Sango
Fantasia Sango

Fantasia Sango is a 2D computer role-playing game series released by UserJoy Technology. It uses the events of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms as the backdrop for the plot....
, was released by Taiwan
Taiwan

Taiwan is an island in East Asia. "Taiwan" is also commonly used to refer to the country governed by the Republic of China and to the ROC itself, which governs the island of Taiwan, Orchid Island and Green Island, Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean off the Taiwan coast, the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, and Kinmen and the Matsu Islands...
ese game company UserJoy Technology
UserJoy Technology

UserJoy Technology , founded in Taiwan since 1995, is a company involved in Personal computer single-player/MMO game development, publishing and maintenance....
. It uses the events of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms as the backdrop for the plot. The re-telling of the story also involves traditional Chinese supernatural entities and concepts. Besides Fantasia Sango, UserJoy Technology has also developed The Legend of Three Kingdoms Online
The Legend of Three Kingdoms Online

The Legend of Three Kingdoms Online is a 2.5D realistic MMORPG created by the Taiwan company UserJoy Technology. It has continuously broken through its new record of achievement and the concurrent users are over 180 thousand people now in Taiwan, China, Japan , Thailand , and Vietnam ....
, a MMORPG
MMORPG

A massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of computer role-playing games in which a large number of player interact with one another in a virtual world....
.

Capcom released various games based on Motomiya Hiroshi's manga Tenchi o Kurau. These were "brawler" games released for the arcade
Arcade game

An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, typically installed in businesses such as restaurants, public houses, video arcades, and Family Entertainment Centers....
 known as Dynasty Wars
Dynasty Wars

is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up arcade game released in 1989 in video gaming by Capcom, based on a Japanese manga Tenchi wo Kurau and a reenactment of the battle between the Kingdom of Shu and the Yellow Turban Rebellion....
, and its sequel, Warriors of Fate
Warriors of Fate

Warriors of Fate is the English adaptation of the Japanese arcade game, , which uses the manga Tenchi wo Kurau as the background, and also the sequel of Dynasty Wars ....
. There are also two console role playing games for the NES, the first of which was released in North America as Destiny of an Emperor
Destiny of an Emperor

is a traditional role-playing game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Loosely based upon Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms dramatic novel, it was released in the United States by Capcom in 1989....
.

Three installments of a similar game to Warriors of Fate, Knights of Valour
Knights of Valour

Knights of Valour is a side-scrolling "beat-'em-up" action arcade game released by International Games System in 1999 which uses Romance of the Three Kingdoms story as the background but change the ending....
, were released by International Games System
International Games System

International Games System or IGS is a company, based in Taiwan, which develops video game software for the arcade and PC. It was founded in 1991....
. These are best described as side-scrolling "beat-'em-up" games, similar to the Double Dragon
Double Dragon

Double Dragon is a classic beat 'em up video game series initially developed by Technos Japan Corporation, who also developed the Kunio-kun series ....
 arcade games.

Sega
Sega

is a Multinational corporation video game software and hardware development company, and a home computer and console manufacturer headquartered in Ota, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan....
 released a hybrid card/board/strategy game entitled Sangokushi Taisen
Sangokushi Taisen

Sangokushi Taisen is a card-based real-time strategy arcade game based on the Three Kingdoms period of China....
, in which players manipulate cards on a tabletop to move military units in order to take destroy enemy castles.

The real-time strategy
Real-time strategy

Real-time strategy games are a genre of computer wargames which do not progress incrementally in turn-based game.Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
 game Three Kingdoms: Fate of the Dragon
Three Kingdoms: Fate of the Dragon

The Three Kingdoms: Fate of the Dragon is a video game developed by Overmax Studios in 2001 for the PC. It is based on the historical background of the epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
, released for the PC by Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive

Eidos Interactive is a video game publisher of video game and computer games with its parent company based in England. It is now part of the Eidos Group of Companies and is a subsidiary of Eidos plc that is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange....
 in 2001, portrays all of the events appearing in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms story.

The visual novel
Visual novel

A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art. As the name might suggest, they resemble mixed-media novels or tableau vivant stage plays....
 Koihime Muso
Koihime Muso

is a Japanese popular culture Eroge visual novel and Strategy Game based on the classic Chinese literature Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It was developed by BaseSon, and was first released on January 26, 2007 for the Personal computer as two DVD-ROMs, followed by a re-release on April 11, 2008 containing an extra CD-ROM....
 by BaseSon illustrates many heroes from Romance of the Three Kingdoms as female warriors and lords.

See also


External links

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