Here's the translation of the provided content: "Romancing the Three Kingdoms"

Author: Lei Yong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-08-01
Features: The classical literary masterpiece Romance of the Three Kingdoms is one of China's most enduring historical romance novels. It is known as one of the "Four Great Classical Novels" alongside The Golden Lotus, Water Margin, and Journey to the West, and has been praised as a "work of literary genius." Romance of the Three Kingdoms was not the creation of a single author at a single time; its formation spanned a long period, evolving from the "storytelling" of artisans and the refinement of scholars, ultimately completed by Luo Guanzhong. To understand the formation of the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, one must first examine the concept of "yanyi." "Yanyi" refers to a specific literary genre of long historical novels in ancient China, whose content must be based on historical events. Therefore, it was initially called "jiangshi" (storytelling) and "pinghua" (a synonym for jiangshi). "Yanyi" evolved from "pinghua." During that time, artisans often used the rise and fall of history to comment on events when telling "jiangshi," hence the term "pinghua" also came to mean "pinghua" (storytelling with commentary). Pinghua is akin to the modern "storytelling" (a form of verbal art that involves speaking but not singing), and it was a form of oral literature popular among the people. As early as the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties periods, stories and legends about the Three Kingdoms began to appear. By the Tang Dynasty, more systematic tales of the Three Kingdoms had emerged, and by the Northern Song Dynasty, "shuo san feng" (telling the story of the Three Kingdoms) had become popular. "San feng" refers to the division of the world into the three realms of Wei, Shu, and Wu. Later, "pinghua" emerged, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms in Pinghua, Romance of the Five Dynasties in Pinghua, and Romance of Wu Wang Fanzhou in Pinghua, which served as the precursors to "yanyi." If one traces it further back, the written manuscripts discovered in Dunhuang, such as The Tale of Zhaojun and The Tale of Wu Zixu, which narrated historical stories through singing and storytelling, could be considered the ancestors of yanyi novels. According to Zhang Taiyan, "the origins of yanyi can be traced back to the Warring States period," suggesting that "yanyi" has a history of at least two thousand years. The term "yanyi" first appears in the Biography of Zhou Tong in the History of the Later Han Dynasty: "Tong and his companions lacked the literary ability to 'expound and extend' (yanyi) and the martial prowess to die for their country." The Cihai dictionary explains: "To elaborate on the principles and extend them." Later, novels based on historical accounts and refined by authors were referred to as "yanyi." To attract audiences and enhance the narrative, "yanyi" must create suspense, often ending a segment with the phrase "To know how the story unfolds, listen to the next chapter," which led to the establishment of chapter titles, forming the later "chapter-by-chapter" structure, also known as "chapter-by-chapter novels." However, "yanyi" novels were limited to historical themes, while chapter-by-chapter novels had broader subjects, leading to a literary peak in the Ming and Qing dynasties, represented by works such as The Golden Lotus, Dream of the Red Chamber, The Flowers of the Moon and the Trace of the Shadow, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Romance of the Sui and Tang, and Romance of Hong Xiuquan. The unprecedented prosperity of "yanyi" novels was due to their deep roots in the people, a point highly praised by Zhang Taiyan, who believed that folk histories were more accessible to the masses than official histories. The formation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms evolved from "shuo san feng" to "pinghua" to "yanyi," refined through the artistic efforts of Luo Guanzhong and later revised by Mao Zonggang and his son, ultimately achieving perfection and finality. "From its inception to its completion, it spanned over a thousand years," a masterpiece that condensed the artistic wisdom and dedication of countless individuals, standing as the pinnacle of "yanyi" novels and justly earning the title of a "work of literary genius." Romance of the Three Kingdoms portrays the gallery of characters from the feudal ruling class, some of whom are lifelike artistic archetypes. Its artistic approach to character creation lies in using the characters' own words and actions to reveal their personalities amidst the struggles of reality. The Battle of Red Cliffs was a decisive event that determined the division of the Three Kingdoms. The Cao, Sun, and Liu factions fought fiercely to strengthen their own forces. Several key figures appeared on this historic stage, including Zhuge Liang, Sun Quan, Zhou Yu, Lu Su, Huang Gai, Cao Cao, and Jiang Gan, among others. Zhuge Liang's mission to East Wu unveiled the curtain of multiple conflicts. With Cao Cao's army advancing, the internal struggle between the "war faction" and the "surrender faction" in East Wu intensified. As the two factions debated the pros and cons of "fighting" or "surrendering," Sun Quan vacillated between the two, fearing Cao Cao's overwhelming military power but unwilling to submit as a vassal. The author portrays Sun Quan's internal conflict through his repeated hesitation and lowered gaze, as well as his numerous pauses, vividly depicting his indecisive nature. The author, by depicting the conflict between the "war" and "surrender" factions in East Wu, portrays Sun Quan's indecisive personality through his own words and psychological activities. Not only Sun Quan, but also Zhuge Liang, who is astute, eloquent, and strategic, Zhou Yu, who is narrow-minded, Lu Su, who is cautious and reserved, Huang Gai and Kan Ze, who are brave and composed—all leave a deep impression on the reader. The distinct personalities of each character are revealed through their unique words and actions, achieving harmony between character and behavior, and presenting an exceptionally vivid portrayal of individuality. Even Jiang Gan, who appears briefly twice, though given little ink, is brought to life through his own words and actions, portraying a foolish yet self-satisfied character. This direct depiction of characters through their words and actions, known as "white" (plain writing), demonstrates greater artistic expressiveness than the author's narrative. Liu Shan, a character of great significance, is not lacking in side descriptions of his personality, but his image remains unclear. In chapter 119, his "carefree and forgetful of Shu" after being captured is vividly portrayed through his words, body language, and expressions, depicting his foolishness and incompetence, yet it becomes an outstanding passage in character portrayal. The content of this book is divided into four parts: "Character Analysis," "Meaning Analysis," "Artistic Analysis," and "Supplementary Notes." The "Character Analysis" section examines the characters in the context of the story, including the connections and differences between fictional characters and historical figures with the same names, the formation process of the characters, and other interesting anecdotes and legends, providing readers with a more accurate understanding of the characters' personalities to delve deeper into the meaning and aesthetic significance of the character portrayals. The "Meaning Analysis" section explores the themes of the work, discussing the author's creative intentions and purposes through specific analysis. The "Artistic Analysis" section examines the artistic conception and depiction of the work, highlighting the artistic achievements of the novel. The "Supplementary Notes" section introduces knowledge related to the work, such as the historical background of the story, the author's true identity and life, the manuscript transmission of the work, and its status and influence in literary history, among other things.