Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Treasure Edition)

Author: Zhang Yuan / Wu Shuping (selected and edited)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: "Records of the Three Kingdoms" consists of 65 volumes, including 30 volumes of "Book of Wei," 15 volumes of "Book of Shu," and 20 volumes of "Book of Wu." "Book of Wei" is composed of two parts: "Annals" and "Biographies." The Annals include four sections: "Annals of Emperor Wu," "Annals of Emperor Wen," "Annals of Emperor Ming," and "Annals of the Three Young Emperors." The Biographies are headed by "Biographies of Empresses and Consorts." "Book of Shu" and "Book of Wu" contain only Biographies without Annals. The Biographies are arranged in the order of an independent dynastic history, with the biographies of the rulers of the two states at the beginning, followed by the biographies of figures with hereditary connections to Shu and Wu. "Book of Shu" places the biographies of Liu Yan and Liu Zhang at the beginning, followed by "Biographies of the Founder" and "Biographies of the Later Emperor," and then "Biographies of the Empresses and Consorts of the Two Emperors." "Book of Wu" begins with the biographies of Sun Jian and Sun Ce, followed by "Biographies of the Ruler of Wu," "Biographies of the Three Successive Rulers," and so on. Unlike "Book of Wei" and "Book of Shu," "Book of Wu" does not follow the biographies of the rulers with those of the empresses and consorts. Instead, it includes a biography of a general figure before listing "Biographies of Empresses and Consorts." According to the general practice of dynastic histories, the biographies of empresses and consorts are usually placed after the biographies of emperors. If there are chronicles or memorials, they are excluded and connected to the biographies of emperors. This reflects the hierarchical system and ethical norms of the feudal era. The arrangement of "Biographies of Empresses and Consorts" in "Book of Wu" is a special case.