Clear copy drawing of gold and silver Three Kingdoms Romance (Mao edition) (four boxes, thirty-eight volumes)

Author: Luo Guanzhong (Ming Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The manuscript of Romance of the Three Kingdoms is evident as a royal copy from the mid-Qing Dynasty, specifically the Xianfeng period, based on its paper, binding, font specifications, and the style of 40 gold and silver-colored ink paintings of figures. This manuscript is also a complete version with preface by Jin Shengtan of the Qing Dynasty, additions and revisions by Mao Zonggang, and line-by-line annotations. Its model is the original Mao-collated edition, predating any currently circulating Mao-collated versions, making it an early edition that combines the qualities of a rare manuscript, a copied manuscript, a fine manuscript, and an illustrated manuscript. Many of our classical texts are damaged or lost. The published Ming Jiajing 1st-year edition of Romance of the Three Kingdoms is held by the Library of Congress, while the Yuan Dynasty edition of Commentary on the Three Kingdoms is preserved in the National Diet Library of Japan. This manuscript is currently the only surviving early royal treasure in China, holding full copyright. This manuscript retains the original title Records of the Three Kingdoms by the author Luo Guanzhong, but the published version is titled Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It is prefaced by Shi Shuqing, former Vice Chairman of the National Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee. The entire book consists of 39 volumes and is limited to only 3,000 copies.