Romance of the Three Kingdoms - World Literary Masterpieces (Introduction by Renowned Scholars)

Author: Luo Guanzhong / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: This is one of the books in the "World Literary Masterpieces · Famous Author's Commentary Edition" series, edited by the renowned writer Liu Xintong. It is designed to complement Chinese language teaching and includes content such as: ideological themes, artistic features, famous author's commentary, the main text, and reflections after reading. Each volume carefully selects classic books that are practical and enjoyable to read, making them worth reading and offering middle school students a brand-new reading experience. Reading this series will help improve your reading skills, enrich your Chinese knowledge, and enhance your Chinese grades. These are high-quality books that will benefit you for a lifetime, allowing you to savor the joy of relaxed reading! Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a long-standing compilation of folk tales about the Three Kingdoms period. As early as the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, anecdotes and folk legends about the Three Kingdoms were constantly circulated. From the Tang Dynasty onwards, the Three Kingdoms period became one of the most fascinating chapters in history, and stories of the Three Kingdoms became important creative material for popular literature. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, the creation of Three Kingdoms-themed works saw even greater development. In theater, the "yuanben" of the Song and Jin dynasties and the "zaju" of the Yuan Dynasty both featured rich Three Kingdoms plays. In the art of "shuohua" (storytelling), the Song Dynasty already had a specialized category called "shuo san feng" (telling the Three Kingdoms), with famous experts in the field. The Yuan Dynasty saw the emergence of a long narrative history Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguo Zhi Pinghua) that compiled the achievements of "shuo san feng." Building on this foundation, the outstanding writer Luo Guanzhong of the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, based on the historical framework and vast historical materials provided by the historical books Records of the Three Kingdoms and History of the Later Han, and referencing the chronological style of Zizhi Tongjian, absorbed and transformed existing popular Three Kingdoms literature while fully unleashing his artistic talent. Through meticulous and brilliant craftsmanship, he created this timeless masterpiece.
Introduction to Chapter 3: The Three Heroes Battle Lu Bu
Lu Bu, after surrendering to Dong Zhuo and being adopted as his son, was tasked with helping Dong Zhuo fight the alliance. Could he win? How did he get along with Dong Zhuo? And in the fierce battle against Liu, Guan, and Zhang, which side would prevail?
Now, Gongsun Zan, the governor of Beiping, led 15,000 troops toward Luoyang when he passed through Qingzhou's Pingyuan County. While marching, he suddenly saw several people in a mulberry grove waving a yellow banner to greet him. Gongsun Zan recognized them as Liu Bei.
Gongsun Zan asked, "Why are you here,?"
Liu Bei replied, "I once owed you a favor for appointing me as the magistrate of Pingyuan County. Now, I heard you have brought an army here, so I came to greet you. Please allow me to escort you into the city for rest."
Gongsun Zan pointed to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei and asked, "Who are these two?"
Liu Bei said, "This is Guan Yu, and this is Zhang Fei. They are my sworn brothers."
Gongsun Zan further asked, "Did you fight alongside them in defeating the Yellow Turban Rebellion?"
Liu Bei replied, "Yes, these two were with me."
Gongsun Zan asked, "What are their current positions?"
Liu Bei said, "Guan Yu is a horse archer, and Zhang Fei is a foot archer."
Gongsun Zan sighed and said, "What a waste of talent! Now, the world's feudal lords are united to eliminate Dong Zhuo., why not give up this post and join me in suppressing the traitor, restoring the Han Dynasty?"
Liu Bei said, "I am willing to go."
Zhang Fei added, "If we had listened to my advice back then and killed Dong Zhuo, we wouldn't be in this mess today."
Guan Yu said, "The past is the past. Now, we should gather our belongings and set off together."
Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei led a few horsemen to follow Gongsun Zan, where they were greeted by Cao Cao. The feudal lords arrived one after another, setting up camps over more than 200 miles. Sun Jian led his troops as the vanguard, advancing directly toward the Panshui Pass. The guards at the pass immediately sent an urgent message to the Prime Minister's office.
Since taking control of the government, Dong Zhuo had indulged in pleasure and revelry, living a life of luxury. When Li Su received the urgent message, he reported directly to Dong Zhuo, who was shocked and urgently summoned his generals to discuss a strategy. Lu Bu stepped forward and said, "Father, do not worry. The feudal lords outside the pass are nothing to me. I am willing to lead my fierce troops to meet them, cut off their heads, and hang them on the gates of the capital."
Dong Zhuo, hearing his adopted son Lu Bu say this, was overjoyed and said, "With Feng Xian by my side, I can rest easy!"
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