Romance of the Three Kingdoms - New Curriculum Recommended Reading - Green Apple Youth Essential Classics

Author: Luo Guanzhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Romance of the Three Kingdoms is one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature, depicting historical stories from the late Eastern Han Dynasty to the period when the three kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu were unified under the Jin Dynasty. It artfully portrays intense peasant wars, feudal warlord conflicts, and political struggles. The author, Luo Guanzhong (lived approximately between 1330 and 1400 AD), was from Taiyuan and styled himself as Huahai Sanren. According to Ming Dynasty historical records, Luo Guanzhong was known for his extraordinary talent and once had connections with Zhang Shicheng, a leader of the peasant uprising at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. In addition to writing the masterpiece Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he also authored popular novels such as Chronicles of Sui and Tang, Romance of the Remnants of Tang and Five Dynasties, and The Three Demons Subduing the Monster, and participated in the compilation and editing of Water Margin. His other dramatic works include Zhao Taizu's Dragon and Tiger Gathering. Under his pen, many vivid characters were created, many of whom are still widely beloved today. For example, Guan Yu, whose loyalty knows no bounds; Zhao Yun, whose courage is extraordinary; Zhang Fei, who is both upright and brave; and Zhuge Liang, who is wise and strategic. Moreover, many stories in the book have evolved into popular idioms or proverbs that are still, such as: Xu Shu entering Cao Cao's camp—never uttering a word; Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai—both willing to endure the beating. The examples are countless. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is not only the pioneering work of Chinese serialized novels but also the concluding masterpiece of classical Chinese historical novels, one of the works most widely circulated and deeply influential among the people. To make it easier for young readers to read, we have appropriately adapted the original text, striving for vivid language and engaging plots, while also providing exquisite and fitting illustrations to recreate this grand work for children. This will greatly help improve children's reading skills, enrich their extracurricular knowledge, and introduce them to historical stories.