History of the Three Kingdoms

Author: Ma Zhijie
Publisher:
Publishing Date: October 1, 1993
Features: The author was raised in Xihé Village, Dingzhou, Hebei Province. In his childhood, his grandfather taught him classical Chinese and ancient history. The author personally enjoyed reading stories of patriotic heroes and was particularly fond of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. To learn more about the true stories of the Three Kingdoms characters, he occasionally read the biographies of famous figures in Records of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou. During his youth, the author greatly admired Zhuge Liang, and this admiration only deepened with age. At school, the author primarily taught the history of the Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, as well as selected historical texts. Since the Three Kingdoms period was relatively short, the author did not offer a course on History of the Three Kingdoms when he was teaching electives, but instead taught History of the Qin and Han Dynasties, covering the formation of the Three Kingdoms' dominance as well. During his time at Northwest University (1941–1945), the author mainly studied pre-Qin classics, and after graduation, he focused on the history of the Qin and Han dynasties. However, the author's familiarity with the history of the Qin and Han dynasties far surpassed his knowledge of the Three Kingdoms. The Three Kingdoms period was short, with limited materials, making it easier to master. The Records of the Three Kingdoms was a book the author often read in his youth, so he remembered it quite well. Cao Cao once said, "Those who love learning in their youth think more deeply, but those who grow older tend to forget easily." The author deeply resonated with this sentiment. In 1983, when the author returned to Hebei from Lanzhou University, he initially planned to write a History of the Qin and Han Dynasties based on his old lecture notes. However, due to its large scale, the author found it beyond his capabilities and instead turned to writing History of the Three Kingdoms. The author is deeply grateful to Mr. Zhang Zuoyao, Mr. Zhang Weixun, Mr. Qiao Huitian, and Mr. Zhang Xiuping of the People's Publishing House for their help and guidance. Especially Mr. Weixun provided many valuable suggestions throughout the process and even personally corrected errors and awkward phrasing. Mr. Xiuping was the first to propose constructive ideas, which the author will never forget. Director Wang Xinyi of the History Department at Anhui University also offered many suggestions and requirements, and even sent the author unpublished drafts of his works, greatly benefiting the author. The author's childhood teacher and respected elder mathematician, Mr. Zhao Cigeng, provided meticulous guidance on the mathematical portions of the manuscript, for which the author is deeply grateful. The author is now in his seventies and has little time left. As the saying goes, "When a person is about to die, their thoughts turn to the good." The author often reflects on his life, realizing that he has received much kindness from his teachers. During his graduate studies, his mentor, Mr. Jian Bozan, also provided significant support. Other teachers and friends, their small acts of help and words of wisdom, have also stayed with the author, leaving him feeling unable to repay them. The author has achieved little in life, except for his passion for reading and pondering the past. He regrets not being stricter with himself in his studies, leading to his lack of accomplishments in old age. This humble manuscript is still hoping for the kindness and guidance of fellow scholars, for which the author would be truly grateful.