Mao Zonggang criticized this Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Luo Guanzhong (Ming Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The saying goes, "As the wheel turns, divisions will eventually merge, and merges will eventually divide." After the Zhou Dynasty, the seven states of the Warring States period were eventually unified by Qin. After the fall of Qin, Chu and Han fought for supremacy, which was later unified by Han. The Han Dynasty, starting from Emperor Gaozu who rose to power after slaying a white snake, unified the empire. Later, Emperor Guangwu restored the dynasty, which passed down to Emperor Xian and then split into three factions. The root cause of the chaos can be traced back to Emperors Huan and Ling. The "Memorial on Sending Out the Troops" says, "I sigh in grief and regret over Emperors Huan and Ling." Therefore, we begin with them. If Emperor Huan had not suppressed the virtuous and trusted the eunuchs, the Eastern Han Dynasty might not have split into three factions; if Emperor Liu Shan had not trusted Huang Hao, Shu Han might not have been conquered by Jin. This great book has many interconnected details. Emperor Huan imprisoned the virtuous and promoted the eunuchs. After Emperor Huan's death, Emperor Ling ascended the throne, and the Grand General Dou Wu and the Grand Tutor Chen Fan jointly supported him. At the time, the eunuchs Cao Jie and others held power. Dou Wu and Chen Fan plotted to eliminate them but acted carelessly and were instead betrayed and harmed. The eunuchs became even more tyrannical. Before introducing He Jin, we first use Dou Wu and Chen Fan as foreshadowing.
On the 15th day of the fourth month in the second year of the Jianning era, the emperor held court in the Wende Hall. As he was about to take his seat, a fierce wind suddenly arose at the corner of the hall. A large green snake descended from the beam and coiled itself around the chair. "A white snake signifies the rise of the Han, while a green snake signifies its decline. The white and green snakes stand in opposition." This omen was specifically for women, hence the appearance of the green snake. The emperor was stunned and fell to the ground. His attendants rushed him to the palace, and all officials fled in panic. Soon, the snake vanished. A sudden thunderstorm with hail raged until midnight, destroying countless houses.
In the second month of the fourth year of the Jianning era, an earthquake struck Luoyang. The sea also overflowed, sweeping coastal residents into the ocean. Water extinguishes fire. In the first year of the Guanghe era, a hen transformed into a rooster. This omen was particularly relevant to the eunuchs. A castrated man becomes female, and a eunuch engaging in politics turns female into male again. On the first day of the sixth month, a black vapor over ten feet long flew into Wende Hall. In the seventh month of autumn, a rainbow appeared in the Jade Hall, and the mountains in Wuyuan collapsed. These omens were not just isolated incidents. First, we discuss the disasters and anomalies, which then lead to banditry. The emperor issued an edict asking his ministers about the cause of the disasters. Cai Yong, the Imperial Censor, submitted a memorial, stating that the falling comet and the hen's transformation were due to the interference of eunuchs and women in politics. His words were blunt and direct. The first volume of the book begins with Cai Yong and ends with Dong Zhuo, as Cai was indeed a literary figure of his time. If he had not been compromised by Dong Zhuo, the "Records of the Three Kingdoms" might have been written by Cai Yong, not Chen Shou. The author likely felt pity for Cai Yong.
The emperor read the memorial and sighed, then went to change clothes. Cao Jie, who was hidden nearby, overheard everything and informed the other eunuchs. They then framed Cai Yong for crimes and exiled him to his hometown. Later, Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, Feng Wei, Duan Gui, Cao Jie, Hou Lan, Jian Shuo, Cheng Kuang, Xia Hui, and Guo Sheng formed a clique of ten treacherous eunuchs, known as the "Ten Eunuchs." The emperor trusted Zhang Rang and called him "Father Zhang." With this "Father Zhang," it was inevitable that brothers Zhang Jiao, Zhang Bao, and Zhang Liang would emerge. The decline of imperial governance led to widespread unrest and the rise of bandits. At the time, in Julu County, there were three brothers: we use these brothers to introduce the Three Brothers of the Peach Garden. Their names were Zhang Jiao, Zhang Bao, and Zhang Liang. Zhang Jiao was originally an unsuccessful scholar who discarded his Confucian scholar's hat and wrapped himself in a yellow turban, abandoning his scholarly status. While gathering herbs in the mountains, he encountered an old man with green eyes and a youthful face, holding a rattan staff. The old man summoned Zhang Jiao to a cave and handed him three volumes of celestial scriptures, saying, "This is the 'Essential Techniques for Pacifying the World.' With this, you shall spread divine teachings and save the people. If you harbor evil intentions, you shall face dire consequences." Without this warning, people would not have believed it. Zhang Jiao bowed to ask for the old man's name. The old man replied, "I am the South China Immortal." With that, he vanished in a gust of wind. Who witnessed this? Zhang Jiao himself spoke of it, and people believed him.