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

Author: Luo Guanzhong (Ming), commented by Mao Zonggang (Qing), edited by Meng Zhaolian, Bian Qingbo, and Wang Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The establishment of classical masterpieces in the history of Chinese literature was, of course, primarily due to the unique charm of these works themselves. However, it was also greatly related to the efforts of a large number of insightful literary critics who rigorously analyzed and commented on them after the novels were published. Names like Li Zhuoju, Jin Shengtan, Mao Zonggang, and Zhiren Zhai are closely associated in people's minds with Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and Dream of the Red Chamber. They not only pioneered a new era in the history of Chinese classical novel criticism but also enabled more readers to delve deeper into the essence and charm of these classical masterpieces through their critiques.
The immense popularity of Romance of the Three Kingdoms is not only due to its inherent appeal but also to the indispensable contributions of Mao Zonggang's revisions and critiques. Mao Zonggang revised Luo Guanzhong's original text, reorganized the chapter titles, removed commentaries, modified poetry and prose, added or deleted trivial details, and refined the wording, thus forming the 120-chapter version that is widely read today. Although some of Mao Zonggang's comments may seem outdated, many of them offer profound insights. For example, in Method of Reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he repeatedly praises the book with phrases like "what a marvel in the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms," highlighting its brilliance. The structural issues he raised, such as the existence of major and minor pivotal points and the interplay between the beginning and the end, hold significant importance in the history of Chinese novel criticism.
"Rivers rush eastward, waves wash away heroes." Romance of the Three Kingdoms is an outstanding historical novel created based on the historical facts and folk legends of the Three Kingdoms period. The novel depicts more than a hundred years of history from Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty to Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty, using a grand and sweeping brushstroke to portray the rise and fall, the struggles for dominance, and the survival or demise of the three states of Wei, Shu, and Wu, as well as numerous heroic figures who left their mark on history. It stands as a model of historical romance.