This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design. Romance of the Three Kingdoms unfolds as a vast historical epic of China's collapse from Han unity into rebellion, faction, and war. Blending history with popular romance, it follows court corruption, supernatural omens, and the rise of rival power blocs as great generals and strategists shape the destinies of Wei, Shu, and Wu. The story opens with the realm sliding toward chaos, then introduces the rebel Chang Chio, whose mysterious teachings and charms fuel a swelling uprising, and Liu Pei, a humble descendant of the imperial line whose hidden destiny begins to emerge. From that fragile beginning comes the famous Peach Garden oath, where Liu Pei, Chang Fei, and Kuan Yü swear brotherhood and dedicate themselves to restoring order. Their early victories, battlefield rescues, and loyal service set the tone for a tale driven by honor, strategy, and sacrifice. As the novel widens, Tsʻao Tsʻao rises as a ruthless master of war, Sun Chʻüan secures his southern court with wise allies, and the great struggle between North and South builds toward legendary clashes like Red Cliffs and Kuantu, where courage, deception, and military genius decide the fate of kingdoms.

À propos de l'auteur

Luo, Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong was a Chinese writer and dramatist of the late Yuan and early Ming periods, a formative era marked by political upheaval, collapsing dynasties, and deep social change. Little is known with certainty about his life, but his enduring reputation rests on his extraordinary role in shaping the tradition of long-form historical fiction in China. Drawing on oral storytelling, drama, historical records, and popular legend, he helped transform the past into vivid narrative, creating works that blend military strategy, political intrigue, moral conflict, and dramatic characterization. His most celebrated achievement is the great historical epic associated with the Three Kingdoms era, a work that has influenced Chinese literature, theater, film, games, and popular imagination for centuries. Across his writing, Luo explores themes of loyalty, ambition, legitimacy, betrayal, friendship, and the fragile human cost of power, making his work resonate far beyond its original historical setting. For modern readers, his legacy lies not only in his storytelling brilliance but also in his insight into how leaders rise and fall, how ideals are tested by circumstance, and how history is shaped by competing visions of order and justice. Readers who enjoy sweeping historical sagas, political drama, rich character conflicts, and stories that balance action with moral complexity will find Luo Guanzhong especially rewarding to read.