Luo Guanzhong - The Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Luo Guanzhong

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THE ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS

Translated by
MARTIN PALMER

Assisted by HE YUN , JAY RAMSAY
and VICTORIA FINLAY

PENGUIN CLASSICS

LUO GUANZHONG was a Chinese writer who probably lived during the fourteenth century, during the Yuan and Ming periods. Very little is known about his origins and life, but the writing of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been attributed to him, as has the editing of The Water Margin. These works are the first two of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.

MARTIN PALMER is Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture (ICOREC) and Secretary General of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC). His previous translations include The Book of Chuang Tzu and The Most Venerable Book (both Penguin Classics), The Dao de Jing and The I Ching. He is visiting professor in Religion, History and Nature at the University of Winchester, UK.

HE YUN has studied in China, Australia, the UK, USA and the Netherlands. She specializes in the relationships between traditional Chinese culture and ecology, and is Head of China Projects for ARC.

JAY RAMSAY has collaborated with Martin Palmer on a number of Chinese texts as a poet since 1991. Author of The White Poem, Alchemy, Kingdom of the Edge, Crucible of Love, The Poet in You and Out of Time, he also works as a psychotherapist in private practice and runs poetry and personal development workshops worldwide. His latest collection is Monuments.

VICTORIA FINLAY is the author of Colour: Travels Through the Paintbox and Buried Treasure: Travels Through the Jewel Box.

For my grandson Alfie whose safe if somewhat dramatic arrival we all celebrate.

Cai Mao : brother of Lady Cai, the wife of Liu Biao, and his bitter rival.

Cao Cao : one of the founders of the Three Kingdoms, namely the kingdom of Wei, whose son Cao Pi dismisses the last Han emperor and founds the Wei dynasty. The main enemy of Xuande. Posthumously declared First Emperor.

Cao Fang : adopted grandson of Cao Cao and the third emperor of the Wei dynasty.

Cao Hong : cousin of Cao Cao and a senior commander of his army.

Cao Huan : fifth and last emperor of the Wei dynasty, who abdicates to Sima Yan.

Cao Mao : fourth emperor of the Wei dynasty, murdered by the Sima family.

Cao Pi : son of Cao Cao and first emperor of the Wei dynasty.

Cao Rui : second emperor of the Wei dynasty.

Cao Shuang : son of Cao Zhen and enemy of Sima Yi.

Cao Zhen : senior officer in the Wei army.

Cao Zhi : son of Cao Cao; set to one side so Cao Pi can be the heir apparent. A famous if dissolute poet.

Chen Deng : initially adviser to L Bu; later turns against him.

Chen Lin : senior adviser to Yuan Shao who goes over to Cao Cao.

Deng Ai : heroic Wei general who resists the attacks of the Shu and eventually is central to the overthrow of the Shu army and dynasty.

Deng Zhi : masterful diplomat sent to restore relations between the Shu and Wu.

Dian Wei : Cao Caos most loyal bodyguard and hero of many a battle.

Diao Chan : the dancing, singing servant girl who helps Wang Yun set Dong Zhou and his adopted son L Bu against each other.

Ding Feng : senior commander of the Wu army.

Dong Cheng : unwitting recipient of the secret message from the emperor to organize the murder of Cao Cao.

Dong Zhuo : one of the main villains of the story: removes the legitimate emperor and installs his own puppet emperor and then rules ruthlessly, fatally weakening the Han. He orders the destruction of the capital Luoyang.

Emperor Shao : (Liu Bian) legitimate heir to Emperor Ling; he is deposed and then murdered by Dong Zhuo and whose younger brother is made emperor instead.

Emperor Xian (Liu Xie): placed on the throne by Dong Zhuo, who has deposed Emperor Shao. The last and increasingly embattled and feeble Han emperor.

Empress Dong : foster mother of Emperor Xian; she uses her position to gain power and control.

Empress He : mother of Emperor Shao; she is murdered along with her son by Dong Zhuo.

Fa Zheng : adviser in the court of Liu Zhang who supports and enables Xuandes conquest of Shu.

Gan Ning : naval expert of Wu who deserts Liu Biao.

Gongsun Zan : close military friend of Xuande; dies after defeat by Yuan Shao.

Guan Xing : son of Guan Yu who avenges his fathers betrayal and death. Becomes one of Xuandes most successful military officers.

Guan Yu : one of the three brothers of the peach orchard. Heroic, loyal and faithful.

Guo Jia : long-standing adviser to Cao Cao.

Guo Si : along with Li Jue takes over the capital after the death of Dong Zhuo and Wang Yun. Ruthless exploiter of the chaos and the power vacuum.

Huang Gai : senior commander of the Wu whose fake defection to Cao Cao brings defeat for Cao Cao.

Huang Zhong : veteran warrior who joins Xuande and whose exploits put the younger commanders to shame.

Hua Xin : an adviser to Cao Pi and the one who forces Emperor Xian to abdicate, thus ending the Han dynasty.

Jia Xu : wise military adviser to many of the most powerful warlords, especially Cao Cao.

Jiang Wei : Shu commander whose obsession with conquering Wei ultimately destroys Shu.

Ji Ping : court physician whose involvement in a plot to assassinate Cao Cao goes horribly wrong.

Kong Ming : Daoist adept and master military adviser to Xuande who becomes prime minister under Xuandes successor. Also known as Zhuge Liang.

Lady Cai : sister of Cai Mao, wife of Liu Biao, mother of Liu Zong. Fierce opponent of Xuande.

Lady Gan : wife of Xuande, mother of Liu Shan.

Lady Mi : sister of Mi Zhu, wife of Xuande, who dies in flight to save her son.

Lady Sun : sister of Sun Quan, warrior wife of Xuande.

Liu Bei : family name of the first of the three brothers of the peach orchard, also known as Xuande, the name used throughout this translation.

Liu Bian : family name of Emperor Shao.

Liu Biao : governor of Jingzhou who gives refuge to Xuande. Husband of Lady Cai, a fierce opponent of Xuande.

Liu Feng : adopted son of Xuande.

Liu Qi : heir of Liu Biao, hated and opposed by his stepmother Lady Cai.

Liu Shan (Ah Dou) : eldest son of Xuande and second emperor or ruler of Shu.

Liu Zhang : governor of what became the kingdom of Shu; removed by his clansman Xuande.

Liu Zong : son of Lady Cai and Liu Biao, murdered by Cao Cao.

Lu Su : diplomat from Wei who tries to work with Xuande and Kong Ming.

Lu Xun : son-in-law of Sun Ce who defends Wu against the attacks of Xuande.

Lu Zhi : teacher of Xuande and commander against the Yellow Headbands revolt.

L Bu : originally an opponent of Dong Zhuo, later his adopted son; turns against him because of romance with Diao Chan.