★★★★☆ Classic historical novel of ancient China

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Luo Guanzhong, Ronald C. Iverson (Editor), Yu Sumei (Translator)

There are four widely-recognized classic Chinese novels. Seriously, do a web search for "classic Chinese novels" and you will find dozens of pages referring to "The Four Classic Novels of Chinese Literature". (Wikipedia lists six on its Classic Chinese Novels page" -- these include the usual four, plus two others.) The phrase "Four classic Chinese novels" also appears frequently in commentary on Chinese literature. The four are

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The Water Margin
Journey to the West
Dream of the Red Chamber

Some of these come in multiple versions, even in Chinese, and multiple English translations, often with different titles. (For instance, Dream of the Red Chamber is also known as The Story of the Stone.) So it can get a little confusing. In my (inexpert) opinion, Three Kingdoms is the best novel of the first three. (I don't include Dream of the Red Chamber in my judgment because its discussions of Chinese poetry, art, and calligraphy are too far over my head.)

Don't be confused by the word "romance" -- it is used in its original sense -- essentially just "novel". Three Kingdoms is not a story of romantic love. It is a historical novel of the very early days of China, in the second and third centuries, before China existed as a single nation. It describes the political and military battles for the rule of what would eventually become China. It was written much later (mostly 15th century, although modern versions incoroporate later editing by other writers). Although Luo Guanzhong referred to historical records, the narrative of Three Kingdoms is probably not terribly accurate with regard to real events. (My own impression is that Three Kingdoms is roughly as accurate a guide to historical events as Shakespeare's plays, and less accurate than, say, Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series.) There is, however, one way in which Three Kingdoms feels quite real. Real history is big and messy. Three Kingdoms is also big and messy.

The most famous incident in Three Kingdoms is called the Peach Orchard Oath. This is a version of the Oath (from Wikipedia)

When saying the names Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, although the surnames are different, yet we have come together as brothers. From this day forward, we shall join forces for a common purpose: to save the troubled and to aid the endangered. We shall avenge the nation above, and pacify the citizenry below. We seek not to be born on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. We merely hope to die on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. May the Gods of Heaven and Earth attest to what is in our hearts. If we should ever do anything to betray our friendship, may heaven and the people of the earth both strike us dead.

It is not clear that this ever happened in reality -- historical sources don't mention it. It is likely that Luo adapted the story from folktales.

It has, however become historical. The Peach Orchard Oath has resonated down Chinese culture and history. For instance, it is referenced in Water Margin. It has served as a model for Chinese secret societies and military organizations. And it is central to Three Kingdoms. Although, as I said above, Three Kingdoms is a story of extraordinary complexity, from a certain point of view it is simple. Liu, Guan, and Zhang can rely completely on each other -- this gives them an advantage over the hundreds of other generals and would-be emperors they face, for whom treachery is entirely routine and to be expected.

If you read just one classic Chinese novel, it should be Three Kingdoms.

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