Luo Guanzhong (circa 1330-circa 1400), originally named Ben, styled Guanzhong, and also known as Huhai Sanren, was a native of Taiyuan (or alternatively, said to be from Dongyuan, the ancient name for Dongping). He was a novelist at the turn of the Yuan and Ming dynasties.
His masterpiece is Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and his other works include the novels Chronicles of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Romance of the Late Tang and the Five Dynasties, San Sui Ping Yao Zhuan (The Three Heroes Subdue the Demon), and Water Margin. Romance of the Three Kingdoms stands as Luo Guanzhong's magnum opus, exerting a profound influence on later literary creations. In addition to his novel writing, he also authored the zaju play The Dragon and Tiger Meet in a Wind and Cloud: The Story of Emperor Taizu of Song.
Luo Guanzhong is not only recognized as the author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, one of China's earliest chapter-based novels and the pioneering work in the "historical romance" genre, but he is also credited with initiating the "heroic legend" and "supernatural and demonic novel" subgenres within chapter-based novels. There are claims that he was involved in the authorship of Water Margin and San Sui Ping Yao Zhuan. Furthermore, the "social novel" genre originated from The Plum in the Golden Vase, which was adapted from plot elements of Water Margin. Thus, it can be argued that Luo Guanzhong played a pivotal role as the founder (or at least one of the founders) of the four major categories of classical Chinese long chapter-based novels, marking a significant turning point in the development of Chinese fiction. Some even hail Luo Guanzhong as the "King of Ancient Chinese Novels."
