Romance of the Three Kingdoms (also known as Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms or Popular Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) is a long-form historical romance novel written by the late Yuan and early Ming dynasty novelist Luo Guanzhong. It is based on Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, the annotations by Pei Songzhi, and various folktales and legends about the Three Kingdoms period, artistically crafted into a chapter-based narrative. Along with Journey to the West, Water Margin, and Dream of the Red Mansions, it is considered one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Luo Guanzhong's creation drew from Song and Yuan dynasty storytelling scripts, operas, and anecdotes about the Three Kingdoms, as well as Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms and Pei Songzhi's annotations, to artistically reimagine and recraft the tale.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms is roughly divided into five major parts: the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Chaos Caused by Dong Zhuo, the Contest Among Heroes, the Three Kingdoms Standing in a Triple Confrontation, and the Unification of the Three Kingdoms by the Jin Dynasty. It depicts nearly a century of historical upheaval from the late Eastern Han Dynasty to the early Western Jin Dynasty, focusing on warfare and narrating the political and military struggles among the warring states of the late Eastern Han and the three kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. Ultimately, it tells the story of Sima Yan's unification of the Three Kingdoms and the establishment of the Jin Dynasty. The novel reflects the various social struggles and transformations of conflicts during the Three Kingdoms period, summarizing the historical upheavals of this era and portraying a host of heroic figures who made their mark on the times.
After its completion, several editions of the work circulated, including the Jiajing Renwu edition. By the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Mao Zonggang revised the chapter headings, polished the language, and replaced some of the poetry, creating a version that is regarded as the most refined and widely circulated among all editions. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the first chapter-based novel in Chinese literary history, a pioneer in the genre of historical romance novels, and a significant work of humanistic fiction. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was even hailed as the "premier work of literary genius." Since its inception, countless literary and artistic works have been inspired by this masterpiece, and its immense influence has led to the artistic representation often overshadowing the historical truth.
