Romance of the Three Kingdoms
A new translation and abridgement of one of the four classical Chinese novels - an epic story of warring factions in the era of China's Han dynasty
Part historical and part legend, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms dramatizes the lives of feudal lords and their retainers, recounting their personal and military battles, intrigues and struggles to achieve dominance for almost a hundred years. It is one of the most beloved works of East Asian literature, and the most famous historical novel in China.
Luo Guanzhong was a Chinese writer who lived probably during the fourteenth century, during the Yuan and Ming periods. Very little is known about his origins and life, but he is attributed with writing The Romance of the Three Kingdoms and editing Outlaws of the Marsh - 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.