Romance of the Three Kingdoms: San Guo Yan Yi (Hardcover)

~ Lou Guan Zhong (Author), (Translator)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 623 pages
• Publisher: Heian International (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0893469246
• ISBN-13: 978-0893469245
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #794,068 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Chinese classic!, April 16, 2001

By	Plotinus - See all my reviews

I give it six stars! This book has a higher status and popularity in East Asia than the Bible, Homer and Shakespeare do in the West. It is considered to be the greatest book ever written. It is the basis for a vast multitude of comic books, cartoons, movies and other media. Someone who has read it three times is considered to be unapproachably wise, and it is not uncommon to meet people who have read it more than ten times. Everyone has their favourite character from the book and everyone can give you a very detailed reason for the choice as well. For all those Westerners who want to gain a deep understanding of East-Asian culture (particularly Chinese, Japanese and Korean), this is without any doubt the best place to begin (and remain for some time). The "Art of War' and "The Book of Five Rings" are considered to be specialist books for strategy and personal combat, the latter being all but unknown outside Japan and the West, whereas the Romance of the Three Kingdoms is seen as the book of wisdom relevant to all parts of life: interpersonal, competitive, rhetorical, ethical, military, economic: at home, at work, at play, at war. As Asians tend to see but a very fine line distinguishing these various facets of life, the Romance is their perfect guide as it includes them all in a great majesterial tapestry of adventure, war, love, loss, heroic bravery and loyalty unto death. The premise of the story is that there are three men who pledge to be brothers and to overthrow the usurper who has displaced the rightful emperor from the throne. What follows is a breathtaking picture of ancient Chinese life, battle strategy and court intrigue. It was written in the Fourteenth Century A.D. by an apparently disaffected but very highly educated and gifted court official, and contains frequent allusions to the Confucian classics and other esteemed works. Its description and detail is so vivid, the reader will feel like it is all happening now. It has such a piercingly and brutally realistic portrayal of human nature that the reader may be shocked at how the characters described seem to be companions at work, employers, employees or friends. This book truly transcends even the bounds of culture with its intimate perception of human motivations and ploys. The translation by Brewitt-Taylor is highly readable and retains the dignity in English of the majesty of the classical Chinese. I am especially impressed by his admirable rendering of the passages of poetry in rhyme and metre. His translation has made this most popular tale of the East a classic now for the West also. For anyone with interest in Japanese, Korean or Chinese culture or classics, this book is more than essential. It is the root and trunk. Ignore the occasional orthographic error every few pages and delve into the Ancient East as seen by an ancient easterner himself -- not by a modern Western novelist. Trust me: I, a sojourner in the land of the East, have read it three times.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Timeless Work, Masterful Translation, July 12, 2001

By	Jacob Johnson (Memphis, Tennessee United States) - See all my reviews

I have been an adoring fan of the unforgettable characters of Romance of the Three Kingdoms since I played Koei's first nintendo adaptation of the story in my youth. It's good to have a nice copy of the whole unabridged masterpiece to one day read to my kids. This edition is also easier to find than the previous full edition and much more affordable, downright ... even. My only complain is the gaudy high school text book style cover. I think the Chinese Government must have a law that all works translated from Chinese must have tacky covers because that seems to be the norm. It is a great book, though, and definately worth the meager price.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well...all's fair in war and...Romance?, June 10, 2002

By	Nick (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

Ronance of the Three Kingdom is a book about post Han-Dynasty China with rival rulers vying for power...before I get into this let me tell you...this book is NOT for the easy reader...the whole thing is like...1500 pages long. If you are the type to want to read this, it is a great historical fiction (its not 100% true to history) which entertains you to the last words. Tales of great rulers, valiant warriors, and calculating strategists tell the tale of an era of war.