Writers › Writer / Poet

Luo Guanzhong

Late Yuan and early Ming writer, styled Huhai Sanren, whom the earliest printed edition credits with compiling the Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Also known as Ming Ben · Hao Hu Hai San Ren

Luo Guanzhong, personal name Ben, styled Huhai Sanren, is known from very few records. Jia Zhongming's Sequel to the Register of Ghosts (Lugui bu xubian) calls him a man of Taiyuan who kept to himself and wrote fresh songs and riddles, adding that the two met again in 1364 and then lost touch; some Ming editions instead call him a man of Dongyuan. The oldest surviving edition of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi tongsu yanyi), printed in 1522, says it was arranged by Luo Ben Guanzhong from Chen Shou's history, and most scholars accept on that basis that he compiled the novel from the histories and storytellers' material. Some Ming editions of the Water Margin name him as co-author with Shi Nai'an, and other novels carry his name, but these attributions are contested. His death year is unknown. The 120-chapter text revised by Mao Lun and Mao Zonggang in the early Qing became the standard version of the novel.

Life and times

  1. UnknownBornYuanMinglate Yuan to early Ming (alive in 1364)
  2. UnknownDied

Works

  1. Literature · Fiction125
    1. Romance of the Three KingdomsMingLuo Guanzhong's novel of the wars of Wei, Shu and Wu, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
    2. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 1: Feasting in the Peach Garden, Three Heroes Swear Brotherhood; Slaying the Yellow Scarves, the Heroes Win Their First MeritMing
    3. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 2: Zhang Yide in Fury Flogs the Inspector; Imperial Brother-in-Law He Plots to Kill the EunuchsMing
    4. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 3: Debating at Wenming Garden, Dong Zhuo Rebukes Ding Yuan; Offering Gold and Pearls, Li Su Wins Over Lü BuMing
    5. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 4: The Han Emperor Is Deposed and the Prince of Chenliu Enthroned; Plotting Against the Traitor Dong, Mengde Presents a SwordMing
    6. +25 more
      1. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 5: Issuing a Forged Edict, the Lords Answer Lord Cao; Breaking the Pass Troops, Three Heroes Fight Lü BuMing
      2. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 6: Burning the Golden Palace, Dong Zhuo Commits Atrocities; Hiding the Imperial Seal, Sun Jian Breaks the CovenantMing
      3. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 7: Yuan Shao Fights Gongsun at the Pan River; Sun Jian Crosses the River to Attack Liu BiaoMing
      4. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 8: Minister Wang Cleverly Works the Chain Stratagem; Grand Preceptor Dong Raises an Uproar at Phoenix PavilionMing
      5. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 9: Ridding the Realm of the Tyrant, Lü Bu Aids the Minister; Assailing Chang'an, Li Jue Heeds Jia XuMing
      6. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 10: Serving the Royal House, Ma Teng Raises a Loyal Army; Avenging His Father, Cao Cao Mobilizes His TroopsMing
      7. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 11: Imperial Uncle Liu Rescues Kong Rong at Beihai; Lü, Marquis of Wen, Defeats Cao Cao at PuyangMing
      8. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 12: Tao Gongzu Thrice Yields Xuzhou; Cao Mengde Battles Lü BuMing
      9. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 13: Li Jue and Guo Si Wage a Great Battle; Yang Feng and Dong Cheng Together Rescue the EmperorMing
      10. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 14: Cao Mengde Moves the Emperor to Xudu; Lü Fengxian Seizes Xuzhou by NightMing
      11. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 15: Taishi Ci Fights Hard Against the Little Conqueror; Sun Bofu Battles Yan BaihuMing
      12. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 16: Lü Fengxian Shoots the Halberd at the Camp Gate; Cao Mengde Is Defeated at the Yu RiverMing
      13. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 17: Yuan Gonglu Launches Seven Armies; Cao Mengde Joins Forces with Three GeneralsMing
      14. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 18: Jia Wenhe Reads the Enemy and Wins; Xiahou Dun Pulls Out the Arrow and Eats His EyeMing
      15. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 19: Cao Cao Wages a Fierce Siege at Xiapi; Lü Bu Meets His End at White Gate TowerMing
      16. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 20: Cao the Schemer Hunts at Xutian; Imperial In-Law Dong Receives a Secret Edict in the PalaceMing
      17. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 21: Cao Cao Warms Wine and Discusses Heroes; Lord Guan Takes the City by Ruse and Slays Che ZhouMing
      18. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 22: Yuan and Cao Each Raise Three Armies of Horse and Foot; Guan and Zhang Together Capture Generals Wang and LiuMing
      19. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 23: Mi Zhengping Strips and Curses the Traitor; Physician Ji Is Tortured for His Poison PlotMing
      20. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 24: The Traitor of the State Murders the Imperial Consort; The Imperial Uncle Flees in Defeat to Yuan ShaoMing
      21. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 25: Besieged on Tushan, Lord Guan Sets Three Conditions; Relieving Baima, Cao Cao Breaks a Tight SiegeMing
      22. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 26: Yuan Benchu Loses Troops and Generals; Guan Yunchang Hangs Up His Seal and Seals Away the GoldMing
      23. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 27: The Lord of the Beautiful Beard Rides Alone for a Thousand Li; The Marquis of Hanshou Slays Six Generals at Five PassesMing
      24. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 28: Slaying Cai Yang, the Brothers Dispel Their Doubts; Meeting at Gucheng, Lord and Followers Reunite in RighteousnessMing
      25. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 29: The Little Conqueror in Anger Slays Yu Ji; The Green-Eyed Boy Takes Command of JiangdongMing
    7. Open all works→
  2. Literature · Sayings14
    1. Holding the Emperor to Command the LordsMingIdiom from Zhuge Liang's Longzhong Plan on Cao Cao: using a figurehead's authority to command
    2. Land of AbundanceMingIdiom from Zhuge Liang's Longzhong Plan praising Yizhou, now a byword for Sichuan
    3. Weeds Suddenly Cleared from the MindMingIdiom from Liu Bei's response to the Longzhong Plan in the Romance: sudden enlightenment
    4. Thirsting for TalentMingIdiom from the Longzhong Plan in Romance of the Three Kingdoms: thirsting for talent
    5. Like Thunder in the EarsMingIdiom known from Liu Bei's greeting in the Romance: a name as resounding as thunder
    6. +9 more
      1. Beaming with SmilesMingIdiom from the Empty Fort ruse in the Romance: beaming with friendly smiles
      2. Divine Plans and Marvelous CalculationsMingIdiom from the borrowed-arrows episode in the Romance: brilliant, foresighted planning
      3. Baskets of Rice and Pots of DrinkMingIdiom from Mencius, echoed in the Romance: an army welcomed by the people with food and drink
      4. Zhuge Liang Outargues the Scholars of WuMingIdiom from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms: one man outarguing a roomful of scholars
      5. Zhuge Liang Borrows Arrows with Straw BoatsMingIdiom from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms: tricking the enemy into supplying your arrows
      6. Everything Ready but the East Wind at Red CliffsMingIdiom from Romance of the Three Kingdoms: all set for the fire attack, but no east wind
      7. Long Divided, the Realm Must Unite; Long United, It Must DivideMingIdiom from the opening of Romance of the Three Kingdoms: the cycle of division and unity
      8. Zhuge Liang's Empty City StratagemMingIdiom from Romance of the Three Kingdoms: a calm bluff that hides weakness from a foe
      9. Guan Yu Crosses Five Passes and Slays Six GeneralsMingIdiom from Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Guan Yu fights his way through every barrier