內容提要

The empire, long divided, mustunite;long united, must divide. Thus it hasever been." With thischaracterization of theinevitable cycle of Chinese history,themonumental tale Three Kingdoms begins. Asimportant for Chineseculture as the Homericepics have been for the West, thisMingdynasty masterpiece continues to be read andloved throughoutChina as well as in Japan,Korea, and Vietnam. The novel offersastartling and unsparing view of how power iswielded, how diplomacyis conducted, andhow wars are planned and fought; it hasinfluencedthe ways that Chinese think aboutpower, diplomacy, and war even tothis day. Three Kingdoms portrays a fateful momentat the end of theHan dynasty （206 B.C.-A.D.220） when the future of the Chineseempirelay in the balance. Writing more than amillennium later, LuoGuanzhong drew onoften-told tales of this turbulent periodtofashion a sophisticated, compelling narrative,whose charactersdisplay vivid individualityand epic grandeur.