Welcome to our Three Kingdoms Community!
The great epic novel Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel (first extant printed edition 1522) tells the story of the dissolution of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) and its division into three warring kingdoms (A.D. 220-280). It is a story of power, diplomacy, war, and strategy. It is also a story of human character -- a vast gallery of exemplars of virtues and evils, of heroism and human failings. The epic narrative presents three competing models of political authority and legitimacy: one based on lineage; a second on territorial control; and a third on virtue. Which will win?
Covering over a century of history and encompassing hundreds of characters who come from far-flung corners of the Chinese empire, this epic novel can be challenging to approach. On this site we present a variety of timelines, maps, character profiles and other material as a reading aid. We will also explore a variety of themes from Three Kingdoms and our own responses to the novel and its adaptations across a variety of media, from traditional painting to modern comics and video games.
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