🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Luo Guanzhong
He has been attributed with editing “Water Margin” (which are two of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature) and writing “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”. The date and location of his birth have become controversial. One possibility was that he was originally from Taiyuan, and lived during the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty by his contemporary’s record, Jia Zhongming (the playwright), who said he met Luo in 1364. The other possibility was that he was born in Dongyuan (which is the province of Shandong) in roughly 1280 to 1360. Literary historians have suggested other possibilities for his home, which include Jiangnan and Hangzhou. According to Meng Fanren, Luo can be identified in the pedigree of the Luo family, with Taiyuan being his most likely hometown.
All Book Series by Luo Guanzhong
Three Kingdoms / The Romance of Three Kingdoms
Series opener · book 1 of 2 · published 1522
Quelling the Demons' Revolt from Ming China
Latest in the series · book 2 of 2 · published 1620
Water Margin: Outlaws of the Marsh
Series opener · book 1 of 3 · published 1370 Anthology · Shi Nai'an,Edwin Lowe
The Water Margin: Outlaws of the Marsh: The Epic Tale of Brotherhood, Bravery and Rebellion in Imperial China
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 1370 Anthology · Shi Nai'an,Edwin Lowe,J H Jackson
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Luo Guanzhong?
He has been attributed with editing “Water Margin” (which are two of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature) and writing “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”. The date and location of his birth have become controversial. One possibility was that he was originally from Taiyuan, and lived during the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty by his contemporary’s record, Jia Zhongming (the playwright), who said he met Luo in 1364.
Which Luo Guanzhong series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Three Kingdoms series, the earliest of Luo Guanzhong's multi-book series: it opens with The Sacred Oath (1360) and runs to 3 books across 1360, ending with Welcome The Tiger (1360). Luo Guanzhong's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has Luo Guanzhong written?
Luo Guanzhong has 8 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1360 and 1620. 6 of them belong to 2 named series — the largest being the Three Kingdoms series with 3 books — and 2 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Luo Guanzhong's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Luo Guanzhong's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Three Kingdoms (1360, 3 books) and Au bord de l'eau (1370, 3 books).
How are Luo Guanzhong's books organised into series?
This guide splits Luo Guanzhong's 8 books into 2 named series and 2 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Three Kingdoms (3 books, 1360); Au bord de l'eau (3 books, 1370).