Chapter 1: Introduction
1.0 Background
Luo Guanzhong wrote The Romance of the Three Kingdoms that has the accounts, tales and short stories of legends that have been presented from a personal viewpoint. The Novel is based on a Chinese history commonly referred to as the Three Kingdoms. A profound analysis of Guanzhong narration reveals that some historical characters have been presented appealingly as cultural icons although they were different in their times. In the dissertation, the definition of “cultural icon” is limited to historical characters in the Three Romance Kingdoms who represent the Chinese culture, as well considered worthy of respect and admiration. Furthermore, the brutal nature of the historical characters in the novel seems to be overlooked with the positive side emphasized to pick valuable lessons from the Chinese historical context.
The “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is a corrective hypnotizing harmony story that Chinese rulers mostly use to narrate when they are in control and are trying to uphold the position. Additionally, the novel (mythical and historical part) dramatizes and romanticizes feudal lords and their retainers, who were attempting to replace or restore the decaying Han Dynasty. While the story follows hundreds of characters, the focus of the present dissertation is the wartime leaders emerged as Chinese cultural icons. However, the novel deals with army battles, plots, struggles, personal conflicts, and intrigues as these dynasties try to achieve leadership for a period more than ten decades. The novel also provides readers knowledge of how Chinese perceive their history through a cyclical lens.
Dissertation: The research paper aims at presenting the manner in which The Romance of the Three Kingdoms presented the wartime generals into cultural icons.
1.2 Problem Statement
In the study of different cultures around the world, there is a difference between its historical and mythical nature. Guanzhong seemed to have concentrated more on the ancient life of the legends in their cultural context and failed to look at their negatives equally. The research paper will identify the various ways in which the Chinese culture is depicted from a historical perception that praises the cultural icons.
1.3 The Purpose of the Research
The research aims at finding out the various ways in which the historical novel presented the wartime generals into what evidently seems to be cultural icons. Armed with the historiographical information of the Han dynasty, a keen reader will quickly identify the principal intentions of the author that glorify the historical characters.
1.4 Importance of the Study.
Besides the positive presentation of the war generals in the Chinese context, the study further places researchers in a position to understand the difference between historical and mythical nature of culture. The study also proves the position that was taken by an author influence the thoughts of the readers who might not necessarily collect the historical facts about the issue under review.
1.5 Research’s Aims and Objectives
The primary goal of conducting this study is to profoundly discuss the manner by which the wartime novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms transformed historical wartime leaders into cultural icons. Despite the fact that the story deals with numerous characters, the primary focus of this study is how each notable leader in the novel became Chinese cultural icons. The research also investigates how the author influences the readers who are interested in the Chinese history.
1.7 Motivation
Besides answering the research questions, my motive was based on the need to understand the political affairs of societies in the historical context. I was also driven by the need to understand the various ways that authors present facts from their viewpoint through the analysis of scenarios and events that suit their themes.
1.8 Research Questions
1. How are the wartime generals depicted in the novel?
2. How does the author influence the thoughts of the readers?
3. What are the literal techniques employed to transform wartime generals into cultural icons?
1.9 Literature review
A significant body of literature has developed investigating the purpose of Luo Guanzhong in his narrative version of the Three Kingdoms, although one of the most credible is that during the rule of Mongol during Yuan, most works seemed to be Pro-Han, instead of favoring Jin. However, Cheung (2007, p.16) argues that analyzing heroes’ disillusionment in the Three Romance Kingdoms reveals a historical regret pattern, conveying a tragic consequence from events or expectations non-fulfillment. The thesis of the author about the regretful events pattern is illustrated in the novel through the acts of the primary characters such as Zhuge Liang who ultimately recognizes his partial lifespan. The author further contrasts the traditional concepts of the Western epic hero to the features of the Eastern tragic hero, where he finds both similar in regards to the flaw of “wrath.” Cheung reckons over hundred instances of the wrath flaw in the Three Romance Kingdoms, finding a wrath pattern in dealing with Cao Cao with others, and with Liu Bei’s who is after revenge.
Furthermore, Kim (2007, p.143) claims that Three Romance Kingdoms novel is essential in its focus on the reader, despite the cultural background. The claim of the author is not only based on the epic’s knowledge of history or literature, but also on the reader’s knowledge reception or response theory. The mind of the reader is designed to fill unintended gaps which it discovers in any provided text with his or her information cache. The primary argument of the author is that any reader, as the meaning producer, has the authority to recreate the Three Romance Kingdoms from his or her perceptions or worldview
1.9.1. The relationship between historiography and Fiction in traditional China
The three Kingdoms reveals the divide between fiction and history, where the main events and characters are built in the past. Besides, the Three Kingdoms’ historical roots are apparent in the author’s use of the third-person detached voice, and in its affinity to offer minute details that are not important to the work as a story (Chu 2002, p. 161). For instance, Luo introduces the names of the fighters shortly before their death in the battle. Conversely, the novel also freely provides information that a historian would not usually have access to as well as in some incidences formulates stories to offer a more interesting structure of the drama, for example, Peach Garden Oath (Chu 2002, p. 161).
There is a strong inter-relationship between the writing fiction and the historiography. Furthermore, the first writing history originated as a story, which illustrates the existence of natural attraction in the writing of both fiction and history (Liu 2008, p. 390). Besides, both are expressed with words and thus, naturally take resort to the framework of narration. Historiography deals with the actions that occurred in the past, whereas fiction is associated with imaginary events or what might is likely to happen, which is the reason Aristotle provided a valid difference between a historian and a poet. As per Aristotle (2001, 97), the distinction between a poet and a historian is based on the fact that former deals with things that are likely to happen, but the latter is associated with things that already took place.
Both fiction and historiography have similar representation nature since both are associated with narrating stories. The very nature of revealing reality is both based on the framework of narration. As per Hutcheon (1989, 10), both history and fiction tell stories in varying modes, where sometimes the modes used by them are copied from photography and cinema.
Both novelist and historian attempt to reveal truth through narrativizing the phenomena of the real world (Benjamin 2012, p. 234). The truth revealed by them is subjective, relative, and specific to their own situations in history. Both of the elements select some subject’s aspect and begin to build up the pattern of narration which later results in a complete product in the form of a story. Hutcheon (1989, 6) mentions that both in fiction and history the very manner of expressing the past is performed in such a way that the politics of the representation act are made manifest.
1.9.1.1 Is Luo Guanzhong Novel real?
Luo Guanzhong’s depiction of the significant events and time periods are historically accurate especially the succession of the three kingdoms. Thus, meaning the novel is real since most of the significant characters in the story represents the real historical leaders (Benjamin 2012, p. 234). But, in present China nobody expects the real generals to fight each other one-on-one when they have trained soldiers or military. However, biasness or favoritism towards Shun Han can also characterize the novel (Benjamin 2012, p. 234).
1.10 Methodology
1.10.1 Introduction
In order to collect information needed for the dissertation, the study utilizes aspects such as the research design, the area of study, the collection of data, and limitations of the research will be covered.
1.10.2 The Research Design
The research utilized a cross-sectional descriptive approach to gather the necessary information from the historical novel and other related documents. A descriptive method was the most preferred approach because it was easier to capture the opinions, perceptions and the interests of the novels others as well as other researchers who wanted to identify the real events in the Chinese period under study. Besides, the approach helped to understand the case and effect of the variables under the study to get precise information regarding the status of phenomena back in the historical period. Research consider the design as being efficient and inexpensive in the presentation of self-reported facts (Sandelowski 2000, p. 333-334).
1.10.3 Study Area
The research area for this research paper, based on the work of Guanzhong the Romance of the Three Kingdoms in China. However, it is worth noting that the wartime generals might have also influenced outside China.
1.10.4 The Study Population
The study population is the Chinese people upon which the influence of their leaders was encountered. However, the study might go beyond the modern day China although the focus is laid on the then population that were governed and controlled by the wartime generals.
1.10.5 Documentary review
The research relied on the secondary data and information from the novel, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, reports, books, journals, periodicals, abstracts, reviews, statistics and public records. These sources helped to inform the study area, the characteristics of the population, the perception of the people and the wartime generals. All these aspects helped to come up with a detailed literature review that provided the prior knowledge necessary for the research.
1.10.6 Research’s Assumptions and Limitations
Some research assumptions and limitations were met in the research process. General methodological assumptions were based on the idea that all the information that was collected from the secondary sources were based on the truth. Longitudinal effects acted as a limitation of the study. Unlike researchers and professors who devote much of their time gathering and analyzing data, the case was different from the study. Time was a significant constraint because of other academic activities that had to be factored.
1.11 Dissertation’s Structure
Chapter one has focused on the introduction to the research problem. The chapter sheds light on what the dissertation will concentrate on to address the research statement.
Chapter two will look at how the wartime generals are presented in the novel, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Chinese history regarding the legends and the historical period under study.
Chapter three will discuss the literal analysis whereas the last part of the dissertation will also discuss author’s position as well as my position for scholars and historians who wish to get a better understanding of what the Chinese culture and tradition entailed in regards to political leadership and conquests.
Chapter 2: Presentation of the Wartime generals in the novel
2.1 An Introduction
The Han Dynasty came into existence in the 3rd century. The individuals who might give themselves a role as China's future leaders have conveyed the realm to the verge of battle (Usher 1989, p. 1033). Court eunuchs have conspired, leaders have failed, and extraordinary conquerors have conceived in a legendary battle. The general population of China, who by any means yearn for peace, ponder what will happen to their respective lives as war seethes over the land. The dynasty appears to have lost its "Mandate of Heaven." (Foo 2008, p. 171).
Rather than keeping up a solitary royal family descent from a thousand years as that of Japan, China had a succession of ruling dynasties, which expanded and declined in a recurrent trend (Benjamin 2012, pp.233). At whatever point a dynasty achieved decline, the field was opened for the time's most capable and prideful officers of fortune to form alliances and battle with opposite camps in fights that prompted the building of another dynasty (Dubs 1938, p. 23-26). Episodes of dynastic modifications once in a while extended to decades if none could beat each of its rivals, similar to a case in the period which the Romance of Three Kingdoms is established. Amusingly, the exceptionally gifted group of contenders observed an extended stalemate in the battle. Its individuals, in the long run, ceased to exist, while the significantly weaker second era failed in the rejoining of the domain, which serves as the setting for the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, that is regarded as a principal foundation of the Chinese texts (Norden 2013, p. 2). Its writer, Luo Guanzhong, takes hold of history as well as tradition to produce a vivid epic that features the period's politics and society. Besides, it was viewed as a manual to the military technique that was compared to Sun Tzu's The Art of War (Chu 2002, p. 161). In its pages, the reading audience encounters many famous icons in history, as well as perceives clashes in each scale. The three kingdoms are located at the center of Chinese social personality and the idea of yi—the rudimentary element that unifies a harmonious society (Foo 2008, p. 172).
During the mid-14th century, Luo Guanzhong initiated the style of combining stories. Since that particular period, such stories are personally conveyed. His attempts’ brought about this legendary novel, which crossed 120 chapters. The novel contains accounts, short stories, as well as tales, which regularly become dramatizations and this is the high significance of the interpretations which stream from the warring, disordered time of Chinese history referred to as Three Kingdoms (Roberts 2013, p. 2-3).
The majority of Romance of the Three Kingdoms manages the unprecedented achievements and unfortunate inadequacies of the first era of warriors as well as workers. Legendary greatness saturates Luo Guanzhong's novelistic union of chronicled records and society story periods. For causes regarding which researchers can hypothesize, China did not have the kind of great epic observed in the vast majority of the large old developments (Bodde 1997, pp.45-47). Romance of the Three Kingdoms, nevertheless, rose to a high rank as the country's persisting written text. The legendary warrior, Kuan Yü, eventually accomplished the position of divinity in the prevalent personality (Hartman 2014, p.23-24). Regarding the previous magnificent era, China was able to hold more sanctuaries dedicated for praising Lord Kuan Yü, the divine force of battle, as compared to other gods (Norden 2013, p. 2-3).
Luo Guanzhong believed that the destiny of each country is carved in the stars and that people are extremely constrained in their capacity to influence the significant stream of history. Nonetheless, he likewise trusted that if individuals are upright and idealistic, one can be able to do significant attempts’, conveying radiance to themselves and their respective families, leaving a sparkling heritage that rises above the ages (Norden 2013, p. 3).
Each power intermediary considered this to be a new chance to introduce their decision of selecting a young ruler. The tough central authority battles in the Imperial Palace are set apart regarding strategies, interests, and plans. Besides, the eunuchs also are after their riches. They killed General He Jin without a second thought through deception, which resulted in the arrival of General Dong Zhuo with the idea of crushing the disobedience (Yeh 1989, pp.550). In this manner, the stage started wherein control was under the authority of a Han ancestor, the genuine power depends upon another person, starting with Dong Zhuo. Therefore, the initial stages of the narration are characterized by a period of tumult (Teck 2005, p. 1).
Since Dong Zhou initiated the usurpation of majestic powers on the outskirts of the city, an organization took shape. In this regard, powers accumulated with the purpose of providing freedom from the Han royal house from Dong Zhuo’s handling (Guanzhong 2005, p. 3-5). Dong Zhuo was eliminated, yet it was not because of pitched fights but rather, through an exciting procedure. From the scenes which include Dong Zhuo, there are a few interests. For instance, there is the delineation of the part on backhanded methods. Diaochan, a singer, was used in driving a wedge for Dong Zhuo together with Lu Bu who was his general (Liu and Roberts 2009, p. 172-175). In the front line, it was often difficult to overcome Dong Zhuo. He, however, exited the stage in a unique manner that is portrayed through parts of his flesh getting consumed as a result of lightning. (Roberts 2013, p. 3-5).
It must be comprehended that an extraordinary multifaceted nature has been an accomplishment of the novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It is filled with various smaller sub-stories, wherein a substantial number can be produced into full-length books in their particular right. In that capacity, the accompanying exertion fills in as an abnormal state for the story’s synopsis.
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a fictionalized historical record of the struggles of the Han dynasty to the establishment of the Jin dynasty. Just like Thucydides’ text on The History of the Peloponnesian War, Guazong seemed to take the same approach in the presentation of history. Luo Guanzhong helped us to understand the early civilizations. The nature of conflicts and the values that guided the traditional society. The manner in which the history is presented is straightforward with the Northern Warlord wanting to monopolize power and make the court a puppet that dances the emperor’s tunes. Besides the illustration of the Chinese civilization, the hierarchy of values is also scrutinized. The novel further lays more emphasis on the core values that Sun Tzu emphasized in the Art of War that underscored the importance of surprises and deception. A profound analysis of the facts further reveals that stability was the highest good in as far as the balance of the dynasty was concerned. Chinese during this era believed that being devoted to peace is the most significant virtue of all people from subordinate to superiors.
The struggle presented in the novel is unavoidable, hence natural and a fundamental concept in any dynamic society. However, these struggles ought to be guided by the laws of heaven (Guo-min 2007, pp.44-46). All the able leaders in the Chinese context seem to underscore the roles played by a counselor who acts as wise men. The wise men as an integral part of the struggle to gain power or succeed from the Han dynasty. The counselors borrowed their lessons from a traditional setting to dictate the leadership affairs through influencing decisions made by the political class.
2.2 Yellow Turban Battle
The novel started during the Han Dynasty when inept eunuchs swindled the ruler along with the exile of higher authorities. The legislature had turned out to be to a great degree degenerate on each phase, prompting boundless crumbling of the domain. When Emperor Ling, leader of the Han Dynasty ruled, the Yellow Turban Rebellion was disrupted, and it was led by Zhang Jiao, who supposedly rehearsed Taoist wizardry and contained interminable forces. Zhang disguised as a voyaging healer who treated individuals experiencing numerous ailments while furtively urging them to lead a revolution. In such a season of chaos, a significant group of real characters is presented as that of Cao, Liu Bei, Sun Jian and Zhang Fei. Royal troops scarcely stifled the defiance of He Jin being the ruler (Teck 2005, p. 1). He Jin happens to be Emperor Ling's brother by marriage, and he is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces of the Central Government (Hansen 2000, pp.34-38). In order to dread the developing force, the eunuchs under the rule of Zhang Rang tricked He Jin in the castle preceding Emperor Ling's demise that was coordinated by his adversaries. His paralyzed gatekeepers, driven by Yuan Shao, reacted by dashing into the royal residence, which transformed into an aimless murderer. In the resulting disarray, the young Emperor Shao as well as the Prince of Chenliu and also, Emperor Xian vanished from the royal residence (Roberts 2013, p. 1-2).
2.3 Dong Zhuo's Tough Leadership
Before long, the Emperor, as well as the Prince, were found by officers having a place with the war leader, Dong Zhuo who originate in Western Liang. He continued to take hold of the whole region along with the guise of securing the ruler (Yu 2007, pp. 24-28). It wasn’t long enough when the soldiers who were under the leadership of Dong Zhou found the Emperor as well as the Prince. They took hold of the whole region with the assumption of instilling protection upon the emperor. Dǒng was able to remove Emperor Shao as well as supplant him with the Prince of Chenliu, who moved toward becoming an emperor as well. With Dong Zhuo's brutal control, the general population endured incredibly. The court doctor Wu Fu an Cao sent grave death threats to him, yet the two endeavors fizzled (Winter 2006, pp.155-559). Cao Cao figured out the manner of evasion and released an order under the ruler's name for all government leaders, influencing them to expel Dong Zhuo due to his leadership style. Under the rule of General Yuan Shao, a total of 18 leaders and noblemen united in a battle opposing Dong Zhuo, yet possessing mediocre administration and irreconcilable situation; they figured out the manner on taking him away from Luoyang (Yingsheng 2005, pp. 338-339). In any case, Lu Bu double-crossed and killed Dong Zhuo became double-crossed, from an argument about the lovely Diaochan, for a Wang Yun’s plan (Foo 2008, p. 172-173).
2.4 Struggle among the Different Warlords and Nobles
Consequently, the realm was at that point deteriorating into a general battle. Sun Jian, legislative head in Changsha, discovered the Imperial Seal in the well that was located where Luoyang remains were despite being covertly hidden for its respective motivations, additionally illustrious debilitating specialist. In the absence of stable focal government, warlords grew in number and battled each other due to land and authority issues (Min 2014, pp. 2-4). For the north, Yuan Shao, as well as Gongsun Zan, was in full battle gear, while in the south, those who served as leaders were Sun Jian and Liu Biao. Numerous others, even in the absence of a property or lands like Cao and Liu Bei, were additionally beginning to develop control (Roberts 2013, p. 2).
Cao Cao was able to take Emperor Xian away from Dong Zhuo's former subsidiaries Li Jue as well as Guo Si to build a novel court located in Xuchang (Wei et al. 2008, pp.8). Much more useful recently with the ruler under his administration, Cao Cao immediately stifled his adversaries as that of Yuan Shu, Lu Bu, and Zhang Xiu, coming full circle in his most prominent military triumph, which was against Yuan Shao for the well-renowned Battle of Guandu in spite of being dwarfed (De-Crespigny 2004, pp. 3). Cao Cao sought after the vanquished Yuan faction lastly joined Northern China, which then filled in as the establishment of the Kingdom of Wei (Norden 2013, p. 3).
2.5 Liu Bei's Unrealized Ambition
Liu Bei, alongside his siblings Guan Yu and Zhang Fei promised faithfulness for the Han Dynasty and vowed to strive in serving the sovereign as well as ordinary citizens. In any case, their objectives and aspirations were not acknowledged until the novel’s ending. Liu Bei, who effectively suppressed the Yellow Turban Rebellion, did not perceive this in his endeavors and was assigned as the judge of a little province (Wei 2011,pp.22-23). Afterward, Liu Bei was with Gongsun Zan and took part in the battle in opposition to Dong Zhuo. Cao attacked Xuzhou as a reprisal in opposition to Tao Qian, a legislative head of Xuzhou who unwittingly enabled his assistant to murder the father of Cao. Liu Bei drove his army at the region known as Pingyuan to aid Tao Qian as well as Tao transfer his role as Governor of Xuzhou to Liu Bei before his death (Roberts 2013, p. 2-4). At that particular period, Lu Bu was in full battle gear with Cao as he additionally desired to rule China back when he murdered Dong Zhuo. Cao crushed Lu Bu and looked for asylum under the leadership of Liu Bei. Afterward, Lu Bu reimbursed the latter’s graciousness with the malicious domination of Xuzhou.
Meanwhile, Liu Bei was compelled to unite with Cao to fight in opposition with Lu Bu. He was murdered. Liu Bei turned out to be authoritatively perceived by Emperor Xian. Because of this, Liu Bei schemed together with a few authorities to slaughter Cao as he employed a great deal of control and had the goal of getting the position of power. Liu Bei neglected to murder Cao when the scheme was uncovered. He was able to steal the place of Xuzhou from Cao when he drove his army to conquer Xuzhou. Liu Bei gained the power of Runan through the assistance of a few previous Yellow Turban revolts but was repeatedly crushed by Cao. Liu Bei did not have any real option except to transfer at Jingzhou and look for Liu Biao's insurance. Liu Biao approached Liu Bei possessing deference and placed him accountable for Xinye. He then selected the gifted Zhuge Liang and gradually developed his powers at Xinye (Foo 2008, p. 173).
2.6 Important Novel Aspects
The novel starts as China reaches the brink of anarchy, a period when the focused organization became disorganized; agencies, foundations, and workplaces systematized by the victorious Han rulers from the past for the safeguarding of social request as well as prosperity. Without a doubt, in Chapter 1 there were perceived indications from heaven regarding the looming empirical destruction. With the end goal of representing the symbolism of pandemonium, only two cases were featured (Teck 2005, p. 1).
In this particular novel, there appears to be a line which portrays tsunamis intensely as to attract beach front villagers to the ocean. Other than earthquakes and tsunamis, which are regarded as clear symbols of parallelism, there appears to be those that needed creative ability concerning the potential readers. These techniques incorporate the presence of the green serpent winding around the majestic seat. Along with its vanishing, a storm occurs. At that point, hailstones were brought down from the open sky on its abodes (Morowitz 2002, p. 5). Moreover what is plainly artificial or extraordinary is what continually occurs. Such signs were portrayed in the first chapter 1 to check the start of a time characterized by pandemonium in the antiquated regions of the Middle Kingdom and China (Roberts 2013, p. 2-3).
About these events in Chapter 1, the Yellow Scarves rebellion emerged, which is perceived as an unmistakable sign of shortcoming at the focal point of energy, which is the Imperial House. The source of this issue can be traced back to the management of the young rulers. Since they are much younger for leadership, they moved toward becoming the focus of political control (Guanzhong 2005, p. 7).Cao Cao’s son, Cao Pi, was so much concerned about the consolidating power to keep his father’s legacy. He, therefore, sought ways to justify the Emperor Xian’s abdication which is an action that shows his selfishness in silencing dissenting voices.
Historically, the three kingdoms were used to refer to the historical period that succeeded the six dynasties. The era is lasting long enough till the establishment of the Sui dynasty in the late 580s (Kai 2013, pp.4-5). During this period, people were divided into the three kingdoms. The three factions were the Eastern Wu under Sun Quan, Wei under Cao Cao and the Shu that was ruled by the chosen Liu Bei. Sima (Goodman 2016, pp. 45) Yan latter on usurped the Kingdom of Wei and founded what came to be known as Western Jin. Although there are attempts to keep the history of the three kingdoms inclined to the truth and facts, there are sufficient proves that historians have tried to embellish the accounts. However, The Romance of The Three Kingdoms is more objective and inclined to the truth, hence worth being considered as among the few classic novels that retell the Chinese history.
The three famous leaders attained remarkable popularity in their kingdoms and beyond. The ever-increasing fame is associated with the manner that they are depicted in the novel as brave, intelligent and upholding virtue. Besides the big three, it is worth recognizing another able general that served various purposes called Guan Yu (Huang and Lei 2010, pp.26-27). He was also referred to as Yunchang and had the reputation of one of the able generals in the Shu Kingdom. Guan Yu was Liu Bei’s confidant and advisor, a position that was also shared with Zhang Fei. As a confidant, Guan had excellent moral standards that were anchored on righteousness, making him one of the most respected generals in Shu (Pengli 2002, pp.45). The significant influence caused the development of a religious cult
