Sanguo - Books, Culture, Podcasts, and Revolution

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Ah...the much vaunted Chapter 5, or, as I call it, "The Coalition Against Dong Zhuo". If you've played the video games based on this novel, chances are, you might recognize this part of the story quite well. In the earlier entries of the series, this part of the plotline usually opens up the first scenario. In the later installments, it's usually like 2nd or 3rd scenario.

But I digress again. You really shouldn't let me do that, you know. ;)

Coalition Against Dong Zhuo,

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Sep022009

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 4

Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 7:42PM

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 4:

Deposition of the Emperor: The Prince of Chenliu Gets the Throne;

Schemes Against Dong Zhuo: Cao Cao Presents a Sword.

Listen:

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Thus we come to Chapter 4, and this is a good one. In this chapter, the character of Dong Zhuo and his underlings is firmly established. The chapter picks up, naturally, where the last one left off: in the middle of an armed dispute between Hero and Villain. Yuan Shao, at this point in the story still a loyal servant of the Han, is outraged by Dong Zhuo's plan to depose the present Emperor, Liu Bian, in favor of the Emperor's younger half-brother, Liu Xian, Prince of Chenliu.

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 2

Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 6:57PM

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 2:

Zhang Fei whips the Government Officer;

He Jin Plots to Kill the Eunuchs.

Listen:

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

In this, the second chapter of the mighty Sanguo Yanyi, Zhang Fei once again displays that trademark temper of his. He may be a mighty warrior (one of the mightiest in Chinese history), and absolutely loyal, but he has some anger-management issues, and in the opening lines of this chapter, those anger-management issues would very well have led to the early demise of Dong Zhuo, the primary villain of the early chapters, if not for the intervention of Zhang Fei's two sworn brothers, Liu Bei and Guan Yu. Think how many lives would have been saved if Zhang Fei were allowed to take that fat, disgusting sleazebucket out. Dong Zhuo was kinda like the Chinese Hitler, wiping out large numbers of people with impunity. Think about this: a census taken in the late Han (early story) claims a total population in the Empire of 50 million. A census taken 90 or so years later, after the Sanguo period came to an end and the land was reunified under the Jin Dynasty, claimed a total population of like 16 million. That means that some 34 million people either died or migrated out of the country during the chaos of the Three Kingdoms period. How many of those deaths could Zhang Fei have averted by offing Dong Zhuo? I guess the world will never know...

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 1

Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 6:29PM

The Sanguo Yanyi - Chapter 1:

Three Heroes Swear Brotherhood In The Peach Garden;

One Victory Shatters The Rebels On the Battleground.

Listen:

In this, the first chapter of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the story opens in the final years of the Han Dynasty, the greatest dynasty in the history of the Middle Kingdom. For four hundred years, the Han have ruled in China, and the impact of the Han socio-political system would come to have long-ranging effects on the history and development of east Asia in general throughout successive centuries.