Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong, believed to have been born around 1320, is traditionally recognized as the author of the influential Chinese novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms." This work is noted for its blend of historical accounts and folk tales, and it stands as one of China’s principal prose epics. Although little is known about Luo's life, accounts suggest he may have originated from Shandong and worked in Hangzhou, a significant cultural hub during his time. His real name is thought to be Pen, with Guanzhong serving as his courtesy name.
Luo is also acknowledged for his contributions to theater, having written plays that highlight his lyrical creativity. However, it’s important to note that the most widely read version of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," which many are familiar with today, was significantly revised by Mao Zonggang in the 17th century, and earlier versions likely differ greatly from Luo's original work. Additionally, while Luo is sometimes credited with other historical romances, many of his attributions remain debated among scholars. This blend of history and creativity showcases the rich tapestry of Chinese literary traditions during the 14th century.
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Luo Guanzhong
Chinese novelist
- Born: c. 1320
- Birthplace: Shandong(?), China
- Died: c. 1380
- Place of death: Unknown
Biography
Almost nothing is known of the life of Luo Guanzhong (loh gwahn-juhn), credited as the author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a novelistic synthesis of historical accounts and folk stories that became China’s primary prose epic. Jia Zhongming, in his list of contemporary libretto writers (Xu Lugui Bu) speaks of Luo Guanzhong as “a friend of disparate years” (that is, an older friend) and of a reunion in 1364 after what must have been a long separation. This would place Luo’s birth around 1320. His native home is given as Taiyuan in Shanxi, but there is good reason to believe that he was a native of Shandong and worked in Hangzhou in Zhejiang, which was from the twelfth to fourteenth centuries an important center of the theater and of the storytellers’ guilds. Most sources are agreed that his real name was Pen, Guanzhong being his zi or derived name. {$S[A]Lo Kuan-chung;Luo Guanzhong}
Jia lists three plays by Luo Guanzhong and speaks of him as a lyricist of great originality. One of these works, dealing with the life of the founder of the Sung dynasty, has come down to modern times. It must be noted, however, that the version of this story, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which has been translated into English and which has been generally read in China, was extensively revised and enlarged by Mao Zonggang in the latter part of the seventeenth century and that even the earliest known version (1494) probably bears little resemblance to Luo’s work—if indeed he did write such a romance at all. All available evidence indicates that works of fiction published in the fourteenth century were more in the nature of prompt-books than well-developed compositions intended for the reading public. Luo is also sometimes credited with the authorship of three or four other historical romances in addition to the Shuihu zhuan (all men are brothers), which is more often attributed to Shi Naian.
Bibliography
Hsia, C. T. The Classic Chinese Novel: A Critical Introduction. 1968. Reprint. Ithaca: Cornell University East Asia Program, 1996.
Hsün, Lu. A Brief History of Chinese Fiction. Translated by Yang Hsien-yi and Gladys Yang. 3d ed. Peking: Foreign Languages Press, 1976.
Lévy, André. Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical. Translated by William H. Nienhauser, Jr. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000.
Mair, Victor H., ed. The Columbia History of Chinese Literature. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001.
Plaks, Andrew H. The Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1987.
Plaks, Andrew H, ed. Chinese Narratives: Critical and Theoretical Essays. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1977.
Rolston, David L., ed. How to Read the Chinese Novel. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1990.