The Art of War and Religion as Central Themes in "Romance of Three Kingdoms" by Luo Guanzhong Anonymous College

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms clearly outlines the period of China during the Three Kingdoms dynasty which spanned the years 220-280. This turbulent era is characterized by political instability, divisions, treachery and bloodshed. The only constant is war; peace is elusive. The three kingdoms: the Wei kingdom led by Cao Wei, the Shu kingdom led by Shu Han, and the Wu kingdom headed by Dong Wu. War breaks out because of questions regarding the legitimacy of succession. As a consequence, China subdivides into three major branches with Cao Cao reigning in the north, Sun Quan ruling in the south, and Liu Bei controlling the west sector of China. The Romance of Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong is a classic historical novel dealing with the power struggles within the Han dynasty which inevitably precipitate its collapse. An intricately woven book integrating historical accurate events merged with creative fiction, this book centers on themes such as brotherhood, art of war and religion.

This novel also weaves in elements of Confucianism whose doctrines are based principally on The Mandate of Heaven. The Mandate of Heaven marks the transition from the Shang dynasty (1766-1122 BCE) to the Zhou dynasty (1122-256 BCE) violation of...