Three Kingdoms

[3kingdomsbychen]

Yun Zhao is a young and extremely powerful soldier who served under the banner of Shao Yuan until he defected to Zan Gongsun’s side. Following the battle for Ji Province, Zhao grows frustrated serving under Gongsun and joins Bei Liu and his brothers, pledging an oath to protect Bei Liu’s family from Cao Cao’s remaining forces. When he is unable to prevent the death of one of his charges, he takes on an entire army in a fit of rage, afterwards recommitting himself to Bei Liu’s cause.

[3kingdomsbychen]

Yu Zhou, who is Quan Sun’s most trusted general, has been charged with defeating Cao Cao’s immense army. Knowing that he cannot defeat Cao Cao’s forces on strength alone, Yu Zhou devises a series of schemes that allow his spies to infiltrate Cao Cao’s camp and influence him into making decisions in battle that play right into Yu Zhou’s hands. While Yu Zhou is clever in his own right, he keeps a wary eye on Liang Zhuge, whom he knows to be a threat to Quan Sun’s ambitions to rule the nation.

[3kingdomsbychen]

"The story continues with the cruel Zhuo Dong continuing his reign of greedy and debauchery. I really enjoyed the manipulation by Diao Chan who manipulates both Zhuo Dong and his stepson Bu Lu with the help of her father. It’s unusual to think of women in ancient China having any power, but she uses her beauty to create a love triangle of deceit in an attempt to bring the tyrannical rule of Zhuo Dong to an end. As with the first volume in this series, well written and beautifully illustrated." -- A Goodreads member's review of Three Kingdoms Volume 2: The Family Plot

[3kingdomsbychen]

Holly Letson's Review of Three Kingdoms Volume 1: Heros and Chaos This is a wonderful graphic novel series about Chinese history. When I first started reading it, I feared that it might not keep my attention, and that I would have to list it as “Did Not Finish”. But, boy was I ever wrong. It kept my attention very well, keeping me reading past when I wanted to sleep a couple nights, keeping me turning more and more pages, wanting to know more and more. I know much more about Chinese history after having read this, and I recommend it to everyone. I’m not good with remembering Chinese names, but I did come to place the names of the characters with their faces relatively quickly, since the GN introduced everyone when they played a big part in the story. I will be happily reading V2 as well soon.

[monkeykingbychen]

New advert artwork for BOOKLIST, January 2013 issue. Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that is published twice monthly. It provides various reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers. Booklist started publication in January 1905 to “meet an evident need by issuing a current buying list of recent books with brief notes designed to assist librarians in selection.”

[3kingdomsbychen]

Guo Jia (170–207) was a strategist and advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. During his 11 years of service, Guo Jia's brilliance greatly aided Cao Cao in his victories over rival warlords Lü Bu and Yuan Shao, as well as chief of the Wuhuan tribe, Tadun. As a result, he was one of the most trusted and favored subjects of Cao Cao. Guo Jia was born in the county of Yangdi (present-day Yuzhou, Henan). He initially sought a position under Yuan Shao, the most powerful warlord in northern China at that time. However, he judged Yuan Shao to be an indecisive man who did not know how to fully make use of talented people. Thinking that Yuan Shao had little hope of achieving great things, Guo Jia left his service. In 196, Guo Jia was recommended to Cao Cao by Xun Yu. After a discussion about the state of China at that time, both found each other likable. Cao Cao then made Guo Jia his military advisor. (text source: wikipedia, illustrations from: Three Kingdoms by Wei Dong Chen & Xiao Long Liang)

[monkeykingbychen]

Adventures from China Monkey King By Wei Dong Chen and Chao Peng

“… the most extensive, graphic adaptations of China’s…great classical novels….” — Publishers Weekly

[3kingdomsbychen]

"Cao Cao raised an army of 200,000 soldiers, divided them into five regiments, and set out to attack Bei Liu." Thanks to information given to him by one of Cheng Dong’s servants, Cao Cao learns of the secret blood oath sworn by a members of the royal court. In retaliation, Cao Cao orders the deaths of more than 800 people, including a royal mistress who is five months pregnant. When he is finished punishing those convicted of treason, he sets his sights on defeating Bei Liu, who has taken root in the city of XuZhou.

[answersinthemorning-blog]

Cheating is a choice, not a mistake. Loyalty is a responsibility, not a choice.

(via answersinthemorning)

[3kingdomsbychen]

Little is known of Yu Guan’s birth. What is known is that he was forced to flee his hometown after killing a local tyrant. While wandering the countryside, he received word of Bei Liu’s efforts to raise an army. He joined the effort, and swore a blood oath of brotherhood with Bei Liu and Fei Zhang. A tall man with a long beard and a legendary sword, Yu Guan is considered the embodiment of loyalty and fidelity, and is deified in Chinese culture.

[3kingdomsbychen]

Bei Liu is one of the main characters of Three Kingdoms. Although a descendant of the Han Dynasty, Bei Liu had lived a simple life selling shoes and mats in his rural homeland before swearing a blood oath to restore his nation. In 184 AD, Bei Liu helped Zhuo Dong defeat the Yellow Scarves, whose rebellion had torn the country apart. But Zhuo Dong dismissed Bei Liu and his brothers as simple peasants, and cast them out. Years later, when Zhuo Dong seizes power, Bei Liu joins the coalition army formed by 18 feudal lords to defeat Zhuo Dong. Bei Liu acts with tremendous valor during the struggle, and in 219 AD he becomes emperor of the Shu Kingdom.

[3kingdomsbychen]

Diao Chan is Yun Wang’s daughter. Though she possesses a delicate beauty and grace, most stunningly demonstrated in the form of song and dance, Diao Chan’s beauty disguises a ruthless and cunning heart. It is her mind for strategy that allows her father’s plan to have such deadly consequences.

[3kingdomsbychen]

Emperor Xian arrived in LuoYang having fled ChangAn during a feud between Jue Li and Si Guo, two of Zhuo Dong’s subordinates who held the emperor captive after Zhuo Dong’s death. The journey back to LuoYang had been long and difficult. By the time the emperor arrived in LuoYang, his subjects had been decimated by hardship. Their situation was beyond desperate.

[3kingdomsbychen]

Cao Cao uses his new power to attack Xu Province Following Zhuo Dong’s death, Cao Cao takes control of Yan Province and consolidates his power by enlisting the services of several accomplished military commanders and strategists. He leads an armed campaign against the remains of the Yellow Scarves; when Cao Cao emerges victorious, the remaining Yellow Scarves join forces with him. As a result, Cao Cao’s army grows to more than 300,000 soldiers, making him one of the two most powerful men in China along with Shao Yuan. Cao Cao uses his new power to attack Xu Province, where his father was killed years earlier. Years before, Qian Tao, the governor of Xu Province, received Cao Cao’s father, Song Cao, as he was passing through the province and sent Kai Zhang, one of his commanders, to protect Cao on his journey. But Kai Zhang killed Song Cao and stole his wealth. Upon hearing the news, Cao Cao swore to avenge his father and set out for Xu Province with an enormous army. -- from Three Kingdoms Vol. 3 by Wei Dong Chen & Xiao Long Liang

[3kingdomsbychen]

Absolutely beautiful.

Thank you for all your likes and reblog! Have a wonderful day!

[3kingdomsbychen]

Bei Liu, Yu Guan, and Fei Zhang are three men from the rural provinces who have sworn a blood oath to defend each other and restore the nation. They come to the aid of Zan GongSun when his army is under heavy attack during the battle for Ji Province. There, they meet Yun Zhao, a young warrior who will likely factor into their future, especially Bei Liu’s - the oldest brother is wise in the ways of the world, and predicts outcomes with the clarity of a fortune teller.

[3kingdomsbychen]

Tears of Yu Guan "I remember that day, sixteen years ago, like it was yesterday... I remember the oath we swore... I remember how I felt when we pledged to live and die as one... "Now, we have been separated by the very forces we swore to defeat. But no matter what, we will not be torn apart. Because we swore that we would not abandon one another, even in our final hour..."