The Three Kingdoms: A Messy Romance

Even in 2023, there's a new generation of readers who are avidly reading and retelling the Romance of the Three Kingdoms from a modern perspective. Chen Lei's *The Hilarious Romance of the Three Kingdoms* is one such work.

Comprising two volumes, the muddy Romance of the Three Kingdoms closely follows the storyline of Luo Guanzhong, from Dong Zhuo's tyrannical rule during the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Sima family's unification of the empire and the founding of the Jin Dynasty.

Perhaps the Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the most beloved of China's "Four Great Classical Novels." Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao, Zhao Zilong... transcend the realm of history, becoming influential figures in folklore.

Not to mention the numerous television and film adaptations, comics, cartoons, video games, etc., which have further increased the popularity of Romance of the Three Kingdoms in popular culture.

Reading, studying, and commenting on the Three Kingdoms is an activity that has been passed down from generation to generation.

It's therefore not surprising that even in 2023, there is still a new generation of readers eagerly reading and retelling the Three Kingdoms from a modern perspective. Chen Lei's *The Hilarious Romance of the Three Kingdoms* is one such work.

From the very title, the book's creators wanted to inform readers that this work approaches a familiar story in a humorous way. And Tran Loi and his collaborators succeeded in doing just that, presenting the story in a way that is both systematic and concise, guided by laughter.

Tran Loi fearlessly uses modern language, including slang and internet jargon, to create a complex yet humorous portrayal of the Three Kingdoms. The skillful combination of illustrations, shifting between caricature and realism, significantly enhances the humor and satire of the work.

Chen Lei is a Chinese author and founder of knowledge-sharing social media accounts with over 35 million followers and more than 500 million reads. His works sharing historical and literary knowledge are often bestsellers and "phenomena" in the publishing world.

In Vietnam, following the "Muddy Romance of the Three Kingdoms" (translated by Nhuong Le), the two-volume book "Muddy Journey to the West" has also been released to readers.

Although they are primarily for entertainment, the unique appeal of this "wacky" genre of books is undeniable. To some extent, these works also contribute to giving young people an initial introduction to classic works written hundreds of years ago.

NU LAM

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tam-quoc-lay-loi-dien-nghia-20250630084338154.htm