This novel reflects the Confucian values which were prominent in China at the time it was written. During Kangxi's reign in the Qing Dynasty, Mao Zonggang (毛宗岗) significantly edited the text, fitting it into 120 chapters. The oldest existing edition was written in 1494 and has 2 volumes and 242 chapters. About two-thirds of the content is historical fact, the rest is realistic fiction.
Luo combined this historical information with a gift for storytelling to create a rich tapestry of personalities.
up to the unification of the three kingdoms under the Jìn Dynasty in 280 C.E. Luo made use of available historical records, including the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms compiled by Chen Shou, which covered events from the Yellow Turban Rebellion in 184 C.E. It was written partly in Vernacular Chinese and partly in Classical Chinese, and was considered the standard text for 300 years. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms as we know it today is attributed to Luo Guanzhong, and was written between 13 (late Yuán to early Ming period). Elements of reincarnation and karma were woven into this version of the story. This version combined themes of magic, myth, and morality to appeal to the peasant class. The earliest attempt to combine these stories into a written work was Sān Guó Zhì Píng Huà (三國誌評話), literally "Story of Sanguozhi" (Chronicles of Three Kingdoms), published sometime between 13. During the succeeding Míng Dynasty, an interest in plays and novels resulted in further expansions and retelling of the stories. With their focus on the history of Han Chinese, the stories grew in popularity during the reign of the foreign Mongol emperors of the Yuan Dynasty. In these popular stories, the characters typically took on exaggerated and mythical characteristics, often becoming immortals or supernatural beings with magical powers.
Stories from the Three Kingdoms period existed as oral traditions before any written compilations. Many of the episodes could serve as material for full-length novels in their own right and have provided material for Asian popular literature, drama, Beijing opera, and poetry for centuries.
It reflects the Confucian values which were prominent in China at the time, according to which loyalty to family, friends, and superiors was a measure of moral character. The novel, distinguished by the extreme complexity of its stories and characters, is two-thirds historical fact and one-third realistic fiction. The epic story begins in the last years of the Han Dynasty and covers the turbulent period during which various warlords and pretenders to the throne waged constant wars and divided China into three separate kingdoms before it was finally reunited under the Jin dynasty in 265 C.E.
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