三国演义.中 内容简介

LuoGuanzhong
TranslatcdfromtheChlncscwith
NotesandanAfterwordby
MOSSROBERTS
Forewordby
JOHNS.SERVICE
"Theempire,longdivided,mustunite;
longunited,mustdivide.Thusithas
cvcrbeen."Withthischaracterizationofthe
incvitablecycleofChinesehistory,the
monumentaltaleThreeKingdomsbegins.As
importantforChinesecultureastheHomeric
epicshavebcenfortheWest,thisMing
dynastymasterpiececontinuestobereadand
lovedthroughoutChinaaswellasinJapan,
Korca,andVietnam.Thenoveloffersa
startlingandunsparingviewofhowpoweris
wiclded,howdiplomacyisconducted,and
howwarsareplannedandfought;ithas
infiucncedthewaysthatChinesethinkabout
powcr,diplomacy,andwareventothisday.
ThreeKingdomsportraysafatefulmoment
atthcendoftheHandynasty(206B.C.-A.D.
220)whenthefutureoftheChineseempire
layinthebalance.Writingmorcthana
millenniumlater,LuoGuanzhongdrewon
oftcn-toldtalesofthisturbulentperiodto
fashionasophisticatcd,compellingnarrative,
whosecharactersdisplayvividindividuality
andepicgrandeur.
Thestorybeginswhentheemperor,
fearinguprisingsbypeasantrebelsknownas
theYellowScarves,scndsanurgentappealto
theprovincesforpopularsupport.In
response,threeyoungmen-thcaristocratic
LiuXuande,thefugitiveLordGuan,andthe
pig-butcherZhangFei-meettopledge
etemalbrotherhoodandfealtytotheir
beleagueredgovernment.Fromtheseevents
comesachainofcauseandconsequencethat
leadsultimatelytothecollapseoftheHan.
MossRoberts'snewtranslationprovides
forthefirsttimeanauthoritative,annotated
English-languageversionofthisgreatand
enduringworkofworldliterature.
ACentennialBook
LuoGuanzhong(1330?-1400?)wasanovelist
anddramatistwhoplayedanimportantrole
inthedevelopmentofChinescpopular
fietion.
MossRobcrtsisProfcssorofChincseatNew
YorkUnivcrsity.Hehaspublishcdan
abridgedtranslationofThreeKingdoms
(Pantheon1976)andisthctranslatorof
ChinescFairyTalesandFantasies(Pantheon
1979).
JohnS.Scrvicc,thesonofanAmcrican
missionary,wasborninChinaandwasa
ForfignScrviceofficcrthcrcfrom1933to
1945.HcisaFellowatthcCcnterfurChincse
StudiesatthcUnivcrsityufCalifornia,
Berkeley,andisanauthorityonChinese
culturcandpolitics.Hc'isalsothecditorof
Goldenlncles:theChinaMemoirofGrace
seruice(Galifornia1989).
Publishcdincooperationwith
UnivcrsityofCaliforniaPress
Jackctdcsign:WangZhi
片断：
Chapter48
FeastingontheGreatRiver,CaoCao
SingsanOde;
LinkingItsBoats,thcNorthPreparesforWar
ASTOUNDEDbythestranger'swhisperedwords,PangTong
turnedandfoundhimselflookingathisoldfriendXuShu.1
Tongbecamecalmatonceand,sureoftheirprivacy,said,"Ifyou
revealmyplan,theinhabitantsoftheSouthland'seighty-one
departmentswillsufferdisaster.""Andwhatofthelivesandfate
oftheeighty-threelegionsoverhere?"XuShuaskedwithagrin.
"Youdon'tmeantogivemeaway?"PangTongpleaded."1will
alwaysbegratefulforImperialUncleLiu'skindness,and1intend
torepayit.CaoCaosentmymothertoherdeath;1promisedthen
1wouldneverframestrategyforhim.Ofcourse1amnotgoingto
exposeyourveryeffectiveplan.Theproblemis,1amherewith
CaoCao'sarmy,andwhentheyaredestroyed,thejewelwon'tbe
distinguishedfromtherock.Howdo1avoiddisaster?Suggestsome
devicetosaveme,and1willsewupmylipsandremovemyself."
Smilmg,PangTongsaid,"Someoneasshrewdandfar-seeingasyou
shouldhavenodifficulty.""1craveyourguidance,"XuShu
insisted,andsoPangTongwhisperedafewvitalwordsintohisear
andreceivedhisheartfeltthanks.ThusPangTonglefthisfriend
andsailedbacktotheSouthland.
ThatnightXuShusecretlyhadaclosecompanionspreadrumors
throughCao'scamps.Thefollowing'daytherumorswereon
everyone'slips.SooninformantsreportedtoCaoCao:"Thewhole
armyistalkingaboutHanSuiandMaTeng,sayingtheyhave
rebelledandareontheirwayfromXiliangtoseizethecapital."
Alarmed,CaoCaosummonedhisadvisers."Mygreatestconcern
when1undertookthisexpedition,"hesaid,"wasthedangerfrom
thewest,HanSuiandMaTeng.Whetherthecurrentrumorsare
trueornot,wemusttakemeasures."
XuShucameforwardwithaproposal:"1havethehonorof
beinginYourExcellency'semploy,buttomydismayhavenotin
anywayjustifiedyourconfidence.1wishtorequestthreethousand
soldierstotakeatoncetoSanPasstosealthiskeypointofaccess
againstinvasionfromthewest.Intheeventofanemergency,1will
reportimmediately."Delighted,Caosaid,"Withyouatthepass,
1neednotworry.Takecommandofthetroopsalreadythere.1will
giveyouthreethousandmore,mountedmenandfootsoldiers,and
ZangBatoleadthevanguard.Leavewithoutdelay."XuShubid
CaoCaogood-byeandsetoutwithZangBa.2ThusPangTong
savedXuShu'slife.Apoetoflatertimeswrote:
Cao'ssouthernmarch-everydayatrial,
Asrumorsspreadoffreshcalamity.
PangTongcounseledXuShuwhattodo:
Onceletoffthehook,thefishswimsfree.
AfterdispatchingXuShutothenorth,CaoCao'smindwaseasier.
Herodetotheriverbanktoreviewtlrearmycampsandthenaval
stations.Boardingoneofthelargerships,heplantedinitscenter
abannermarked"SupremeCommander."Tohisleftandrightthe
navalstationsstretchedalongtheriver;aboardtheshipathousand
crossbowmenlayinwait.CaoCaostoodonthedeck.Itwasthe
thirteenthyearofJianAn,thefifteenthdayoftheeleventhmonth
(December10,A.D.208).Theweatherwasclearandbright,the
windcalm,thewavesstill.CaoCaoorderedafeastandentertain-
mentforthecommandersthatevening.Thecomplexionofthe
heavensreflectedtheadvancingnightasthemoonclimbedover
theeasternmountainsandbeameddown,turningnighttoday.The
GreatRiverlayslack,likeaboltofwhitesilkunrolled.