The Sanguo Yanyi – Audiobook
I have long been fascinated with the almost two millenia-old Chinese epic, the Sanguo Yanyi, or “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” as it has been called here in the west. The book, written by various authors contributing to it throughout the centuries, is truly one of the finest examples of epic storytelling in the history of the world. I tend to refer to it, sometimes, when I’m describing the story to people, as “The Chinese Illiad”. The term might be a tad bit imprecise, since the Illiad only covers, what, ten years or so? Whereas, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms covers 90+ years of Chinese history.
Some time back, I got a bug up my ass or something, and decided to go out and find audiobook versions of all my favorite books. I have been very successful for the most part, but there were some glaring omissions that I could not countenance. For one thing, I’ve not yet been able to score an audio copy of “The Aeneid” by Virgil. And from all the information I’ve thus far been able to gather, there is no audiobook adaptation of the Three Kingdoms saga. (Perhaps this might have something to do with the fact that the story is 120 chapters long!)
To say that I was a bit indignant to discover that no one had ever made an audiobook version of one of the best-selling books of all time, one of the greatest STORIES of all time would be a bit of an understatement. I looked and looked and looked for months to see if I could track down an audio copy, and found none. So I decided that I would make one myself.
By the way, I just want to say right here and now: I do not speak any of the Chinese dialects, so if I happen to mispronounce anything, my apologies, but I do the best I can. :p
I realize that this is a project which will probably consume my entire lifetime. The book is, as I have said before, quite a long one. But I am resolved to finish this project, if it takes me forever, and when I’m done, the world will have this fine, fine story of loyalty, brotherhood, ambition, and betrayal in audiobook form!
This version is adapted from the online version published by the good folks at Threekingdoms.com, featuring a musical score taken from the many Romance of the Three Kingdoms video games put out by Koei over the years. The music is courtesy of Kongming.net. If you’re as much of a fan of the Three Kingdoms as I am, you’ll have to check that one out! I have put a lot of work into this so far, and it’s not going to stop, so I hope that each and every one of you enjoy this.
DJ Raspy, Creator of the Brookhaven Chronicles
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Chapter 1: Three Heroes Swear Brotherhood In The Peach Garden; One Victory Shatters The Rebels On the Battleground
2. Chapter 2: Zhang Fei Whips The Government Officer;
He Jin Plots To Kill The Eunuchs
3. Chapter 3: In Wenming Garden, Dong Zhuo Denounces Ding Yuan; With Red Hare, Li Su Bribes Lu Bu.
4. Chapter 4: Deposition Of The Emperor: The Prince Of Chenliu Gets The Throne; Schemes Against Dong Zhuo: Cao Cao Presents A Sword.
5. Chapter 5: Cao Cao Appeals To The Powerful Lords; The Three Brothers Fight Against Lu Bu.
6. Chapter 6: Burning The Capital: Dong Zhuo Commits An Atrocity; Hiding The Imperial Hereditary Seal: Sun Jian Breaks Faith.
7. Chapter 7: Yuan Shao Fights Gongsun Zan At The River Pan; Sun Jian Attacks Liu Biao Across The Great River.
8. Chapter 8: Wang Yun Prepares The Chaining Scheme; Dong Zhuo Rages At Phoenix Pavilion.
9. Chapter 9: Lu Bu Kills Dong Zhuo For Wang Yun; Li Jue Attacks The Capital On Jia Xu’s Advice.
10. Chapter 10: Gathering Arms: Ma Teng Moves To Rescue The Emperor; Commanding A Force: Cao Cao Marches To Avenge His Father.
11. Chapter 11: Liu Bei Rescues Kong Rong At Beihai; Lu Bu Defeats Cao Cao Near Puyang.
12. Chapter 12: Tao Qian Thrice Offers Xuzhou To Liu Bei; Cao Cao Retakes Yanzhou From Lu Bu.
13. Chapter 13: Li Jue and Guo Si Duel In Chang’an; The Emperor Establishes Anyi The New Capital.
14. Chapter 14: Cao Cao Moves The Court To Xuchang; Lu Bu Leads A Night Raid Against Xuzhou.
15. Chapter 15: Taishi Ci Fights With The Little Conqueror; Sun Ce Cuts Short The White Tiger King.
16. Chapter 16: In The Camp Gate, Lu Bu Shoots The Halberd; At River Yu, Cao Cao Suffers A Defeat.
17. Chapter 17: Yuan Shu Marches Out Seven Armies; Cao Cao And Three Generals Join Forces.
18. Chapter 18: Giving Counsels, Jia Xu Directs A Great Victory; Braving the Battlefield, Xiahou Dun Loses An Eye.
19. Chapter 19: Cao Cao Makes a Flood In Xiapi; Lu Bu Perishes At The White Gate Tower.
20. Chapter 20: Cao Cao Organizes A Hunting Expedition In Xutian; Dong Cheng Receives A Secret Command In The Palace.
21. Chapter 21: In A Plum Garden, Cao Cao Discusses Heroes; Using The Host’s Forces, Guan Yu Takes Xuzhou.
22. Chapter 22: Yuan Shao And Cao Cao Both Take The Field; Guan Yu And Zhang Fei Capture Two Generals.
23. Chapter 23: Mi Heng Slips His Garment And Rails At Traitors; Ji Ping Pledges To Kill The Prime Minister.
24. Chapter 24: Cao Cao Murders The Consort Dong; Liu Bei Flees To Yuan Shao.
25. Chapter 25: Besieged In Tushan, Guan Yu Makes Three Conditions; Relieved At Baima, Cao Cao Beholds A Marvel.
26. Chapter 26: Yuan Shao Loses Another Leader; Guan Yu Abandons Rank And Wealth.
27. Chapter 27: The Duke of the Beautiful Beard Rides On A Solitary Journey; Guan Yu Slays Six Generals Through Five Passes.
28. Chapter 28: Putting Cai Yang To Death, The Brothers’ Doubts Disappear; Meeting At Gucheng, Lord and Lieges Fortify Each Other.
29. Chapter 29: The Little Conqueror Slays Yu Ji; The Green Eyed Boy Lays Hold On The South Land.
30. Chapter 30: Shunning Advice, Yuan Shao Loses Leaders and Granaries; Using Strategy, Cao Cao Scores Victory At Guandu.
31. Chapter 31: Cao Cao Overcomes Yuan Shao In Cangting; Liu Bei Seeks Shelter With Liu Biao In Jingzhou.
32. Chapter 32: Jizhou Taken: Yuan Shang Strives; River Zhang Cut: Xun You Schemes.
33. Chapter 33: A Gallant Warrior, Cao Pi Marries Lady Zhen; An Expiring Star, Guo Jia Settles Liaodong.
34. Chapter 34: Behind The Screen, Lady Cai Overhears A Secret; Across The Tan Torrent, The Dilu Horse Carries Its Master.
35. Chapter 35: Liu Bei Meets A Recluse At Nanzhang; Shan Fu Sees A Noble Lord At Xinye.
36. Chapter 36: Shan Fu’s Strategy: Fankou Is Captured; Xu Shu’s Affection: Zhuge Liang Is Recommended.
37. Chapter 37: Sima Hui Recommends A Scholar To Liu Bei; Liu Bei Pays Three Visits To The Sleeping Dragon Ridge.
38. Chapter 38: Zhuge Liang Plans For The Three Kingdoms; Sun Quan Attacks Xiakou To Take Revenge.
39. Chapter 39: At Jingzhou, The Son Of Liu Biao Thrice Begs Advice; At Bowang Slope, The Directing Instructor Plans His First Battle.
40. Chapter 40: Lady Cai Renounces Jingzhou; Zhuge Liang Burns Xinye.
41. Chapter 41: Liu Bei Leads His People Over The River; Zhao Zilong Rescues The Child Lord At Dangyang.
42. Chapter 42: Screaming Zhang Fei Triumphs At Long Slope Bridge; Defeated Liu Bei Marches To Hanjin.
43. Chapter 43: Zhuge Liang Disputes With The Southern Scholars; Lu Su Denounces The Majority Opinion.
44. Chapter 44: Zhuge Liang Stirs Zhou Yu To Actions; Sun Quan Decides To Attack Cao Cao.
45. Chapter 45: At The Three Gorges, Cao Cao Loses Soldiers; In The Gathering Of Heroes, Jiang Gan Is Trapped.
46. Chapter 46: Using Strategy, Zhuge Liang Borrows Arrows; Joining A Ruse, Huang Gai Accepts Punishment.
47. Chapter 47: Kan Ze Presents A Treacherous Letter; Pang Tong Suggests Chaining The Ships.
48. Chapter 48: Banquet On The Great River, Cao Cao Sings A Song; Battle On Water, Northerners Fight With Chained Ships.
49. Chapter 49: On Seven-Star Altar, Zhuge Liang Sacrifices To The Winds; At Three Gorges, Zhou Yu Liberates The Fire.
DON’T QUIT!
I really want an audiobook!
I realize this blog post may be ridiculous amounts of old, BUT I WOULD PAY FOR YOUR AUDIOBOOK.
PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN ABOUT THIS STORY.
Dude, serious – I would pay for one too.
It’s free.
This is amazing, please keep it up!
I have been looking for this audio book religiously and just sat here smiling to myself over your genius audio recording. I love how you incorporated both music and your own voices for various characters.
Thank you so much!
Loving this.. keep up the good work.
OMG Thank you for what you’re doing! I am a huge fan of the book, read in russian when was studying chinese literature in the university. Now I listen to your version, and I think it’s great! You’re doing amazing job.
Keep it up, I just caught up to chapter 48 (the last one at the moment I writ this) and I can’t get enough. I find it good enough that I would pay for it. You can’t find decent audiobooks on itunes…
Good work!
Yes, indeed. I have been kind of slow lately in posting new ones, just because I have a ton of things going on at the moment including building the new website, plus working two jobs, but I assure you that more episodes will be on the way. I will probably be posting Chapter 49 sometime next week, I’m guestimating.
say is there a download link for this, i would really like to have it my mp3 when im travelling
Yes, there are download links available in each and every audiobook chapter post. For instance, if you click on Chapter One, and it goes and brings up the post for Chapter 1 of the audiobook, there should be a direct link to download the mp3 first thing in the post. It appears as a hyperlink. Just click it, and it will let you download an mp3 of the chapter.
Thank You. BTW Superb audiobook, your pronunciation on the names are excellent.
nice. keep the project up! been searching for an audiobook for quite some time now. if you’re still looking for the osts of the games, there’s a torrent at the piratebay that i’m still seeding.
Thanks, I will keep up the project. I’m more determined than ever not to give up on this project when I am, after all, just under half of the way done with it. As I have mentioned in previous comments, I realize I have been a bit slow in posting any new chapters recently. This website came up for renewal a few days ago, and I had been trying to get the new website I’m building done and ready to debut by then, but it’s proven to be more time-consuming than I originally estimated.
Nonetheless, it draws nearer to completion, and when it’s ready, I’ll be putting up redirect code to redirect everyone who visits here to the new website. In the meantime, I’ll probably be releasing the next chapter sometime this week. Thank you, everyone, for your patience. I work two jobs, in addition to all the other stuff I do, so it takes me a while to get stuff done sometimes…
Keep it up, I cant wait to listen to the rest of the chapters. This is my favorite novel.