The Romance of Creation

This book combines three works: The Romance of Creation, The Story of King Wu’s Campaign Against Zhou, and The Life of Qin Shi Huang. The Romance of Creation, whose full title is The Popular Tale of the Evolution and Narration of Creation, begins with Pangu creating heaven and earth, then covers the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the Xia and Shang dynasties, and King Wu of Zhou’s campaign to punish the tyrant and save the people. Its narrative is rigorous, its portrayals of emperors vivid, and its style reminiscent of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. From the creation of the world through King Wu’s campaign against Zhou, the book recounts many familiar ancient myths, such as Pangu creating heaven and earth.