The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: A Fun Retelling

The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period could be called the craziest "startup era" in Chinese history. "Whoever has the strongest troops and horses becomes emperor" was the only rule. Here, you'll see the outrageous antics of Shi Jingtang, the "son emperor," and witness the tragedy of Li Cunxiao, the mightiest general of the Five Dynasties. A carpenter founded a country, while an emperor was frightened to death by a fire. And of course, there was Li Yu, the fallen ruler who left behind immortal poems. In the most entertaining way, this book untangles this most chaotic period and lets you understand an age in which heroes, warlords, and oddballs took turns appearing on the stage.