Romance of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

The Romance of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

An epic of ancient China spanning from primordial chaos to the Xia and Shang dynasties!

Following a chronological narrative, it weaves together myths, legends, and ancient history, connecting the millennia-long story of the Three Sovereigns creating the world, the Five Emperors building a nation, Yu the Great establishing his realm, and the rise and fall of the Xia dynasty. The book features timeless myths of Pangu, Nuwa, and Shennong, as well as detailed accounts of the origins of ritual and music, strange tales from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and ancient rites and customs.

It objectively recounts the historical transition from abdication to hereditary rule, explores the conflicts and integration of ancient tribes, and examines the age-old Chinese wisdom of “harmony between heaven and humanity.” Written in a stately, classical style with a rigorous yet flowing narrative, it takes you on a sweeping journey through China’s transformation from wilderness to civilization and from myth to documented history, tracing the earliest origins of Chinese civilization.