Luo Guanzhong > Quotes

“The world under heaven, after a long period of division, tends to unite; after a long period of union, tends to divide. This has been so since antiquity. ”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms Vol. 1

“The empire long united must divide, long divided must unite; this is how it has always been.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Vol. 1 of 2

“Success is not worth rejoicing over, failure is not worth grieving over.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“To kill deliberately is very wrong,” said Chen Gong. “I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me,” was Cao Cao’s reply. Chen Gong could say nothing.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Vol. 1 of 2

“It is a general truism of this world that anything long divided will surely unite, and anything long united will surely divide.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Vol. 1 of 2

“On and on the Great River rolls, racing east.
Of proud and gallant heros its white-tops leave no trace,
As right and wrong, pride and fall at once unreal
Yet ever the green hill stay
To blaze in the west-waning day...”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms Part 1

“You may return and tell Sun Quan to wash his neck: the executioner is coming.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“The hound and hare were both so wearied that the peasant got them all.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“He is a perfect genius, god and devil combined, the greatest marvel of the age.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms

“From the days of old, those who walk in the way have replaced those who deviate therefrom; those who lack virtue have fallen before those who possess it. Can one escape fate?”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“Victory and defeat are but ordinary events in a soldier's career, and why should you give up?”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“Your rival has ten weak points, whereas you have ten strong ones. Although his army is large, it is not irresistible.
“Yuan Shao is too caught up in ceremony and show while you, on the other hand, are more practical. He is often antagonistic and tends to force things, whereas you are more conciliatory and try to guide things to their proper courses, giving you the advantage of popular support. His extravagance hinders his administrative ability while your better efficiency is a great contribution to the government, granting you the edge of a well-structured and stable administration. On the outside he is very kind and giving but on the inside he is grudging and suspicious. You are just the opposite, appearing very exacting but actually very understanding of your followers’ strengths and weaknesses. This grants you the benefit of tolerance. He lacks commitment where you are unfaltering in your decisions, promptly acting on your plans with full faith that they will succeed. This shows an advantage in strategy and decisiveness. He believes a man is only as good as his reputation, which contrasts with you, who looks beyond this to see what kind of person they really are. This demonstrates that you are a better judge of moral character. He only pays attention to those followers close to him, while your vision is all-encompassing. This shows your superior supervision. He is easily misled by poor advice, whereas you maintain sound judgment even if beset by evil council. This is a sign of your independence of thought. He does not always know what is right and wrong but you have an unwavering sense of justice. This shows how you excel in discipline. He has a massive army, but the men are poorly trained and not ready for war. Your army, though much smaller, is far superior and well provisioned, giving you the edge in planning and logistics, allowing you to execute effectively. With your ten superiorities you will have no difficulty in subduing Yuan Shao.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Vol. 1 of 2

“The world under heaven, after a long period of division, tends to unite; after a long period of union, tends to divide.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms

“滚滚长江东逝水，浪花淘尽英雄。是非成败转头空。 　　　　青山依旧在，几度夕阳红。白发渔樵江渚上，惯看秋月春风。”
― Luo Guanzhong, SAN GUO YAN YI (Romance of the Three Kingdoms): 《三国演义》上

“Better to wrong the world than have it wrong me!”
― Luo Guanzhong, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms

“So ended the division of land into three kingdoms, which were reunited into one empire under the rule of Sima Yan of the Jin Dinasty. This is what is meant by "Unity succeeds division and division follows unity. One is bound to be replaced by the other after a long span of time. This is the way of things in the world”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“The arrow hit Xiahou Dun full in the left eye. He shrieked, and putting up his head, pulled out the arrow and with it the eye. “Essence of my father, blood of my mother, I cannot throw this away!” cried Xiahou Dun, and he put the eye into his mouth and swallowed it.”
― Luo Guanzhong, The Romance of Three Kingdoms

“That must be Dong Zhuo!” cried Zhang Fei. “What’s the use of pursuing Lu Bu? Better seize the chief villain and so eradicate the evil by plucking up its roots.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Vol. 1 of 2

“When all dreams wane, same are loss and gain”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“The roiling, restless fog is like chaos before a storm, swirling streaks resembling wintry clouds. Serpents lurking there can spread its pestilence, and evil spirits can havoc wreak, sending pain and woe to the world of men, and the storms of wind and sand that plague the border wastes. Common souls meeting it fall dead. Great men observe it and despair. Are we returning to the primal state that preceded form itself — to undivided Heaven and earth?”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“Solving this issue is as easy as turning over one's hand!”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“话说天下大势，分久必合，合久必分”
― Luo Guanzhong, 三国演义(全三册)

“云：掩目而捕燕雀，是自欺也，微”
― Luo Guanzhong, 三国演义 (古典名著普及文库)

“Truly, flowers open, only to be blown down by the wind.”
― Luo Guanzhong, The Outlaws of the Marsh

“Just introduce a woman, conspiracies succeed; Of soldiers, or their weapons, there really is no need.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“運籌決算有神功，二虎還須遜一龍。初出便能垂偉績，自應分鼎在孤窮。 Though fierce as tigers soldiers be, Battles are won by strategy. A hero comes; he gains renown, Already destined for a crown.”
― Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Bilingual Edition, English and Chinese, Volume 1 三國演義: Chapters 1-26

“That you cannot distinguish between the able and the incompetent shows that your eyes are corrupt. Your failure to chant the Odes and the Documents shows that your mouth is corrupt. Your rejection of loyal advice shows that your ears are corrupt. Your ignorance of past and present shows that your whole being is corrupt. Your conflicts with the lords of the realm show that your stomach is corrupt. Your dream of usurpation shows that your mind is corrupt. To make a renowned scholar like me serve as drum master is a poor imitation of the tricks of such villains of old as Yang Huo who slighted Confucius, or Zang Cang who tried to ruin Mencius. Do you think you can hold men in such contempt and still become the leader of the lords of the realm?”
― Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms

“话说天下大势，分久必合，合久必分。周末七国分争，并入于秦。及秦灭之后，楚、汉分争，又并入于汉。汉朝自高祖斩白蛇而起义，一统天下，后来光武中兴，传至献帝，遂分为三国。 推其致乱之由，殆始于桓、灵二帝。桓帝禁锢善类，崇信宦官。及桓帝崩，灵帝即位，大将军窦武、太傅陈蕃共相辅佐。时有宦官曹节等弄权，窦武、陈蕃谋诛之，机事不密，反为所害，中涓自此愈横。”
― Luo Guanzhong, 三国演义 (古典名著普及文库)

“玄德曰：“屈身守分，以待天时，不可与命争也。”吕”
― Luo Guanzhong, 三国演义 (古典名著普及文库)

“胸怀韬略，腹隐机谋。”
― Luo Guanzhong, 三国演义 (古典名著普及文库)