The great historical epic "The Three Kingdoms" heads the list of the "Four Classical Novels" — the most famous Chinese works from the 14th to the 18th centuries. In China, it is arguably the most popular and beloved book, but in the West "The Three Kingdoms" is still considered the most popular Chinese novel. It depicts events related to the 3rd century AD, when China split into three independent kingdoms continuously at war with each other. However, calling it a "historical" novel is a stretch: rather, it is an incredible intertwining of many plots (the reader will find descriptions of military battles, intrigues, power struggles, romantic twists, and much more), where historical accuracy blends with myths and legends of Ancient China. In this edition, the text is printed based on the two-volume set published by the State Publishing House of Fiction Literature in 1954.