#302 Three Kingdoms: Zhuge Liang and the Bromance of the Three Kingdoms

Zhuge Liang as depicted by Takeshi Kaneshiro in the 2009 Film, Red Cliff (赤壁)

Part I: Zhuge Liang and (b)romance of the Three Kingdoms

Student presentation (Jerry Cao)

Discussion:

• What are some of the clearest distinctions we can draw between the features of historical writing and historical fiction? What are the advantages to each genre in terms of conveying understanding to the reader?
• Why do you think Zhuge Liang (諸葛亮, known as Kongming 孔明 in the novel) is cited by so many as a favorite character from the novel? What makes him like—and unlike—some of the figures we have discussed already in this course?

Part II: Project preparation

• Introduce Three Kingdoms project (Google Doc).
  
• Meet with your teammates to tackle today’s tasks:
  • Review the relevant section in Wills recounting your scene.
  • Briefly discuss the particular skills that each of your group members possess and consider how you might match those skills to the intended project outcomes.
  • Sketch out a loose strategy that will organize your work as a group between today and Friday.
  • Look at the homework (assignment #303) and decide how you might divide up the tasks. Please take my instructions seriously but ultimately as suggestions that can be modified.

Relevant links:

For everyone:

• Mr. Hall’s notes are available in the updated #301 class below.
• Short bios of all the characters (outside link)
• Earlier translation of the novel by C. H. Brewitt-Taylor (outside link—note this is the same version as we have in the library)

Scene #1 (Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage) Team:

• Scene #1 selection from Moss Roberts translation (PDF)
• Podcast: Episode 046: Elusive Recluse (33:26)
  
  

Scene #2 (Battle at Red Cliff) Team:

• Scene #2 selection from Moss Roberts translation (PDF) *Note: This passage is twice as long as the other scenes. You may want to think about which portions you hope to include into your presentation before delving in.
• Podcast: Zhuge Liang’s trick to get 100,000 arrows: Episode 057: Strawman Solution (29:49)
• Podcast: Zhuge Liang’s fire ships: Episode 061: Who’s Laughing Now? (27:35)
• Podcast: Supplemental Episode 006: Red Cliff, Fact and Fiction (14:46)
  
  

Scene #3 (Empty City Strategy) Team:

• Scene #3 selection from Moss Roberts translation (PDF)
• Podcast: Episode 122: If You Know that I Know that You Know that I’m Bluffing . . .

Homework: Assignment #303