Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast

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A retelling of the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms in a way that’s more accessible to a Western audience. See 3kingdomspodcast.com for more.

John Zhu


    • Apr 9, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 187 EPISODES

    4.9 from 556 ratings Listeners of Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast that love the show mention: chinese history, romance of the three kingdoms, zhu, water margin, rotk, undertaking, great retelling, liang, 3 kingdoms, warriors series, chinese culture, way to experience, chinese classic, total war, characters to life, unabridged, westerners, john makes, names and places, supplemental.



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    Latest episodes from Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast

    Announcement: 10 Years of Podcasting

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2024 1:38


    Announcement: ”Investiture of the Gods” Launched

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2022 0:32


    Hi everyone. I want to let you know that I have posted the first episodes of Investiture of the Gods on the Chinese Lore Podcast. If you are not yet subscribed to that show, go to chineselore.com. You will find links to the show on various podcast platforms and on YouTube, as well as links to find me on social media and to review and support the show. If you like the podcast, a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts would be much appreciated. As always, thanks for listening!

    Announcement: May 24 Live Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2022 0:44


    Hi everyone. I want to let you know that on May 24, I will be part of a panel of Asian podcasters on Podbean's Storytelling Podcast Week Live show. It's Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and this live show will be highlighting AAPI podcasters. We will be discussing our podcasts, the stories behind our stories, and our experiences as podcasters. I'm looking forward to it, and I hope you will tune in as well. The show will be live on May 24 at 3 p.m. eastern time. I have included the registration link with this announcement on my podcasts' websites, outlawsofthemarsh.com and 3kingdomspodcast.com. See you there!

    Announcement: Interview on Asian Fantasy Fiction Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2021 0:59


    Check out my recent conversation with Jeremy Bai, a translator and writer focusing on Chinese fantasy genres.

    Announcement: 2 Podcast Interviews

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2020 1:05


    I recently did two interviews on other podcasts. The first is the Mandarin Slang Guide podcast, where we talked about some common Chinese expressions that had their roots in the characters and stories of the Three Kingdoms era. The second one is Journey to the West: The Podcast, where we had a long chat about classic Chinese novels and their cultural significance, including the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the Water Margin, and of course, Journey to the West. Have a listen, and also check out the other episodes on those podcasts, too. If you like what I'm doing, you might be interested in those shows as well.

    Announcement: Ask Me Anything on Dec. 16

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2019 1:21


    If you have questions about the how's and why's of this podcast, or my thoughts on podcasting in general, post them at the Ask Me Anything hosted by WhatPods on December 16 at https://whatpods.com/show-development/ama/john-zhu.

    Update: Videos on Three Kingdoms Warlords

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2019 1:11


    I recently collaborated with the YouTube channel Invicta History on three videos about Three Kingdoms warlords. The videos were sponsored by Creative Assembly as part of the promotion for its new game Total War: Three Kingdoms. My role in the project was to provide research and record the narration for the videos. We covered Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao, and Liu Bei. It was a fun project. All three videos are out now, so have a look.

    videos warlords three kingdoms creative assembly total war three kingdoms cao cao
    Update: Appearance on "Total War" Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2019 0:57


    Back in February, I took part in a podcast conversation on the Invicta History YouTube channel with the host, Julien, and Peter Stewart, a writer from the team producing the coming “Total War: Three Kingdoms” game. We chatted for more than an hour, geeking out over the history of the Three Kingdoms period, the novel based on it, and how all of that is handled in the game. It was a fun conversation, and it was interesting for me to hear how the team worked to capture the essence of the story in the game. Have a listen.

    appearance total war three kingdoms total war three kingdoms peter stewart
    Update: Water Margin Podcast Launch; Three Kingdoms Miscellany

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2019 3:48


    An announcement about my new podcast project, and an update on a couple things I've been doing with the Three Kingdoms Podcast.

    3 Kingdoms 154: Looking Back, Looking Ahead

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2018 16:17


    A reflection on this four-year ride, and a glimpse of things to come.

    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 020: Carousel of Characters

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2018 29:42


    A rapid-fire look at a bunch of supporting players in the novel.

    3 Kingdoms 153: Podcasts Under Heaven …

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2018 13:06


    One hundred and fifty-three episodes later, we have finally reached the “long divided, must unite” part of the novel.

    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 019: Food

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2018 25:08


    A look at what they ate and drank during the Three Kingdoms era.

    3 Kingdoms 152: Mutual Loathing and Admiration

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2018 27:24


    While their respective states are sizing each other up for conquest, the Jin and Wu commanders at the borders are getting along famously.

    3 Kingdoms 151: How Quickly They Forget

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2018 28:46


    Sure I just lost my kingdom, but look at all the fun stuff they have in the Wei capital!

    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 018: Sima Yi, Fact and Fiction

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2018 15:36


    We look at the architect of the Sima clan's rise to power.

    3 Kingdoms 150: Ulterior Motives

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2018 25:05


    Everyone has a hidden agenda, except maybe for the guy suspected of hatching an insurrection. (Note: Special guest narrator this week)

    3 Kingdoms 149: We Ain't No Fortunate Sons

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2018 28:31


    A Shu commander tries to live up to his father's legacy, while a Shu prince refuses to follow his father's example.

    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 017: Sun Quan, Fact and Fiction

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2018 15:41


    A dive into the real life of the guy who ran the family business for 50-plus years.

    3 Kingdoms 148: Ain't No Mountain High Enough

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2018 27:42


    While Jiang Wei scrambles to mount a last-ditch defense, his old nemesis searches for a way to go around his roadblock.

    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 016: Learning to Delegate

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2018 11:10


    Meet two statesmen who really mastered the art of saying, "That's not in my job description."

    3 Kingdoms 147: The Empire Strikes Back

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2018 27:24


    Tired of Shu's perpetual encroachment on its borders, Wei decides to take the fight to its nemesis.

    3 Kingdoms 146: Pyrrhic Victory

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2018 27:28


    Jiang Wei finally gets the better of Deng Ai, but even that ends up backfiring.

    kingdoms pyrrhic victory
    3 Kingdoms 145: Even More Chaos at Court

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2018 28:07


    Discord between lord and vassal simmers in the court of Shu, while things boil over in the court of Wei.

    3 Kingdoms 144: Chaos at Court

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2018 28:56


    While the Shu and Wei continue to slug it out in the West, the kingdom of Wu deals with internal unrest at the highest level.

    3 Kingdoms 143: How the Southeast Was Won, Again

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2018 27:41


    Sima Zhao takes the emperor on a buddy road trip to put down another insurgence in a particularly troublesome part of the kingdom.

    3 Kingdoms 142: Mildly Wild West

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2018 27:51


    Oh look: Another Northern campaign by the kingdom of Shu. Yawn.

    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 015: Zhuge Liang, Fact and Fiction

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2018 33:16


    We say so long to the novel's pivotal player and wonder if he was really the genius the book made him out to be.

    3 Kingdoms 141: I Would Give My Left Eye for Google Maps!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2018 28:40


    A couple generals down South stir up trouble for Sima Shi. Now if only their forces knew the way to his camp ....

    3 Kingdoms 140: A Familiar Script

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2018 27:31


    Jiang Wei's Northern invasion meets the same fate as Zhuge Liang's, while Sima Shi borrows a few pages from Cao Cao's playbook for how to deal with imperial puppets who don't know their place.

    script kingdoms cao cao zhuge liang
    3 Kingdoms 139: Chaos in the South

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2017 29:45


    Things go well for the kingdom of Wu and its political leader ... until they bite off more than they can chew.

    3 Kingdoms 138: North by Northwest

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2017


    Aided by an unexpected defection, Jiang Wei restarts the Northern campaigns by setting his sights first on the Northwest.

    3 Kingdoms 137: Coups Are Back in Vogue

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2017 29:09


    It's been a while since someone made a play to seize power from within. That changes this week.

    3 Kingdoms 136: King in the North

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2017 29:32


    A new threat emerges on Wei's northeastern borders, and he is just as bad at battle strategy as Jon Snow.

    wei kingdoms jon snow king in the north
    3 Kingdoms 135: Pursuit of Immortality

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2017 30:39


    While Zhuge Liang sails off into eternal fame, the Wei emperor Cao Rui goes in search of eternal youth.

    3 Kingdoms 134: The Shu Hits the Fan

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2017 29:58


    The death of its indispensable man is just the start of the Riverlands' troubles.

    3 Kingdoms 133: When It Rains ...

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2017 31:35


    A stunning turn of events in the showdown between Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi.

    kingdoms rains zhuge liang
    3 Kingdoms 132: Intellectual Property Theft Does Not Pay

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2017 26:19


    Again and again, Sima Yi is made to rue the day he stole Zhuge Liang's invention.

    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 014: It's Just A Flesh Wound

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2017 10:24


    We delve into the story of the one-armed assassin and the guy who kicked his butt AFTER being assassinated.

    3 Kingdoms 131: Wooden Oxens, Gliding Horses, and Copycats

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2017 28:03


    Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi match wits over the latest in wheelbarro

    3 Kingdoms 130: Goin' Down the Only Road I've Ever Known

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2017 29:02


    After another promising Northern campaign gets short-circuited, Zhuge Liang prays to his former lord for the strength to carry on, because he's made up his mind and he ain't wasting no more time.

    3 Kingdoms 129: You Called Me Back for This?!!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2017 27:51


    Just as he was getting into a groove, Zhuge Liang is rudely interrupted in the field by an urgent dispatch from his emperor.

    kingdoms zhuge liang
    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 013: Getting Sneaky

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2017 6:14


    A brief explanation of the story behind the most famous secret crossing in Chinese history.

    3 Kingdoms 128: Smackdowns and Smack Talk

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2017 29:19


    You've seen Zhuge Liang kill someone with just his tongue. Now watch him kill someone with the written word.

    3 Kingdoms 127: A Familiar Script

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2017 28:55


    Zhuge Liang's third Northern expedition gets off to a promising start, but what else is new?

    3 Kingdoms 126: Putting the "Three" in Three Kingdoms

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2017 28:19


    Did you know that we had actually been rolling with just two official kingdoms all this time? Well, Sun Quan will fix that this week.

    3 Kingdoms 125: Smoke and Mirrors

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2017 28:27


    Zhuge Liang toys with Cao Zhen time and again on his second Northern expedition.

    3 Kingdoms Supplemental 012: Liu Bei, Fact and Fiction

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2017 35:31


    We delve into the life and career of the real Liu Bei to see if he is really as virtuous as the novel made him out to be (spoiler alert: No one can be as virtuous as the novel made Liu Bei out to be).

    3 Kingdoms 124: Losing An Arm and A Pillar

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2017 28:03


    Zhuge Liang prepares to take another shot at Wei, but one old friend will not be joining him.

    3 Kingdoms 123: The Price of Ignoring Good Advice

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2017 29:13


    While Zhuge Liang picks up the pieces after his aborted Northern campaign, a Wei commander falls for a trick from the South.

    3 Kingdoms 122: If You Know that I Know that You Know that I'm Bluffing ...

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 30:17


    When his campaign takes a drastic turn for the worse, Zhuge Liang is forced to resort to a desperate gamble.

    kingdoms bluffing zhuge liang

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