Episode 000 of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast serves as an introduction to one of China’s Four Great Classical Novels, covering the historical period from 184 to 280 AD spanning the collapse of the Han dynasty to the founding of the Jin dynasty.
Host John Zhu explains his mission to make the epic accessible to Western audiences who lack the cultural familiarity Chinese readers bring to the text. He draws an analogy to Shakespeare’s role in Western culture, noting that just as Shakespeare’s characters and lines have become infused into English-speaking culture, the Three Kingdoms characters have permeated Chinese popular culture for centuries. He notes that the Chinese equivalent of “Speaking of the devil” is “As soon as you mention Cao Cao, Cao Cao is here,” referencing one of the novel’s most famous military figures.
Zhu critiques existing English translations as often dry and difficult for Western readers due to endless similar-sounding names and military campaign accounts. His approach involves retelling the story with more narrative color, explaining cultural and historical references, and providing occasional commentary rather than reading straight from translation. Supplemental materials including maps, transcripts, character charts, and timelines are available at 3kingdomspodcast.com.
The host outlines a sustainable production schedule of three weekly episodes followed by one week off, estimating approximately 150 episodes over four years to complete the saga. He acknowledges the technical and stylistic improvements that occur as the series progresses, noting the audio quality significantly improves around episode 53. The podcast invites listeners to engage through its website and social media channels on Facebook and Twitter.