Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast

Announcement: 10 Years of Podcasting

Announcement: ”Investiture of the Gods” Launched

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

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...

Announcement: Interview on Asian Fantasy Fiction Podcast

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

Announcement: 2 Podcast Interviews

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...

Announcement: Ask Me Anything on Dec. 16

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

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....

Update: Appearance on "Total War" Podcast

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 t...

Update: Water Margin Podcast Launch; Three Kingdoms Miscellany

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

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

3 Kingdoms Supplemental 020: Carousel of Characters

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

3 Kingdoms 153: Podcasts Under Heaven …

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

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

3 Kingdoms 152: Mutual Loathing and Admiration

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

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

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

3 Kingdoms 150: Ulterior Motives

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

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

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

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

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

3 Kingdoms 147: The Empire Strikes Back

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

3 Kingdoms 146: Pyrrhic Victory

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

3 Kingdoms 145: Even More Chaos at Court

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

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

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

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

3 Kingdoms Supplemental 015: Zhuge Liang, Fact and Fiction

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!

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

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.