Three Kingdoms

If you do not know the story of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms or 三個王國的浪漫 which is one of the most popular works ever written in Chinese then please start reading here: www.threekingdoms.com (we have no connection to this wonderful site).

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義 is a 14th century novel probably by Luo Guanzhong. Here is a good Wikipedia link about the history involved.

Below are images of some lovely porcelain tiles 青花瓷板 we hold which have some interesting connections to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and which we believe deserve wide appreciation. Improvements and corrections to translation always appreciated. See also extended notes at bottom of page about the connection with the 1958 first edition comic or lianhuanhua 连环画 and Yang Qinghua 杨庆华 (1915 - 2001) which might be of interest to collectors and enthusiasts.

[1] 呂布大戰張飛
Lu Bu’s great battle with Zhāng Fēi

[2] 呂布戰許褚
Lu Bu’s battle with Xǔ Chǔ

[3] 趙雲寶劍刺鍾紳
Zhao Yun's double edged sword kills Zhong Shen (perhaps 'Treasure sword')

[4] 關羽快斬華雄
Guan Yu quickly beheads Hua Xiong

[5] 呂布戰牛輔
Lu Bu’s battle with Niú Fǔ

[6] ⼭野友人偶相遇
Among mountains and fields friends accidentally meet

Studio: 存古齋謹製
Humbly produced by the Studio of Preserving Antiquity
very uncertain about this - have found no records of this studio artist, just a few other example as below

Date: 壬寅春
Rén Yín is 39th year of the 60 year cycle, so (1842, 1902) 1962
Note that the information below about the images being the same as First Edition Three Kingdoms comics would support this date as they were published just at that time.

Sizes: width 36 cm (14.25 inches) height 25.4 cm (10 inches). No frame. Look as if all six once formed part of some furniture item.

Other examples seen from this studio. If you are aware of other examples please do let us know so we can add the details here.

1. Aspire Auctions listing (sold) Aspire Auctions 2007


2. Ardesh listing (marked as unsold) Ardesh sale listing


3. Heritage listing (marked as unsold) Heritage sale listing

Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House "Three Kingdoms" comic. The first edition was apparently 1957-1961 and these tiles are identical to some artwork within. Apologies if references below are incorrect - the work on this was done many years ago.

Image 1. Lu Bu’s great battle with Zhāng Fēi Picture is same as frame 67 of Shanghai People’s Fine Art Publishing lainhuanhua comic 4 (of 60). The comic is called Tiger Trap Pass 虎牢關 which is a scene of a battle.
Story is in Three Kingdoms Chapter 5.

Image 2. Lu Bu’s battle with Xǔ Chǔ
Story is in Three Kingdoms Chapter 12.

Image 3. Zhao Yun's double edged sword kills Zhong Shen Picture is same as frame 72 of Shanghai People’s Fine Art Publishing lainhuanhua comic 24 (of 60). The comic is called ChangBanPo ⻓长坂坡 which is a scene of a battle.
Story is in Three Kingdoms Chapter 42.

Image 4. Guan Yu quickly beheads Hua Xiong
Story is in Three Kingdoms Chapter 5.

Image 5. Lu Bu’s battle Niú Fǔ
Story is in Three Kingdoms Chapter 9.

Lianhuanhua This is a useful Wikipedia link about lainhuanhua and dates. See 'Story of the Three Kingdoms' in 1958 by Yang Qinghua 杨庆华

Further research

The Huntingdon Archive has examples as below:

Notice that the righthand image is clearly from the same series as those above.