''The Ravages of Time'' is an ongoing

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...

comics a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...

series created by

Chan Mou Chan Mou () is a Chinese comic artist from Hong Kong. His first comic ever self-written and self-produced '' Unhuman'' (《不是人》), based on the Three Kingdoms period and released in 1996, had won him numerous awards and recognitions. His ...

. It re-tells the events in the late

Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...

and

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the West ...

period of

Chinese history The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the ''Book of Documents'' (early chapter ...

, with the story largely revolving around the many exploits of a young

Sima Yi Sima Yi ( ; 179 CE – 7 September 251 CE), courtesy name Zhongda, was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He formally began his political career in 208 un ...

. The series is known for exercising a large degree of creativity in several aspects and people of the Three Kingdoms. While the milestone events were left relatively untouched (e.g. outcomes of major battles, death of certain characters), many finer details were changed and largely dramatized. For example,

is portrayed in the story to be much older than his historical counterpart. Other characters such as

Liu Bei Liu Bei (, ; ; 161 – 10 June 223), courtesy name Xuande (), was a warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty who founded the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period and became its first ruler. Although he was a distant relative of the ...

Zhao Yun Zhao Yun ( ) (died 229), courtesy name Zilong (), was a military general who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China. Originally a subordinate of the northern warlord Gongsun Zan, Zhao Yun later came ...

Zhang Fei Zhang Fei () (died July or August 221 AD), courtesy name Yide, was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China. Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, who were among the earlie ...

Diaochan Diaochan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Although based on a minor historical personage, she is mostly a fictional character. She is best known for her role in the 14th-century historical novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', ...

and

Lü Bu Lü Bu () (died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betr ...

are also portrayed differently from historical accounts and popular conception. The plot puts a good deal of focus on the politics and warfare of the Three Kingdoms period, as such one of the main attraction of the series are the associated mind games, military strategies and tactics. However, Chan Mou also regularly zooms in on the personal developments of the main protagonists, detailing their dynamic responses and attitudes to the events unfolding around them. ''The Ravages of Time'' is currently serialized in Hong Kong,

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...

, and

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

, with compiled volumes published in

Mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the China, People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming Island, Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territorie ...

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...

and

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

as well. It is one of the few

manhua () are Chinese-language comics produced in China and Taiwan. Whilst Chinese comics and narrated illustrations have existed in China in some shape or form throughout its imperial history, the term first appeared in 1904 in a comic titled ''Cu ...

of its format to reach such an extensive foreign market.

Plot

''The Ravages of Time'' is a spinoff of the 14th-century historical novel ''

Romance of the Three Kingdoms ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' () is a 14th-century historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong. It is set in the turbulent years towards the end of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history, starting in 184 AD ...

''. It tells the exploits of

Cao Cao Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the dynasty's final years. As one o ...

, the Sun family, and other people from that period, from the point of view of the two main characters,

Feng Feng may refer to: *Feng (surname), one of several Chinese surnames in Mandarin: **Féng (surname) ( wikt:冯 féng 2nd tone "gallop"), very common Chinese surname **Fèng (surname) ( wikt:鳳 fèng 4th tone "phoenix"), relatively common Chinese fa ...

and Liaoyuan Huo, whose names collectively form the Chinese title of the manhua.

is the young, unofficial leader of the Sima clan, a highly successful and rich merchant family with strong influence in politics and the economy. Unknown to people outside the clan, the elders have long deferred their power to Sima Yi, believing that he will bring prosperity to their clan, due to his flair for spotting profitable business ventures at a young age. The clan members operate out of public sight and position themselves where they can maximize their profits regardless of the political situation. They command a group of mercenary assassins, known as the Handicapped Warriors (殘兵), who assist them in manipulating politics. The mercenaries are reputed to be all disabled, but have developed special abilities for conducting assassinations. They are led by Liaoyuan Huo, said to be a "one-eyed" assassin and the best one in the land. The story begins with the Handicapped Warriors assassinating Xu Lin, an advisor to

Dong Zhuo Dong Zhuo () (died 22 May 192), courtesy name Zhongying, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. At the end of the reign of the Eastern Han, Dong Zhuo was a general and powerful minist ...

, to prevent Dong's advances in subduing the various merchant clans. As the story progresses, Sima Yi and Liaoyuan Huo are reluctantly drawn into the wars of the late

period. Sima ends up at the mercy of Cao Cao, while Liaoyuan Huo is forced to take on a new identity as "

" and serve under Liu Bei to create opportunities for Sima Yi. A rift gradually starts developing between the two former close friends. Throughout the series, Sima Yi, Liaoyuan Huo and the Handicapped Warriors are frequently shown to be the catalyst of historical events in the story. They are involved in causing Dong Zhuo's downfall, Cao Cao's rise to power, the Battle of Xu Province, Battle of Puyang,

Sun Ce Sun Ce () () (175–200), courtesy name Bofu, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the eldest child of Sun Jian, who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when ...

's rise to power, etc. Their involvement is a common thread that runs through the narrative. The story also centers on another eight characters, the "Eight Enigmas" (八奇), a group of elite military strategists trained by

Sima Hui Sima Hui (died 208), courtesy name Decao and pseudonym Shuijing, was a hermit who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Life Sima Hui was from Yangzhai County (), Yingchuan Commandery (), which is around present-day Yuzhou, Henan ...

, who is also known as Shuijing (水鏡). They comprise Yuan Fang (a fictional character),

Xun Yu Xun Yu (163–212), courtesy name Wenruo, was a Chinese military official and politician who served as an adviser to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Early life Xun Yu was from Yingchuan Commandery (around p ...

Jia Xu Jia Xu (147 – 11 August 223), courtesy name Wenhe, was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the early Three Kingdoms period of China. He started his career in the late Eastern Han dynasty as a minor official. In 189, when the warlord Don ...

Guo Jia Guo Jia () (170–207), courtesy name Fengxiao, was an adviser to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Throughout his 11 years of service, Guo Jia aided Cao Cao greatly with his brilliance and foresight, and his str ...

Zhou Yu Zhou Yu (, ) (175–210), courtesy name Gongjin (), was a Chinese military general and strategist serving under the warlord Sun Ce in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. After Sun Ce died in the year 200, he continued serving under Sun Quan, ...

Pang Tong Pang Tong () (179–214), courtesy name Shiyuan, was a key adviser to the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. In his youth, Pang Tong was disregarded because he was plain looking, however Sima Hui highly esteemed him call ...

Zhuge Liang Zhuge Liang ( zh, t=諸葛亮 / 诸葛亮) (181 – September 234), courtesy name Kongming, was a Chinese statesman and military strategist. He was chancellor and later regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. He is ...

, and an unknown eighth member. Each of the Eight Enigmas has his motivation for choosing a ruler to follow, and some chapters are devoted to revealing their ultimate intents and moral stances.

Story arcs

The main story arcs include: #

's arc #

's rise to power arc #

and Xuzhou arc #

's rise to power arc #Battle of Xiapi #

Battle of Xiapi The Battle of Xiapi was fought between the forces of Lü Bu against the allied armies of Cao Cao and Liu Bei from the winter of 198 to 7 February 199 towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty in China. The battle concluded with victory for C ...

outcomes. #

Yuan Shu Yuan Shu () (died July or August 199), courtesy name Gonglu, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the Han central government in 189 ...

's arc #Sun Ce Vs the Taiping Cult arc #Battle of Guandu. #Battle of Chibi. #The Four Commanderies arc After volume 27, with the destruction of the Sima clan, Sima Yi submits to Cao Cao and he plots vengeance. This leads to the next arc featuring Lü Bu's downfall, which ends in volume 32 with the death of Lü Bu. Starting from volume 36, the storyline simultaneously covers the continued rise and death of Sun Ce and the beginning of Cao Cao's battle with

Yuan Shao Yuan Shao (, ; died 28 June 202), courtesy name Benchu (), was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil wars that occurred t ...

. The Battle of Guandu officially ends in volume 44, in which the Yuan clan's stance is shaken with the loss in Guandu and the death of

. Taking over from there are the events leading to the Battle of Wuhuan. Beginning with volume 49, the story has focused on the battle of Chibi or Red Cliff, which occurred following Cao Cao's invasion south.

Character designs

All characters in the manhua have their own unique designs, in contrast to the general perception that Chinese people of that period have long hair, and that it was social taboo to cut one's hair. Many characters have bizarre and distinctive facial designs that distinguish themselves from others. For example,

, traditionally depicted as a bearded chubby man, is portrayed as an artist who painted his face to resemble a Chinese opera mask.

is described to be a skillful assassin who cannot experience physical sensations.

's hair style and facial design mirror the stereotypical "White Jesus". Other characters in the story feature tons of bizarre but memorable and interesting designs. Some characters have different hair colour, weird hairstyles, tattoos, facial markings, clothing and equipment more akin to that of other genres, such as

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

and

wuxia ( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted ...

Themes

The story of ''The Ravages of Time'' revolves around battles in the late

and

era, military doctrines, mind games, ethics and philosophy.

Military doctrines

The manhua usually interweave military doctrines in the story, showing how the characters use the same doctrine to achieve victory. A doctrine can sometimes be used as the theme for the whole volume.

Morale

According to the manhua, morale plays an important role as the backbone of the military. It serves as the will of soldiers to fight. Without morale, an army cannot function. Hence, the generals and advisors in the story often seek ways, including both orthodox and unorthodox means, to bolster morale. Of particular interest is

's fictional ''Discourse on Morale'' (). It is an article on how to prevent morale from dissipating when facing a stronger enemy. Its main points are: #If an enemy general attains victory early in the battle, blame your own general's recklessness. #If an enemy general still attains victory, rebuke your own advisors for reading the situation incorrectly. #If an enemy general always attains victory, brand him as one having courage but lacking in strategy ().

Assassination

Assassination is considered as a valid tactic, after diplomacy and strategical ploys. A number of characters in the manhua are assassins, such as

Dian Wei Dian Wei (; died February or March 197) was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Famed for his enormous strength, Dian Wei excelled at wielding a pair of '' ji''s (a halberd-like weapon), ...

and

Zhang Liao Zhang Liao () (169–222), courtesy name Wenyuan, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He served briefly in the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, in the ...

. In addition, the tactic of faking death and letting opponents believe that the assassination attempt has succeeded is also used and is often used by

and

in particular. The fictional character Yuan Fang's assassination led to Cao Cao's uniting the north.

Thought Process of the Eight Enigmas

It has been hinted throughout the story that the Eight Enigmas think differently from the conventional military advisor. Here are some instances when some insights are revealed about their thinking process. #In chapter 102, volume 13, Chen Gong stated that the Enigmas think of all enemy generals as a "God of War". "God of War" is a title attributed to

, a peerless general in the manhua. #In chapter 119, volume 15, Chen Gong confronts

, "A military advisor must not just consider the opponent's next step. He should also have the foresight of a merchant". #However, in chapter 149, volume 18,

said that the first step to comprehend the Eight Enigmas' thinking process is to acquire what one needs according to the current situation.

The Best Strategy Ever

The "Best Strategy Ever" has been often repeated by

and

, among others, and it goes as "The best strategy is to let your opponent know your next move. Even better is to let your opponent know your next two moves".

Mind games

Beside military tactics, characters in the manhua engaged in numerous misdirections and feints to confuse and befuddle their enemies, such as deliberately letting their enemy know their next move in a battle, going along with an enemy's plan to gain certain advantages and more.

Ethics

A common recurring theme throughout the manhua is that of ethics. It questions traditional Chinese views on loyalty and touches on the utilitarian and the moral rights models of ethics. Two of the Eight Enigmas,

and

, as well as

and

, believed that ending the fighting quickly was the best for the people (a form of negative utilitarianism), regardless of the methods used or how many innocents had to die. As long as the civil war can be ended quickly, it is the best for all the people.

and

opposed this line of thinking, maintaining the peace and order brought by adhering to the traditional teachings and through just and benevolent means last longer. The conflicts of this two belief system recurred throughout the manhua.

Morals

The manhua took a skeptical view of morals, especially the values, laid down by the sages in the

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by ...

openly showed disdain for them on a couple of occasions, especially during the Battle of Puyang, and in volume 27 in the duel against

Guan Yu Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...

used it as a tactic to boost the morale of his troops.

Liu Bang Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang () with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Empe ...

, founder of the

, was also referred to as having done all sort of questionable acts, but was still revered as a good ruler.

Historical inaccuracy

Another prevalent theme in the manhua is that history is subjective. Chen Gong said, "All histories are subjective. In the eyes of all rulers, all their generals are as strong as

maintained that there were no bad emperors; historical records made ill of some of them to justify the beginnings of new a dynasty. On one occasion,

expected himself to be inaccurately depicted in historical records. In another occasion, a court historian is invited by Chen Gong in order to dramatize Lü Bu's status as a god of war.

has also expressed this idea in some interviews.

References

External links

List of volumes in the series on Tongli Comics website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ravages Of Time, The Hong Kong comics titles Wuxia comics Works based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms Comics set in the Three Kingdoms