Development of the Illustrations in Romance of the Three Kingdoms in the Ming Dynasty

There are more than 20 different illustrated versions of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms published in the Ming Dynasty.In Jianyang,Fujian Province,the version published by Ye Fengchun,which is accepted as the first illustrated version,influenced the latter versions both in terms of forms and the scenes.Later the Xiong family published the novel twice with different engraving styles in accordance with the difference of periods.The Chengdetang version was characterized by its shabbiness,while the Zhongzhengtang version,better in quality and larger in quantity,marked a transition to elegance.Popular versions after that may include Liu Ciquan's version,the version found in Nanjing,which is famous for its elegant and delicate engraving style,the version by Li Zhuowu and the Heroic Version.