3 h 37 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
An empire cracks, sworn friends face divided loyalties, and rival warlords reach for the throne.
The Story of Tang follows the fall of the Sui dynasty and the rise of the Tang. Emperor Yang’s costly projects and wars wear down his people. As his rule weakens, soldiers, outlaws and ambitious lords gather strength. Among them stands Qin Qiong, a loyal soldier pulled by duty, friendship and devotion to his mother.
Young Li Shimin draws gifted men to his side, while his careful father, Li Yuan, weighs each dangerous choice. Rivals such as Dou Jiande, Wang Shichong and Li Mi seek power. Traditionally attributed to Luo Guanzhong, this historical novel brings real figures together with legendary heroes in a sweeping storyteller’s tale of brotherhood, courage and ambition.
What you’ll discover
- Friendship under strain Follow Qin Qiong as duty and sworn bonds pull him toward difficult choices.
- Courage with a grin Meet Cheng Yaojin, whose rough humor and fearless spirit brighten the rebel bands.
- Loyalty above gain Discover Shan Xiongxin, a generous hero who helps others and prizes his sworn friendships.
- A throne worth fighting for Watch rival leaders claim power as Sui rule collapses and the struggle widens.
- The right to rule Explore how the novel uses the mandate of Heaven to question a ruler’s legitimacy.
Who will love it
For readers who love sprawling tales of war, brotherhood and rival courts, and anyone curious about how the Tang dynasty began.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A great empire starts to crack
- Qin Qiong and the bonds of brotherhood
- Outlaws, rebels, and the rise of the瓦 camps
- Rival warlords fight for the empty throne
- The Li family and the young Li Shimin
- What the story means and how it is told
Who’s who
- Qin QiongA strong and loyal soldier from Shandong who cares for his mother and must decide where his duty and his friendships lead.
- Cheng YaojinA rough, fearless and cheerful fighter whose humor and courage make him a favorite among the rebel bands.
- Shan XiongxinA generous hero and sworn friend who helps others in need and values loyalty above gain.
- Li ShiminThe bold young son of the Li family, a gifted leader who draws able men to his side.
- Li YuanThe careful head of the Li family, a Sui official who watches the collapse of the empire and weighs his choices.
- Emperor Yang of SuiThe ruler whose costly projects and wars wear down the people and push the empire toward collapse.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 3 h 37 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 7 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
eBooks and audiobooks open right away. Download EPUB or PDF, or send the book to your Kindle. Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then USD 0.14 a day in your first year on the yearly plan and USD 0.27 a day after, or USD 0.66 a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
25 languages, side by side
Read and hear The Story of Tang in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
The Story of Tang
by Attributed to Luo Guanzhong
As the Sui empire falls, Qin Qiong must decide where duty and sworn friendships lead in a war for China's throne.
Challenging2–5 hours to read25 languages
Excellent
- Read or listen
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then USD 0.14 a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
In short
The Story of Tang is a Chinese historical novel about the fall of the Sui dynasty and the rise of the Tang, in the early 600s. It is traditionally attributed to Luo Guanzhong, the name linked to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, though scholars treat that attribution with care.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A great empire starts to crack
The story opens in the last years of the Sui dynasty. The Sui had reunited China after a long period of division, and it had done so with great force. Its second emperor, Emperor Yang, is shown as a ruler of huge appetites who spends the strength of his people on his own grand plans.
History records the heavy burdens of his reign. Workers were drafted for vast projects such as the Grand Canal, and armies were sent on costly campaigns against the kingdom of Goguryeo in the northeast. The novel draws on this background to explain why ordinary people grow desperate. Farmers lose their sons to the army and their harvests to the taxman.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
Free gifts
USD 580 in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
USD 170FREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
USD 120FREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
USD 60FREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
USD 60FREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
USD 170FREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about The Story of Tang
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is The Story of Tang about?
It is a Chinese historical novel about the end of the Sui dynasty and the rise of the Tang. It follows heroes, rebels and warlords who fight over the empire, with real figures mixed with legend.
Did Luo Guanzhong really write The Story of Tang?
The book is traditionally attributed to him, but scholars are cautious. The text we know probably took shape later, through storytellers and editors, so the attribution is best read as a tradition.
Is The Story of Tang a true story?
It rests on real events and people, such as Emperor Yang, Li Shimin and the warlords of the period. Many episodes and heroes come from popular legend, so it is historical fiction and not strict history.
More like this
Free
Free
Free
FreeOur mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
Popular in classics
See all
Free
