Wu Han. Biography of Zhu Yuanzhang (Zhizneopisanie Chzhu Yuan-chzhana), 1980. In Russian

У Хань. Жизнеописание Чжу Юань-чжана. / Пер. с кит. А. И. Желоховцева, Л. А. Боровковой, Н. Ц. Мункуева; предисл. Л. С. Переломова.
Москва : Прогресс, 1980.
255 с. Твёрдый издательский переплёт, обычный формат.
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Wu Han. Biography of Zhu Yuanzhang (Zhizneopisanie Chzhu Yuan-chzhana). / Translated from Chinese by A. I. Zhelokhovtsev, L. A. Borovkova, N. Ts. Munkuev; preface by L. S. Perelomov.
Moscow : Progress, 1980.
255 pp. Publisher’s hardcover, standard format.

This 1980 edition is the Russian translation of the most famous work by Wu Han (1909–1969), a prominent Chinese historian and politician whose literary fate became the spark that ignited the Cultural Revolution. The book provides a masterful biography of Zhu Yuanzhang (r. 1368–1398), the peasant rebel who overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty to become the Hongwu Emperor, the founder of the Ming Dynasty.
Wu Han’s study is celebrated for its deep psychological insight and meticulous historical grounding. He traces the incredible arc of Zhu Yuanzhang's life—from an orphaned novice monk begging for food to a brilliant military strategist and, finally, a suspicious and autocratic ruler who consolidated power through ruthless purges. The narrative explores the complex transition from revolutionary leader to imperial despot, making it a profound meditation on the nature of power in Chinese history.
The Russian edition, published by Progress, is highly regarded for the quality of its academic translation and the inclusion of an analytical preface by the renowned Sinologist L. S. Perelomov. Interestingly, Wu Han wrote several versions of this biography over three decades; this translation reflects the mature, finalized version of the text. In China, Wu Han’s historical allegories (specifically his play Hai Rui Dismissed from Office) led to his tragic persecution during the Cultural Revolution, adding a layer of poignant historical irony to this publication.
For collectors of Asian history, scholars of Ming Dynasty studies, and those interested in the intersections of historiography and politics in the 20th century, this 1980 volume remains an essential reference. It captures the rise of one of China’s most formidable emperors through the eyes of one of its most tragic modern historians.