The Battle of the Passes refers to the campaign waged by the coalition of regional lords against Dong Zhuo in 190. After Dong Zhuo seized control of the Han court in 189, lords from the east formed an alliance and advanced toward Luoyang. Dong Zhuo, facing superior numbers and the loss of the passes, burned Luoyang and moved Emperor Xian and the court to Chang’an in the west.
Fragmentation
The coalition did not mount a sustained pursuit. Rivalries and local ambitions took over; Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and others turned to consolidating their own territories. The campaign is often treated as part of the broader Campaign against Dong Zhuo. It showed that the Han could no longer command loyalty from the provinces and that the warlord era had begun.