The Eastern Han (东汉) was the later phase of the Han dynasty, established when Emperor Guangwu restored the dynasty in 25 CE after the interregnum of the Xin dynasty. The capital was at Luoyang. The Eastern Han period is the immediate backdrop to the Three Kingdoms: by the late second century the court was weakened by eunuchs, factionalism, and rebellion. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion (184), regional warlords—including Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Liu Bei, and Sun Jian—controlled much of the empire. Emperor Xian became a figurehead; in 220 Cao Pi accepted his abdication and founded Cao Wei, formally ending the Han.
Eastern Han 东汉
The Eastern Han (25–220 CE) was the later phase of the Han dynasty, with its capital at Luoyang. Its collapse led to the warlord era and the Three Kingdoms period.