Major battles of the Three Kingdoms
Chronological list of major engagements from the Yellow Turban Rebellion to the reunification under Jin.
- Battle of the Passes 讨董联军 190 CE
The coalition of regional lords against Dong Zhuo in 190, who withdrew to Chang'an after the eastern forces seized the passes. The campaign showed the Han court's loss of control.
- Battle of Xingyang 荥阳之战 190s CE
Cao Cao's forces fought at Xingyang in the early warlord period. Cao Hong was among the commanders; the battle was part of the contest for control of the Central Plain.
- Battle of Yangren 阳人之战 190 CE
In 190, during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Sun Jian defeated Dong Zhuo's forces at Yangren. It was the coalition's only significant victory; Sun Jian faced Lü Bu and Hua Xiong.
- Campaign against Dong Zhuo 讨伐董卓 190 CE
A coalition of warlords marched on the tyrant who held the emperor hostage.
- Battle of Puyang 濮阳之战 194-195 CE
In 194–195, Cao Cao and Lü Bu fought for control of Yan Province with Puyang at the centre. The campaign ended in stalemate; Cao Cao eventually recovered the province.
- Battle of Kuangting 匡亭之战 197 CE
In 197, Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shu at Kuangting. Yuan Shu's power in the Huai region collapsed; he fled and later died in failure.
- Battle of Xiapi 下邳之战 198-199 CE
In 198–199, Cao Cao and Liu Bei besieged Lü Bu in Xiapi. The city fell after flood and defection; Lü Bu was captured and executed, removing the last major warlord in the east.
- Battle of Guandu 官渡之战 200 CE
Cao Cao's decisive victory over Yuan Shao that secured his dominance over the north.
- Battle of White Wolf Mountain 白狼山之战 207 CE
In 207, Cao Cao led a force through the north to attack the Wuhuan at White Wolf Mountain. Zhang Liao urged the attack; Cao Cao won a decisive victory and the Wuhuan leader was killed.
- Battle of Changban 长坂之战 208 CE
In 208, Cao Cao's cavalry caught up with Liu Bei's refugees at Changban. Zhang Fei held the bridge at the rear whilst Zhao Yun fought through the ranks to rescue Liu Bei's son; Liu Bei escaped to Jiangxia.
- Battle of Chibi 赤壁之战 208 CE
The Battle of Chibi (208 CE) is the same engagement as the Battle of Red Cliffs. The allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei defeated Cao Cao's southern campaign.
- Battle of Red Cliffs 赤壁之战 208 CE
The allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei destroyed Cao Cao's fleet and forged the tripartite division.
- Battle of Tong Pass 潼关之战 211 CE
In 211, Ma Chao and Han Sui led a coalition of northwestern warlords against Cao Cao at Tong Pass. Cao Cao held the pass, crossed the river to threaten their rear, and used a ruse to split Ma Chao and Han Sui; the coalition collapsed.
- Battle of Ruxu 濡须之战 213-214 CE
Cao Cao and Sun Quan fought at Ruxu on the Yangtze in 213–214. Sun Quan's forces, including Gan Ning, held the line; Cao Cao withdrew. The battle confirmed the Yangtze as the border.
- Battle of Luo County 雒县之战 214 CE
In 214, during the siege of Luocheng in Liu Bei's conquest of Yi Province, Pang Tong was killed by an arrow. The battle was part of the campaign that led to Liu Zhang's surrender.
- Conquest of Yi Province 益州之战 214 CE
Liu Bei's campaign to take Yi Province from Liu Zhang in 214 CE, establishing his territorial base in the west. The conquest involved both military action and political manoeuvring.
- Battle of Baxi 巴西之战 215 CE
In 215, Zhang He led Wei forces into Ba commandery; Zhang Fei defeated him at Baxi (Brazil). The battle secured Shu's hold on the region and is one of Zhang Fei's celebrated victories.
- Battle of Hefei (215) 合肥之战 (215) 215 CE
In 215, Sun Quan besieged Hefei with a large force. Zhang Liao led a small garrison and made a daring sortie that broke the siege; Sun Quan withdrew.
- Hanzhong Campaign 汉中之战 217–219 CE
Liu Bei's campaign (217–219) to seize Hanzhong from Cao Cao. Victory gave Shu Han a strategic base and led to Liu Bei declaring himself King of Hanzhong.
- Battle of Dingjunshan 定军山之战 219 CE
A key battle in Liu Bei's conquest of Hanzhong in 219 CE, where Huang Zhong killed Xiahou Yuan, securing Shu Han's control of the strategic Hanzhong region.
- Battle of Fancheng 樊城之战 219 CE
In 219, Guan Yu besieged Fancheng and Xiangyang; a flood destroyed Yu Jin's relief army. Xu Huang later broke the siege whilst Lu Meng captured Jiangling; Guan Yu was caught and executed.
- Battle of Hanshui 汉水之战 219 CE
In 219, during the struggle for Hanzhong, Cao Cao sent troops to oppose Liu Bei. At Hanshui (Han River) the two sides clashed; Zhao Yun's empty-fort ploy and counter-attack secured a Shu victory.
- Battle of Yiling 夷陵之战 222 CE
Liu Bei's catastrophic defeat at the hands of Eastern Wu that crippled Shu Han.
- Defence of Jiangling 江陵保卫战 223–224 CE
After the Battle of Yiling, Wu forces under Zhu Ran defended Jiangling against Wei. The successful defence secured Wu's hold on the middle Yangtze.
- Seven Captures of Meng Huo 七擒孟获 225 CE
In the Romance, Zhuge Liang leads a southern campaign and captures the tribal king Meng Huo seven times, releasing him each time until Meng Huo submits. The campaign secures Shu's southern flank before the Northern Expeditions.
- Battle of Jieting 街亭之战 228 CE
In 228, Ma Su lost the strategic pass at Jieting to Zhang He, forcing Zhuge Liang to abandon the first Northern Expedition.
- Battle of Shiting 石亭之战 228 CE
In 228, Lu Xun led Wu forces to a major victory over Cao Xiu at Shiting. Cao Xiu fell into a ruse and was defeated; the battle confirmed Wu's ability to defend the middle Yangtze.
- Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions 诸葛亮北伐 228–234 CE
Five gruelling campaigns to restore the Han — and the death of the Sleeping Dragon.
- Battle of Xing Shi 兴势之战 244 CE
In 244, Wang Ping and Fei Yi held Xing Shi against Cao Shuang's Wei invasion. The successful defence preserved Shu's northern frontier.
- Battle of Dongxing 东兴之战 252 CE
In 252, Wu forces defeated Wei at Dongxing (eastern Wu). The victory defended Wu's territory and involved Ding Feng and other Wu generals.
- Fall of Shu 蜀汉灭亡 263 CE
The conquest that ended Liu Bei's dream of restoration.
- Wei Conquest of Shu 魏灭蜀 263 CE
In 263 CE, Wei armies under Deng Ai and Zhong Hui invaded and conquered Shu Han. Liu Shan surrendered; the first of the three kingdoms fell.
- Yinping Crossing 阴平道 263 CE
Deng Ai's daring crossing of the Yinping mountains in 263, which brought Wei forces onto the Chengdu plain and led to Liu Shan's surrender.
- Battle of Xiling 西陵之战 272 CE
In 272, Wei forces attacked Xiling; Lu Kang led Wu's defence and relieved the siege. The battle confirmed Lu Kang as Wu's chief defender of the western frontier in the late period.
- Conquest of Eastern Wu 晋灭吴 280 CE
In 280, the Jin dynasty conquered Eastern Wu. Sun Hao surrendered; the Three Kingdoms period ended and China was reunified under Jin.
- Fall of Wu 东吴灭亡 280 CE
The final campaign that reunified China under the Jin dynasty.