A century of war that became legend
From 184 to 280 CE, warlords, strategists, and warriors tore China apart and reshaped it. This wiki covers the Three Kingdoms period through Chen Shou's historical records and Luo Guanzhong's literary epic — fact and fiction, clearly separated.
The Three Kingdoms
Three kingdoms rose from the ashes of the Han dynasty. Each claimed to be its rightful successor.
Cao Wei (220–266)
曹魏The dominant northern kingdom (220–266), founded by Cao Pi on the strength his father Cao Cao built; it fell to the Sima clan from within.
Shu Han (221–263)
蜀汉The western kingdom (221-263) founded by Liu Bei, claiming legitimacy from the Han imperial line; it was the first of the three kingdoms to fall.
Eastern Wu (222–280)
东吴The southern kingdom (222-280) held by the Sun family; it outlasted both Wei and Shu and fell only to the Jin invasion of 280.
The Han Dynasty and the Warlord Era — The collapse of the Han and the ensuing warlord conflicts set the stage for everything that followed.
Key figures
The warlords, strategists, and warriors who defined an era
- Cao Cao曹操
The warlord who unified the north and whose ambition redefined an empire
- Liu Bei刘备
A man of humble origins who built a kingdom on loyalty and a claim to the Han throne
- Sun Quan孙权
The young lord who inherited a kingdom and defended it for half a century
- Zhuge Liang诸葛亮
The Sleeping Dragon whose stratagems became the measure of genius itself
- Guan Yu关羽
The God of War — a warrior whose loyalty transcended death and became legend
- Zhang Fei张飞
A warrior of terrifying ferocity and surprising depth
- Zhao Yun赵云
The steadfast general who carved through an army to save his lord's infant son
- Lü Bu吕布
The mightiest warrior of his age — and the most treacherous
- Zhou Yu周瑜
The architect of victory at Red Cliffs who broke Cao Cao's southern ambitions
- Sima Yi司马懿
The patient strategist who outlived his rivals and laid the foundation for a new dynasty
- Diao Chan貂蝉
The woman whose beauty toppled the tyrant Dong Zhuo
- Jiang Wei姜维
Zhuge Liang's heir who carried the torch of Shu Han's northern campaigns
Battles and events
The campaigns and turning points that shaped the Three Kingdoms
- Yellow Turban Rebellion184 CE
The peasant uprising that shattered the Han dynasty's authority and set the warlord era in motion.
- Campaign against Dong Zhuo190 CE
A coalition of warlords marched on the tyrant who held the emperor hostage.
- Battle of Guandu200 CE
Cao Cao's decisive victory over Yuan Shao in 200 CE that secured his dominance over northern China and is one of the most famous battles in Chinese history.
- Battle of Red Cliffs208 CE
The allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei destroyed Cao Cao's fleet and forged the tripartite division.
- Hanzhong Campaign217–219 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 Yiling222 CE
Liu Bei's catastrophic defeat at the hands of Eastern Wu that crippled Shu Han.
- Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions228–234 CE
Five gruelling campaigns to restore the Han — and the death of the Sleeping Dragon.
- Battle of Wuzhang Plains234 CE
Zhuge Liang's final Northern Expedition ended in stalemate against Sima Yi and his own death from illness at Wuzhang Plains in 234 CE.
- Fall of Shu263 CE
The conquest that ended Liu Bei's dream of restoration.
- Conquest of Wu (280)280 CE
The Jin dynasty's conquest of Eastern Wu in 280 CE ended the Three Kingdoms period and reunified China under Sima Yan.
From the blog
Essays and deep dives — myths, misconceptions, and what actually happened
- Romance vs. History: What's Actually Real in the Three Kingdoms?7 July 2026
The Peach Garden Oath never happened. Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade didn't exist. Zhuge Liang wasn't a wizard. Here's what the Three Kingdoms novel got wrong, and why the real history is even better.
Explore
Characters
Warlords, generals, advisors, and rulers. Historical records and literary portrayals.
Events
Battles, political milestones, and turning points from 184 to 280 CE.
Locations
Capitals, battlefields, strategic passes, and provinces. Ancient sites, modern connections.
Factions
The kingdoms, dynasties, and political entities that vied for control of China.
Items
Legendary weapons, warhorses, and artefacts — from the Green Dragon Crescent Blade to Red Hare.
Terms
Official titles, military ranks, and cultural concepts explained in context.
Lists
Character rosters, battle chronologies, genealogies, and comparative references.
Timeline of the Three Kingdoms period
End of the Han Dynasty (184–196)
The Yellow Turban Rebellion exposed the Han dynasty's fatal weakness. Regional warlords seized power as the imperial court crumbled.
The Warlord Era (196–208)
Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Sun Ce, Yuan Shao, and dozens of rivals fought for supremacy. Alliances shifted and territories changed hands.
Formation of the Three Kingdoms (208–229)
The Battle of Red Cliffs shattered Cao Cao's bid for total conquest. Three distinct states crystallised — Wei in the north, Shu in the west, Wu in the south.
The Northern Expeditions (228–234)
Zhuge Liang launched repeated campaigns to restore the Han, each ending in frustration. His death at Wuzhang Plains ended Shu Han's offensive capability.
Decline and Reunification (234–280)
The Sima clan seized Wei from within, conquered Shu, and overwhelmed Wu. China was reunified under the Jin dynasty in 280.
History and literature
The Three Kingdoms period is documented through two very different traditions. This wiki treats both with equal care — and keeps them clearly separated.
Historical records
Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), completed around 289 CE, supplemented by Pei Songzhi's annotations and Sima Guang's Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance (资治通鉴). These sources record what happened — as accurately as any ancient history can.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Luo Guanzhong's 14th-century novel (三国演义) transformed history into epic literature — dramatising real events, inventing famous scenes, and turning historical figures into cultural icons. The Oath of the Peach Garden, the Empty Fort Strategy, and Zhuge Liang's borrowing of arrows are all literary creations.
Every article in this wiki clearly distinguishes between historical record and literary portrayal, so readers always know where fact ends and legend begins.