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Founded by Cao Pi on the strength his father Cao Cao built, Wei controlled northern China's wealthy heartland. The dominant power of the three kingdoms, it fell not to a rival state but to the Sima clan from within.
Shu Han (221–263)
蜀汉Liu Bei built Shu Han in the mountainous west, claiming descent from the Han imperial line. Zhuge Liang's brilliance kept a smaller kingdom punching above its weight — but it was the first to fall.
Eastern Wu (222–280)
东吴The Sun family held the south behind the natural barrier of the Yangtze. Wu outlasted both rivals and commanded formidable naval power, but fell to the Jin dynasty's invasion in 280, ending the era.
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 Rebellion 184 CE
The peasant uprising that shattered the Han dynasty's authority and set the warlord era in motion
- Campaign against Dong Zhuo 190 CE
A coalition of warlords marched on the tyrant who held the emperor hostage
- Battle of Guandu 200 CE
Cao Cao's decisive victory over Yuan Shao that secured his dominance over the north
- Battle of Red Cliffs 208 CE
The allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei destroyed Cao Cao's fleet and forged the tripartite division
- Battle of Yiling 222 CE
Liu Bei's catastrophic defeat at the hands of Eastern Wu that crippled Shu Han
- Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions 228–234 CE
Five gruelling campaigns to restore the Han — and the death of the Sleeping Dragon
- Fall of Shu 263 CE
The conquest that ended Liu Bei's dream of restoration
- Fall of Wu 280 CE
The final campaign that reunified China under the Jin dynasty
Explore
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Characters
Warlords, generals, advisors, and rulers. Historical records and literary portrayals.
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Events
Battles, political milestones, and turning points from 184 to 280 CE.
- Locations Capitals, battlefields, strategic passes, and provinces. Ancient sites, modern connections.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.