The Yellow Turban Rebellion (黄巾起义) broke out in 184 CE across much of eastern China. Led by Zhang Jue and his brothers, the rebels wore yellow headscarves and followed a Daoist-inspired movement that promised a new era of peace. The uprising was the largest of the late Han and triggered the dynasty’s effective collapse.
Causes
The Han court was weakened by factional strife, natural disasters, and heavy taxation. Zhang Jue’s Taiping (Great Peace) movement attracted millions of followers. When the rebellion was launched in the spring of 184, dozens of commanderies rose in revolt.
Course
Imperial forces, joined by regional strongmen and private militias (including Cao Cao and Liu Bei), suppressed the main rebel armies within a year. Zhang Jue died of illness; his brothers were killed in battle. Remnant Yellow Turban bands continued to cause trouble for years, but the main threat was over.
Aftermath
The rebellion did not restore the dynasty’s authority. Instead, governors and generals kept their troops and used them to pursue local and personal ambitions. The emperor became a pawn; real power lay with warlords. The Yellow Turban Rebellion thus marks the conventional start of the process that led to the end of the Han and the rise of the Three Kingdoms.