Three Kingdoms

The end of the Han Dynasty was followed by a long period of disunity and civil war. It began with the Three Kingdoms. These kingdoms grew out of the three chief economic areas of the Han Dynasty. The leaders of the kingdoms strove to reunite the empire and were therefore at constant warfare. These three kingdoms were the Wei, in northern China, the Shu to the west, and the Wu in the east. The Three Kingdoms existed from 220-265 A.D. Buddhism began to spread throughout China during this period. It was introduced in the first century A.D. but did not really begin to spread until after the Han Empire collapsed. Tea, although not as popular as it would be in later times, was discovered in the south during this period. Porcelain was also developed during this time. 

China Three Kingdoms Map

The kingdom of Wei was ruled by Cao Cao. This was the strongest of the kingdoms, and he had power over the valley of Wei even during the time of the Han rule. Cao Cao attempted to unify all of China under his rule, but was defeated by Sun Quan and Liu Bei in the battle of the Red Cliff. This defeat was the beginning of the division into three kingdoms. The Wei and Shu kingdoms were both centralized, legalist kingdoms, while the Wu kingdom was ruled by a confederation of the most powerful families of the area. The Wei kingdom eventually captured the Shu kingdom in 263 A.D. 

Cao Cao instituted many military changes that would have a great impact on the future of China. His army consisted of both Chinese and people that were considered barbarians, the Xiong-nu, the Xian-bei, Wu-huan and the Qiang. The members of his army who provided the best troops were the former nomadic herdsmen of the steppes. They were the most skilled mounted bowmen. The use of people from different groups resulted in an assimilation among the people which had not occurred in the past. In the future, these assimilated nomads would form independent kingdoms in North China. The Si-ma was a militant family that rose to power very quickly, and one of its members, Si-ma Yan founded the new Jin Dynasty in 265 A.D.

List of Emperors of the Three Kingdoms

Posthumous Names

Personal Names

Period of Reigns

Era Names and Range of years

Wei or [Cao Wei (曹魏)] 220-265

Wén Dì

文帝

Cáo Pī

曹丕

220-226

Huángchū黃初 220-226

Míng Dì

明帝

Cáo Ruì

曹叡

226-239

Tàihé太和 227-233

Qīnglóng青龍 233-237

Jǐngchū景初 237-239

Qí Wáng

齊王

Cáo Fāng

曹芳

239–254

Zhèngshǐ正始 240–249

Gāoguìxiāng Gōng

高貴鄉公

Cáo Máo

曹髦

254–260

Zhèngyuán正元 254–256

Gānlù甘露 256-260

Yuán Dì

元帝

Cáo Huàn

曹奐

260–265

Jǐngyuán景元 260–264

Xiánxī咸熙 264–265

Shu or Shu Han 221-263

Zhāoliè Dì

昭烈帝

Liú Bèi

劉備

221-223

Zhāngwǔ章武 221-223

Hòuzhǔ

後主

Liú Shàn

劉禪

223–263

Jiànxīng建興 223–237

Yánxī延熙 238–257

Jǐngyào景耀 258–263

Yánxīng炎興 263

Wu 222-280

Dà Dì

大帝

Sūn Quán

孫權

222–252

Huángwǔ黃武 222–229

Huánglóng黃龍 229–231

Jiāhé嘉禾 232–238

Chìwū赤烏 238–251

Tàiyuán太元 251–252

Shénfèng神鳳 252

Kuàijī Wáng

會稽王

Sūn Liàng

孫亮

252–258

Jiànxīng建興 252–253

Wǔfèng五鳳 254–256

Tàipíng太平 256–258

Jǐng Dì

景帝

Sūn Xiū

孫休

258–264

Yǒngān永安 258–264

Wūchéng Hóu

烏程侯

Sūn Hào

孫皓

264–280

Yuánxīng元興 264–265

Gānlù甘露 265–266

Bǎodǐng寶鼎 266–269

Jiànhéng建衡 269-271

Fènghuáng鳳凰 272–274

Tiāncè天冊 275–276

Tiānxǐ天璽 276

Tiānjì天紀 277–280


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