SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

  • Chapter 51. The Spoils of Victory Stolen [Three Kingdoms]

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    Rob

    Chapter 51 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms exposes the fragile nature of wartime alliances through a tale of military valor undone by political cunning. Fresh from the triumph at Red Cliffs, Zhou Yu engages Cao Ren in a fierce struggle for Nan Commandery (Nan Jun), only to see his hard-won gains snatched away…

  • The Flames of Yiling [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In July 219 CE, Guan Yu launched the Battle of Xiangfan, attacking Cao Cao’s forces. To prevent the front line from collapsing, he transferred troops from Jingzhou to reinforce the front, leaving Jingzhou’s defenses depleted. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lü Meng of Eastern Wu led his army across the Yangtze River and launched…

  • Boiling Beans with Beanstalks [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In early AD 220, Cao Cao fell gravely ill. On his deathbed, he summoned his closest ministers and gave clear, modest instructions:

  • A treacherous stroke in White Robes [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    Was Lü Meng’s capture of Jing Province in AD 219 a betrayal of an ally? Some people argue that the Sun–Liu alliance effectively collapsed after the Xiang River Partition (circa AD 215), when Liu Bei and Sun Quan divided Jing Province along the Xiang River. However, primary sources from the Records of the Three…

  • Lü Meng’s stealth campaign crossing the Yangtze River [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In 219 CE, Liu Bei defeated Cao Cao and seized Hangzhog, then he declared himself King of Hanzhong in Chengdu. To honor Guan Yu, who had long guarded Jing Province, Liu Bei enfeoffed him as General of the Front. Eager to prove his worth, Guan Yu launched a bold offensive against Cao Cao’s forces…

  • The Map Unbestowed [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    Before the formal tripartite division of China into Wei, Shu, and Wu, Cao Cao stood closer than ever to unifying the empire – including the fertile and defensible province of Yizhou (modern Sichuan).