The year 196 AD stands as a critical turning point in the collapse of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the dawn of the Three Kingdoms era.
February: Cao Cao eliminated Liu Bi, the warlord of Yu Province, consolidating his control over the central plains.
March: Sun Ce, the “Little Conqueror,” captured Qu’a in Jiangdong, forcing Liu Yao to flee to Yuzhang. This victory marked the beginning of Sun Ce’s independence from Yuan Shu and the foundation of the Sun family’s power in the south.
May: Yuan Shu launched an invasion of Xu Province. Liu Bei, then governing Xu Province, resisted Yuan Shu’s advance at Huaiyin, engaging in a prolonged standoff.
June: In a decisive betrayal, Lü Bu launched a surprise attack on Xu Province while Liu Bei was away. Liu Bei, defeated and with no base, was forced to surrender to Lü Bu and was allowed to garrison at Xiaopei.
July: Emperor Xian, after years of captivity under warlords like Li Jue and Guo Si, finally arrived in the ruined capital of Luoyang, a symbolic but powerless figure in a city reduced to ashes.
August: Three pivotal events occurred:
- Sun Ce completed his conquest by seizing Kuaiji Commandery, solidifying his control over Jiangdong.
- Cao Cao marched to Luoyang, gained control of Emperor Xian, and relocated the imperial court to Xuchang, establishing his base of power. This move allowed him to “hold the Emperor to command the nobles”, giving his campaigns a veneer of legitimacy.
- Sun Ce formally broke away from Yuan Shu, declaring his independence and laying the groundwork for the future state of Eastern Wu.
September: Lü Bu, fearing Liu Bei’s growing strength at Xiaopei, attacked and defeated him, forcing Liu Bei to flee once more.
October: Cao Cao defeated Yang Feng, a former protector of the Emperor, who then fled to join Yuan Shu. Meanwhile, Liu Bei, now a refugee, sought refuge under Cao Cao, who welcomed him as a fellow Han loyalist.
November: Zhang Ji, desperate for supplies, led his army to attack Nanyang Commandery under Liu Biao’s control. He was killed in battle, and his nephew Zhang Xiu took command of the troops. Recognizing the strategic value of having a strong garrison on his northern border, Liu Biao offered Zhang Xiu asylum and ordered him to garrison at Wancheng, making him a defensive bulwark against Cao Cao.
The events of 196 AD illustrate the rapid fragmentation of Han authority and the emergence of new power centers. Cao Cao’s seizure of the Emperor was the most consequential act, transforming him from a regional warlord into the de facto ruler of the Han government. Meanwhile, Sun Ce’s rise in the south and Liu Biao’s consolidation in Jing Province set the stage for the triangular conflict that would define the Three Kingdoms period.
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