Chen Gong played a crucial role in Cao Cao’s early rise to power. When Liu Dai, the Inspector of Yan Province(Yanzhou), was killed in battle against the Yellow Turban rebels in 192 AD, a power vacuum emerged. Chen Gong, a native scholar-official of Yan Province and a man of high moral standing, took decisive…
In 192 AD, after Dong Zhuo’s brutal usurpation of the Han Dynasty had plunged the empire into chaos, Wang Yun conspired with Li Su, Shi Shunrui and Lü Bu to eliminate Dong Zhuo. Although previous assassination attempts against Dong Zhuo by others had all failed, this time Wang Yun and his accomplices succeeded.
In Chapter 8 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wang Yun, the loyal Han minister, devises a cunning plan to destroy the tyrant Dong Zhuo. At the heart of this scheme is Diao Chan, a beautiful courtesan in Wang Yun’s household.
Dong Zhuo’s arrogance, arbitrariness and cruelty ignited widespread fury across the empire. First, he deposed Emperor Shao of Han (Liu Bian), then had him murdered—along with his mother, Empress He and his wife. During the enthronement of the new emperor, Liu Xie, he executed any minister who dared to oppose him.
“Kill with a borrowed knife” (“Kill with a borrowed sword”, or “Borrow one’s hand to kill”) is a famous Chinese idiom and also the third stratagem of thirty-six. It means to convince others or even your enemies that your enemies are theirs, and make them believe they will be defeated, betrayed or otherwise end…
Why would Cao Cao risk his life to assassinate Dong Zhuo? Was it merely to prove himself a loyal and righteous hero? Today, let’s delve deep into the motivations behind Cao Cao’s attempt on Dong Zhuo’s life, a pivotal event in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
In Chapter 4 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the episode of Cao Cao’s attempted assassination of Dong Zhuo stands as one of the most pivotal and dramatic moments in the early narrative. This event not only establishes Cao Cao’s image as a courageous “loyalist and righteous hero” but also sets the stage for…
In Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chen Gong’s fate stands as one of the most poignant and instructive tragedies. A man of intelligence, loyalty, and moral integrity, Chen Gong ultimately met his end not through cowardice or incompetence, but due to a series of fateful misjudgments. His life offers profound lessons on…
In Chapter 4 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the incident in which Cao Cao kills the entire family of Lü Boshe stands as one of the darkest stains on his legacy. Many readers, upon encountering this episode, condemn Cao Cao for his suspicious nature and ruthless cruelty.