SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

china history

  • The Myth of “Borrowing Jingzhou” [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    The popular saying – “Liu Bei borrowed Jing Province and never returned” – is deeply entrenched in Chinese folklore, largely due to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Yet historical records tell a far more nuanced story. In fact, the very notion of “borrowing Jingzhou” is something of a misleading construct, if not a…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Sowing Discord [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    The Guanxi (Guanzhong and Liangzhou) region had long been under the control of two powerful warlords: Ma Teng and Han Sui. Ma Teng, a descendant of the famed Eastern Han general Ma Yuan, commanded deep loyalty among the frontier troops.

  • The Fire at Red Cliffs [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    After retreating from Changban, Liu Bei stationed his forces at Fankou, awaiting news from Eastern Wu. When he learned that Zhou Yu’s fleet had arrived, Liu Bei immediately dispatched envoys to greet them.

  • The Hidden Dragon in Xuchang [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In 196 CE, Xuzhou was both a blessing and a curse for Liu Bei. When the dying governor Tao Qian entrusted him with the province – declaring, “Only Liu Bei can bring peace to this land” (Sanguozhi) – Liu Bei finally escaped his years of dependence on others and entered the ranks of warlords.…

  • The rise of Liu Bei [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In the grand tapestry of the Three Kingdoms, where warlords vied for supremacy, Liu Bei’s rise stands out as one of the most legendary journeys. Unlike Cao Cao, who inherited a powerful bureaucratic and military network, or Sun Quan, who succeeded his father and brother’s established domain, Liu Bei climbed from the very bottom…

  • Chapter 50. Guan Yu’s mercy at Huarong Trail [Three Kingdoms]

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    Rob

    Chapter 50 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms – titled “Guan Yu Releases Cao Cao at Huarong Trail” – concludes the epic Battle of Red Cliffs not with a final blow, but with an act of moral complexity that reshapes history.

  • Loyalty in the shadow of tyranny: The Friendship of Kong Rong and Zhi Xi [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In 208 CE, Kong Rong – a famed scholar, descendant of Confucius, and former Governor of Beihai – was executed by Cao Cao. His crime? Repeatedly mocking Cao Cao, openly criticizing his policies, and refusing to show deference in official memorials and letters. Though ostensibly punished for “slandering the court,” his real offense lay…