SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Liyang

  • The Battle of Guandu [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    Introduction: This article recounts the pivotal Battle of Guandu (200 CE), a turning point in the Three Kingdoms era. It details how Cao Cao, vastly outnumbered by Yuan Shao’s massive army, utilized ingenious engineering—such as the “Thunder Wagon”—to neutralize early assaults. The narrative highlights the decisive moment when the disgruntled advisor Xu You defected…

  • The collapse of the Yuan Brothers (202–204 CE) [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    From September 202 to April 204 CE, the power struggle between Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang – sons of the late warlord Yuan Shao – unfolded as a tragic drama of mistrust, betrayal, and self-destruction.

  • Yuan Shao’s failure in selecting his heir [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    Among the many factors that doomed Yuan Shao after his defeat at the Battle of Guandu (200 CE), none proved more destructive than his attempt to replace his eldest son, Yuan Tan, with his younger favorite, Yuan Shang, as heir.

  • The tragic loyalty of Jü Shou [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In October 200 CE, following his catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao fled north with only 800 cavalrymen. He crossed the Yellow River in disarray and regrouped at Liyang, attempting to rally his scattered forces. While Yuan Shao managed to escape, his chief strategist Jü Shou was not so fortunate.

  • Yuan Shu’s Struggle for Yanzhou and Yangzhou [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    The years between 192 and 195 AD marked a critical period in the disintegration of Eastern Han authority and the rise of regional warlords vying for control of the central and southern territories. Amidst shifting alliances, imperial appointments, and military campaigns, the struggle for control of Yan Province (Yanzhou) and Yang Province (Yangzhou) became…