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Xiao He (?–193 BCE) was a prominent statesman in the early Western Han dynasty. He was born in Zhongyang Village, Fengyi, Pei County (in present-day Feng County, Jiangsu). During the Qin dynasty, he served as a low-ranking clerk in the Pei County government.
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During the mid–Warring States period, Lord Mengchang (Tian Wen), once chancellor of Qi, fell out of favor with King Min of Qi and retired to his fiefdom of Xue (southeast of present-day Tengzhou, Shandong). Though renowned for hosting thousands of retainers and honoring talent, his growing influence had aroused royal suspicion.
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In Chapter 42 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, following Liu Cong’s swift and bloodless surrender of Jing Province to Cao Cao, an unexpected act of clemency unfolds: Cao Cao orders the immediate release of a prisoner in Xiangyang city and promptly promotes him to office. That man is Han Song.
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Following Yuan Shao’s death, his once-formidable domain did not fall to external conquest alone – but collapsed from within. As depicted in Chapter 32 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the bitter rivalry between Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang over succession turned allies into enemies and opened the gates of Jizhou (Ji Province) –…
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Dong Zhuo’s entry into Luoyang stands as one of the most pivotal events in Eastern Han history, fundamentally altering the course of the dynasty.
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In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the imperial court was mired in severe political chaos and decline. The central government saw a power struggle between three key forces: the eunuchs (who controlled the emperor and court affairs for decades, known as the “Ten Attendants” clique), the consorts’ families (relatives of empresses/empresses dowager who vied…
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In a previous article, we revealed a historical truth often obscured by Romance of the Three Kingdoms: it was Qiao Mao, not Cao Cao, who first forged an imperial edict to rally the feudal lords against Dong Zhuo. When Han Fu, the Governor of Ji Province, received Qiao Mao’s proclamation, he agreed to support…
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In the year 190 AD, Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao and installed Emperor Xian, seizing absolute control of the imperial court. This act ignited outrage across the land. A coalition of eighteen warlords from the Guandong region(the region east of Hangu Pass), led by Yuan Shao as their nominal leader, formed a united army…
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“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…