SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

strategic alliance

  • The Copper Horse Emperor: How Liu Xiu Forged an Empire in Chaos [Eastern Han]

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    Juan

    A Foothold in Xindu After their grueling flight through Hebei, Liu Xiu and his exhausted band were warmly welcomed into Xindu by Governor Ren Guang and Pi Tong of Hucheng. There, they convened to plan the campaign against the false emperor Wang Lang. Pi Tong urged bold action: “If the Grand Marshal raises his…

  • 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…

  • Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In 201, Liu Bei was defeated by Cao Cao in Runan and lost his base, so he fled south to Jingzhou to seek the protection of Liu Biao. Liu Biao also needed Liu Bei as a northern barrier against Cao Cao, so he granted Liu Bei a thousand troops and stationed him in Xinye.

  • Why did Xun Yu choose Cao Cao? [Three Kingdoms]

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    Rob

    The most renowned strategists of the Three Kingdoms period include core figures such as Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi, Guo Jia, Xun Yu, and Jia Xu. They were celebrated for their outstanding strategic planning, military tactics, and political acumen, playing a decisive role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the Three Kingdoms.

  • Cao Cao’s ordeal against Lü Bu [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In the summer of 194 AD, while Cao Cao was deep in Xuzhou, devastating Tao Qian’s forces and advancing toward Tan County, disaster struck at home. News reached him: Chen Gong and Zhang Miao had rebelled, opening the gates of Yanzhou to Lü Bu, the famed warrior fleeing from Dong Zhuo’s downfall.