Cao Hong was one of the core clan generals under Cao Cao in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, often grouped with Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, and Cao Ren as the “Four Kinship Generals of the Cao Clan.” A lifelong loyalist to Cao Cao, he was renowned for his bravery in battle and unwavering devotion…
In a previous article, we discussed how Dong Zhuo, under immense pressure from the coalition forces, chose to abandon Luoyang and relocate the capital to Chang’an. This retreat presented the allied warlords with a golden opportunity to launch a decisive pursuit and crush Dong Zhuo’s weakened army.
In the late Eastern Han period, political crises were set in motion by the controversial decision of Emperor Ling of Han (Liu Hong) to replace his elder son(the Crown prince) with the younger one. Emperor Ling had two sons: the elder son, Liu Bian (born to Empress He), and the younger son, Liu Xie…
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…
In Chapter 6 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dong Zhuo’s troops was defeated by Sun Jian. To reverse the battlefield setbacks, Dong Zhuo proposed a marriage alliance with Sun Jian. Dong Zhuo sent his senior general Li Jue to propose the marriage alliance, hoping to forge a political bond through kinship. Unexpectedly, Sun…
Romance of the Three Kingdoms often diverges from the history. For instance, in the episode where Guan Yu kills Hua Xiong while warming wine, historical records state that Guan Yu followed Liu Bei, who was then under Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan was busy fighting the Wuhuan in the north and did not participate in…
Who really killed Hua Xiong? This is a widely debated question. Historically, during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Guan Yu, Liu Bei, and Zhang Fei were still obscure minor figures who did not participate in this battle at all.
Today, let’s explore the truth behind the 18 warlords or vassals who, according to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, united to overthrow the tyrant Dong Zhuo.