Among the Three Great Campaigns of the Three Kingdoms—the Battles of Guandu, Red Cliffs, and Yiling—the Battle of Guandu was by far the most critical for Cao Cao. While his loss at Red Cliffs merely cost him control of Jing Province, defeat at Guandu would have meant total annihilation. For Yuan Shao, too, this…
— Du Fu Good rain knows its season well, It comes with the spring to dwell. With wind it steals into the night, Moistening all things soft and slight. Wild paths and clouds are lost in deep black, Only the boat’s lamp glows at the riverbank. At dawn, see where petals, damp and red,…
Jia Xu, early in his career, joined the forces of Niu Fu (Dong Zhuo’s son-in-law) through hometown connections, becoming an important adviser. After Dong Zhuo was killed by Lü Bu and Wang Yun in collaboration, Niu Fu was soon assassinated by his own trusted subordinates. Generals like Li Jue and Guo Si, unable to…
When discussing the military hierarchy of Dong Zhuo’s regime, it is essential to look beyond the romanticized narrative of Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms and consult the more sober accounts of historical records such as Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms and Fan Ye’s Book of the Later Han.
In 189 AD, He Jin, the most powerful consort clan member of the Eastern Han Dynasty and holding the position of Grand General, was assassinated by eunuchs. Soon after, Dong Zhuo, the Governor of Bingzhou, entered the imperial capital.
Luo Guanzhong, author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, crafted a dramatic “assassination attempt against Dong Zhuo” specifically to highlight Cao Cao’s boldness, cunning, and adaptability. Although unsuccessful, Cao Cao’s spirit in attempting to eliminate a traitor for the nation is highly commendable.
Following the death of Emperor Ling of Han, military authority within the imperial court was effectively controlled by General-in-Chief He Jin. Originally a butcher by trade, He Jin unexpectedly rose to power after his sister entered the imperial palace. As his entire family rose to prominence, He Jin became the General-in-Chief, establishing himself as…