About the Three Kingdoms

The Novel

Written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. It romanticizes and dramatizes the lives of feudal lords and their retainers, who tried to replace the dwindling Han dynasty or restore it.

The narrative spans the turbulent years from 169 AD to 280 AD. It explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, strategy, and the cyclical nature of history, famously opening with the line: 'The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide.'

The History

The historical period began with the fall of the Eastern Han Dynasty, marked by intense power struggles between consort clans and eunuchs. This chaos allowed regional warlords like Dong Zhuo—who infamously sacked the capital Luoyang—and Cao Cao to seize control.

Following the decisive Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 AD, the realm fractured into three competing states. This era is defined by the Cao-Wei Empire (220–265, founded by Cao Pi), the Shu-Han Empire (221–263, founded by Liu Bei), and the Wu Empire (222–280, founded by Sun Quan).