3 The Three Kingdoms Period

The Three Kingdoms Period

he Eastern Han Empire (AD 25-220) ended when the empire divided between three big kingdoms. The disintegration of the Han and the Three Kingdoms period was a time of disaster for the people. The period lasted for 60 years until the year 280 when the large Jin Empire took over the region.

The region was divided between Cao Cao (155–220) who controlled the area north of the Yangtze River, Liu Bei (161–223) who controlled an inland area including Sichuan in the southwest, and Sun Quan (182–252) who controlled the southeast. The north was called Cao Wei (曹魏), the southwest was called Shu Han (蜀漢), and the southeast was called Dong Wu (東吳) that means Eastern Wu.

The Han Empire ended in natural disasters and rebellions that reduced the power of the dynastic court. There were also great conflicts in the dynastic court that ended in much killings and assassinations of royal clan members, the imperial eunuchs and officials, and their staff and guards.

The Han Empire broke into three economic geographical regions that were separated by the natural boundaries of theYangtze River that crosses the country east and west and the central mountains where the Three Gorges are.