3.4 wu kingdom

After Cao Cao's defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs in 208, the region was divided into three spheres of influence. Cao Cao was a leading figure in who attempted to control the whole empire, and he helped to bring it down. He died in 220 AD.

When he died, his son Cao Pi forced the last emperor of the Han Dynasty who was named Emperor Xian to give him his throne in 220. He was called Emperor Wen. He lived for only 6 years after this until the year 226. He set up his capital atLuoyang in the new kingdom called Cao Wei.

In 221, Liu Bei in the new kingdom of Shu Han named himself the Emperor of the Han Empire. In the same year, Sun Quan took the title of the King of Wu.

Frequent Wars

Liu Bei declared war on Dong Wu. At the Battle of Yiling, Liu Bei was defeated by Sun Quan's army, and he was forced to retreat back to Shu Han where he died.

After the death of Liu Bei, Liu Bei’s son Liu Shan took power in Shu Han. Zhuge Liang became the Prime Minister under Liu Bei. He was known as unusually intelligent and a great military strategist. They made peace with Sun Quan. This stabilized the political situation between them.

Both leaders then turned against the countries to the south of them to expand. Sun Quan conquered the Shanyue people to the south of him in 234. He then conscripted tens of thousands of them for his army. About the same time, Liu Shan fought the Nanmen. He also added Nanmen to his army.

In 227, Zhuge Liang sent an army against Cao Wei even though Wei had a much bigger population and a much bigger territory. According to census figures around this time, Shu Han had a population of only a million people. Wei probably had a population of about 3 or 4 million because a census of Wei that was taken in the year 260 showed a figure of 4.4 million people.

Zhuge Liang's campaigns failed, and in 234, he led his last great northern offensive and died.

Prosperity of Dong Wu

At the same time, Cao Wei kept attacking Dong Wu. But they could not break through Sun Quan’s river defenses that included a fortress called Ruxu. During Sun Quan’s long reign, Dong Wu prospered.

A migration of northern people and the subjugation of the Shanyue people increased his population and their agricultural production.

Big canals were dug that aided inland transportation, and trade with Shu Han helped both kingdoms to prosper. Dong Wu merchants traded with merchants in Linyi (northern Vietnam) and Funan (southern Vietnam).

Rise of the Jin Dynasty in Cao Wei and the Fall of Shu Han

After the 230s, the ruling Cao clan in Cao Wei was threatened by the Sima clan that held a lot of land. Sima Yi was a great general in Cao Wei.

In 238, Sima Yi took over the capital of Luoyang. In 263, Wei launched a three-pronged attack against the Shu Han, and the Shu army was forced into a general retreat. In 263, Liu Shan surrendered.

Expansion of the Jin Empire

In Cao Wei, the Cao clan still claimed the dynastic throne. Sima Yan forced Cao Huan to abdicate and established the Jin Dynasty in 265.

In 269, the Jin Dynasty started construction of a navy to control the Yangtze River and ferry troops across to attack Dong Wu. This invasion came in 279 after ten years of preparation.

In 280, Emperor Sun Hao of Dong Wu surrendered. This event marks the end of the Three Kingdom Period and the ascension of the new Jin Empire.

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The Three Kingdoms Period officially began in 220 AD, though the political foundation began to take hold several decades before. This era ensuedafter the fall of the Han dynasty, which lasted for several hundred years, from BC into AD. The Three Kingdoms period lasted from 220 AD to 280 ADand consisted of three separate states, Wu, Wei, and Shu. This era is actually one of the bloodiest times in China’s history. Due to the nearly constant warfare occurring between the kingdoms, it has been called the second deadliest period of warfare behind World War II. China’s population was by the end of this time period was roughly one fifth of what it was when it began. Out of the Three Kingdoms, Wu survived the longest from the brilliant minds and strong warriors who built and governed the nation.