Three Kingdoms

Quick Facts: Who was Three Kingdoms?

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Three Kingdoms

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A tumultuous era in Chinese history (220–280 CE) marked by the collapse of Han rule.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from 220 to 280 AD following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the Western Jin dynasty. Academically, the periodisation begins with the establishment of Cao Wei in 220 AD and ends with the conquest of Wu by Jin in 280 AD. The period immediately preceding the Three Kingdoms, from 184 to 220 AD, was marked by chaotic infighting among warlords across China as Han authority collapsed. The period from 220 to 263 AD was marked by a comparatively stable arrangement between Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu.

Career & Major Achievements

This stability broke down with the conquest of Shu by Wei in 263 AD, followed by the usurpation of Cao Wei by Jin in 266 AD and ultimately the conquest of Wu by Jin in 280 AD. The Three Kingdoms period which included the collapse of the Han was one of the most dangerous periods in Chinese history due to multiple plagues, widespread famines, and civil war. A nationwide census taken in 280 AD, following the reunification of the Three Kingdoms under the Jin, showed a total of 2,459,840 households and 16,163,863 individuals, significantly fewer than the 10,677,960 households and 56,486,856 individuals reported during the Han era. While the census may not have been particularly accurate due to a multitude of factors of the times, in 280 AD, the Jin did make an attempt to account for all individuals where they could. Technology advanced significantly during this period.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Shu chancellor Zhuge Liang invented the wooden ox, suggested to be an early form of the wheelbarrow, and improved on the repeating crossbow. Wei mechanical engineer Ma Jun is considered by many to be the equal of his predecessor Zhang Heng. He invented a hydraulic-powered, mechanical puppet theatre designed for Emperor Ming of Wei, square-pallet chain pumps for irrigation of gardens in Luoyang, and the ingenious design of the south-pointing chariot, a non-magnetic directional compass operated by differential gears. The authoritative historical record of the era is Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms (c. 290 AD), in tandem with the later annotations published in 429 AD by Pei Songzhi. While comparatively short, the Three Kingdoms period has been romanticised in the culture of the Sinosphere.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Three Kingdoms

True or False: “The Three Kingdoms period was immediately followed by the Western Jin dynasty's reunification efforts.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The Wikipedia extract states that the period following the Three Kingdoms was the Western Jin dynasty.

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