Three Kingdoms (三國 pinyin san1 guo2) (220 - 265) refers to a period of time after the fall of the Han Dynasty in China. It was so named because it was marked by the struggle of three rival kingdoms: the Kingdom of Wei (魏 wei4), the Kingdom of Shu (蜀 shu3) and the Kingdom of Wu (吳 wu2) for control of China. Wei was always the most powerful kingdom and conquered the Shu kingdom in 263. As the Sima clan had effectively wrested control of Wei away from the Cao family, Sima Yan formally seized the throne in 265 and established the Jin Dynasty (265-420). The Kingdom of Wu was later conquered in 280 resulting in the unification of China.
The famous Chinese epic novel Romance of Three Kingdoms was based on this period. The authoritative historical record of this era is the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms.
Map depicted significant regions of China at that time (http://www.threekingdoms.com/map2.htm)
- Major battles:
- Major Campaigns and Events:
- Important figures:
- Kingdom of Wu
| Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號) | Family (in bold) and first names | Year(s) of Reigns | Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their range of years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of Wei 220-265 AD | |||
| Convention: "Wei" + posthumous name, sometimes except Cao Pi and Cao Fang who are referred to using personal name. | |||
| Wen Di (文帝 wen2 di4) | Cao Pi曹丕 cao2 pi1 | 220-226 | Huangchu (黃初 huang2 chu1) 220-226 |
| Ming Di (明帝 ming2 di4) | Cao Rui|Cao Rui 曹叡 cao2 rui4 | 226-239 | Taihe (太和 tai4 he2) 227-233 Qinglong (青龍 qing1 long2) 233-237 Jingchu (景初 jing3 chu1) 237-239 |
| Qi Wang (齊王 qi2 wang2) | Cao Fang|Cao Fang 曹芳 cao2 fang1 | 239-254 | Zhengshi (正始 zheng4 shi3) 240-249 Jiaping (嘉平 jia1 ping2) 249-254 |
| Gao Gui Xiang Gong (高貴鄉公 gao1 gui4 xiang1 gong1) | Cao Mao|Cao Mao 曹髦 cao2 mao2 | 254-260 | Zhengyuan (正元 zheng4 yuan2) 254-256 Ganlu (甘露 gan1 lu4) 256-260 |
| Yuan Di (元帝 yuan2 di4) | Cao Huan|Cao Huan 曹奐 cao2 huan4 | 260-265 | Jingyuan (景元 jing3 yuan2) 260-264 Xianxi (咸熙 xian2 xi1) 264-265 |
| Kingdom of Shu or Kingdom of Shu Han 221 - 263 | |||
| Convention: use personal name | |||
| Zhao Lie Di (昭烈帝 zhao1 lie4 di4) | Liu Bei (劉備 liu2 bei4) | 221-223 | Zhangwu (章武 zhang1 wu3) 221-223 |
| Hou Zhu (後主 hou4 zhu3) | Liu Chan 劉禪 (liu2 chan2)[?] | 223-263 | Jianxing (建興 jian4 xing1) 223-237 Yanxi (延熙 yan2 xi1) 238-257 Jingyao (景耀 jing3 yao4) 258-263 Yanxing (炎興 yan2 xing1) 263 |
| Kingdom of Wu 222-280 | |||
| Convention: use personal name | |||
| Da Di (大帝 da4 di4) | Sun Quan 孫權 sun1 quan2 | 222-252 | Huangwu (黃武 huang2 wu3) 222-229 Huanglong (黃龍 huang2 long2) 229-231 Jiahe (嘉禾 jia1 he2) 232-238 Chiwu (赤烏 chi4 wu1) 238-251 Taiyuan (太元 tai4 yuan2) 251-252 Shenfeng (神鳳 shen2 feng4) 252 |
| Kuai ji wang (會稽王 kuai4 ji1 wang2) | Sun Liang|Sun Liang 孫亮 sun1 liang4 | 252-258 | Jianxing (建興 jian4 xing1) 252-253 Wufeng (五鳳 wu3 feng4) 254-256 Taiping (太平 tai4 ping2) 256-258 |
| Jing Di (景帝 jing3 di4) | Sun Xiu|Sun Xiu 孫休 sun1 xiu1 | 258-264 | Yongan (永安 yong3 an1) 258-264 |
| Wu Cheng Hou (烏程侯 wu1 cheng2 hou2) | Sun Hao|Sun Hao 孫皓 sun1 hao4 | 264-280 | Yuanxing (元興 yuan2 xing1) 264-265 Ganlu (甘露 gan1 lu4) 265-266 Baoding (寶鼎 bao3 ding3) 266-269 Jianheng (建衡 jian4 heng2) 269-271 Fenghuang (鳳凰 feng4 huang2) 272-274 Tiance (天冊 tian1 ce4) 275-276 Tianxi (天璽 tian1 xi3) 276 Tianji (天紀 tian1 ji4) 277-280 |
Check here for a complete list of Chinese rulers
See also: Chinese history -- Han dynasty -- Chinese sovereign -- Liu Bei -- Sun Quan -- Cao Cao
The Three Kingdoms is also an expression for the three Korean kingdoms Koguryo, Paekche[?] and Silla[?] as depicted in Samguk Sagi.
The Three Kingdoms is also an expression used to describe England, Scotland and Ireland in the days before the United Kingdom. For instance, it is found in the works of Jonathan Swift.
The Three Kingdoms is also an expression used to describe the animal, the vegetable and the mineral in Bahya ibn Paquda's classic work, Duties of the Heart.
Common misspelling and questions (FAQ)
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I search my diary in vain to find some pretermitted adventure wherewith find none. The mail is going; I will write again by the next. CHAPTER III Aspect of Port Lyttelton--Ascent of Hill behind it--View--Christ Church- a Farm--Moa Bones. January 27, 1860.--Oh, the heat! the clear transparent atmosphere, and cannot call it town, nestling beneath the bare hills that we had been houses, with ragged roods of scrubby ground between them--the tussocks sometimes 15 or 16 feet high, luxuriant and tropical-looking--the independent, pictures of rude health and strength--the stores, supplying harbour to a height of over a thousand feet--the varied outline of the sea-stricken eyes. The hot air, too, was very welcome after our long English--the windows open to the ground, looking upon the lovely rowdy hats; looked at them with awe and befitting respect. Much grieved the first intimations which we received that we were in a land where and Christ Church. We had not gone far before we put our knapsacks on horse!). It is indeed an awful pull up that hill; yet we were so the fatigue: I thought it very beautiful. It is volcanic, brown, and .