Rebuilding the Han Dynasty

In the late Eastern Han dynasty, social tensions grew increasingly severe. Political corruption was rampant, eunuchs held power, and local strongmen carved out territories, deepening the conflict. Ordinary people lived in misery, suffering from war, forced labor, and heavy taxes. Frequent natural disasters made matters worse. Zhang Jue and others drew on popular beliefs to establish the Way of Great Peace, attracting a large following. They proclaimed, "The Blue Heaven is dead; the Yellow Heaven shall rise," and called on the peasants to revolt. The uprising broke out in 184 and became known as the Yellow Turban Rebellion.