Legends of the Three Kingdoms

In the late Eastern Han dynasty, the Han court was collapsing and the land was engulfed in chaos. Heroes rose from every corner.

Liu Bei, a descendant of the Han imperial line, was determined to restore the dynasty. He swore brotherhood with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei in the Peach Garden, their bond as close as brothers. Liu Bei struggled to establish himself in his early years, but with Zhuge Liang's wholehearted support, he soon felt like a fish in water. At the Battle of Red Cliffs, he allied with Wu against Cao Cao, laying the foundation for Shu Han. He later took control of Shu and founded a kingdom, setting up a tripartite balance with Wei and Wu.

Cao Cao was a man of great ambition who “held the emperor to command the lords,” wielding immense power for a time. His ranks teemed with strategists and fierce generals. At the Battle of Guandu, he defeated Yuan Shao despite being outnumbered, securing the north. Cao Cao gazed hungrily at the whole realm, often leading his troops south to threaten Shu and Wu.

Sun Quan inherited his father and brother's legacy, holding the strategic lands of Jiangdong. His ranks were filled with worthy talent, including Zhou Yu and Lu Su, pillars of his court. Eastern Wu relied on the Yangtze as a natural barrier and boasted a powerful navy. Depending on the circumstances, it would ally with Shu against Wei or make peace with Wei, protecting its borders and keeping its people safe.

In those days, heroes shone brightly. Guan Yu was the mightiest warrior of the realm and attended a banquet alone, armed with only his sword. Zhang Fei, fierce by nature, shouted Cao Cao's army into retreat. Zhao Yun, loyal and brave, rescued his lord single-handedly. The strategists displayed their talents too: Zhuge Liang devised brilliant plans, drove off the enemy with an empty fort, and subdued Meng Huo seven times; Guo Jia's exceptional schemes secured Liaodong even after his death; Pang Tong used an ingenious chain strategy to defeat Cao Cao at Red Cliffs; and the cunning Sima Yi faced off against Zhuge Liang.

But time spares no one, and heroes grow old. Guan Yu lost Jingzhou and died; Zhang Fei was murdered; Liu Bei's campaign against Wu ended in defeat, and he entrusted his son to Zhuge Liang at Baidi. Zhuge Liang devoted himself to his duty, but his northern campaigns failed, and he died of illness at Wuzhangyuan. Shu Han gradually declined. The Sima clan usurped power in Wei, and Sima Yan founded the Western Jin dynasty. Sun Hao of Wu ruled brutally, and the Western Jin eventually destroyed his kingdom. The Three Kingdoms were united under Jin, bringing an end to a legendary era that would live on in the memories of later generations.