The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward, and the waves wash away all the heroes. This is an era of gold and iron horses. It is an era where heroes emerge one after another. On this vast historical stage, a great battle of wits and bravery is unfolding. Since the Yellow Turban Uprising in 184 AD, the Eastern Han Dynasty has been facing the danger of collapse. The old rule is on the verge of extinction, and a new order has not yet been established. Suffering nurtures new life.
One day in 189 AD, a fierce army was advancing eastward in a rapid march. This group of people traveled day and night without stopping their horses. Where were they going and why was it so urgent. At this time, five years after the outbreak of the Yellow Turban Uprising, the capital city of Luoyang was once again shrouded in a tense atmosphere after experiencing a series of deaths and killings. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, eunuchs controlled the court and acted recklessly. Under the chaos, the people were in dire straits. Emperor Ling of Han had just died of illness, and the new emperor was seventeen years old. Due to his young age, his uncle He Jin could only serve as the Grand General and preside over the court. He Jin was determined to eradicate the influence of eunuchs and seek support from local forces. He pinned his hope on Dong Zhuo, the governor of Bingzhou. After receiving a secret order from He Jin, Dong Zhuo quickly led the Liangzhou soldiers to Luoyang. While Dong Zhuo’s army was rushing towards Luoyang, news leaked out. The eunuchs took the initiative, killed He Jin, and kidnapped the young emperor to escape from the capital. However, Dong Zhuo, who had already arrived in Luoyang, had a bigger plan in his heart.
Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liang Mancang: After Dong Zhuo arrived, he took advantage of this chaos, caught all the eunuchs, and rescued the new emperor. That was Han Shaodi. Then Dong Zhuo became a great hero, and his ambition came up. He began to rule the court, deposed Emperor Shaodi, and established a new emperor, who was actually his puppet.
Dong Zhuo not only deposed the emperor, but also led his troops to burn, kill, and loot everywhere. The Dong Zhuo Rebellion opened the prelude to the great power drama. The Eastern Han Dynasty, established in 25 AD, is facing the danger of collapse after more than 160 years of unification and stability. At this time, local forces had become increasingly powerful, with Bohai Prefect Yuan Shao and Rear General Yuan Shu all having heavy troops, while Liu Biao, Sun Jian, Zhang Lu, Gong Sun Zan and others were each on their own, with strong forces. They saw the corruption of the central government and were eager to covet it. For a moment, the heroes of the world gathered in Luoyang under the pretext of suppressing Dong Zhuo’s revival of the Han family and forming an alliance. The problem was that they each held military power, and who should be elected as the leader of the alliance? The heavy burden fell on Yuan Shao, who came from a prestigious family background.
Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liu Chi: Yuan Shao’s greatest capital was the fourth generation and third duke of the Yuan family. Here, he said there was a very large group of old officials, many of whom were once promoted by the elders of the Yuan family in the Allied forces. At this time, this was Yuan Shao’s greatest capital. At that time, in the entire Allied forces, there was no one like Yuan Shao who had such a strong reputation or network, and no one else could match him. Therefore, everyone ultimately recommended him as the leader of the alliance.
Yuan Shao led various armies totaling tens of thousands of people, with a combined strength far exceeding that of Dong Zhuo. However, the war did not progress for a long time, including the alliance leader Yuan Shao. They did not really want to serve the court, but instead used this to occupy territory and strengthen their own power. They shouted slogans, but they colluded with each other and forgot about the whole situation, which caused strong dissatisfaction from one person – Cao Cao. Cao Cao, a native of Bozhou, Anhui, enjoyed reading and was quick witted and flexible. He never gave up his books on weekdays, and during the day he taught martial arts strategies. At night, he pondered the transmission of scriptures, which can be described as a dual cultivation of civil and martial arts. Although he came from a family of eunuchs, he tried his best to get closer to the aristocratic family. When he was young, he was a good friend of Yuan Shao. He participated in the war against the Yellow Turban Army and was appointed as the Prime Minister of Jinan after the war. After the Dong Zhuo Rebellion, Cao Cao dispersed his family wealth and recruited a team to join the army to fight against Dong Zhuo, and was appointed as the General of Fenwu.
Shen Bojun, a researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences: Cao Cao is a person whose traits can be summarized in eight words: he is talented, strategic, and outstanding.
Although Cao Cao had few soldiers under his command, he coordinated the overall situation and was brave enough to make progress. He persuaded the leaders of various allied armies, and Dong Zhuo himself burned the palace and plundered the emperor. The sea shook and he did not know where to return. This was a good time for heaven to destroy him. But Cao Cao’s enterprising strategy was not adopted by everyone, and he decided to advance alone. However. Cao Cao’s strength was far lower than Dong Zhuo’s. The two armies fought for a day, but Cao Cao ended in failure. Cao Cao himself was also shot by a shooting arrow. Throughout history, those who achieved great things have always had to endure various tests, and Cao Cao is no exception. At this time, this talented and strategic hero has just taken off and cannot fully unleash his energy. In addition to Cao Cao, another important figure emerged in the war against Dong Zhuo, seemingly Liu Bei. In “Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” the three heroes fought against Lu Bu, which can be said to be the most brilliant part of the war against Dong Zhuo. Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei became famous all over the world and became well-known heroes.
Liu Bei was a descendant of the son of Emperor Jing of Han, but by the time he was passed down to Liu Bei for more than 300 years, he was already a common person. Compared to Cao Cao, his strength was smaller. When attacking Dong Zhuo, he was only a county magistrate of a small and plain county, dependent on General Gongsun Zan.
Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liang Mancang: He called on the world with benevolence. One reason was that he had the banner of the Emperor, and the other was that he emphasized benevolence and righteousness, love for others, and benevolence. Therefore, he had a great advantage in interpersonal harmony at that time.
In historical records, there is no record of the Three Heroes fighting against Lu Bu, and Liu Bei did not make a name for himself in this heroic event. Perhaps his greater value lies in his survival in the war, which allowed him to use his identity as a Han family to win people’s hearts and gradually strengthen his strength. It was not Liu Bei who defeated Lu Bu, and it was not Guan Yu who beheaded Hua Xiong. It was thanks to another figure, Sun Jian. After Cao Cao, the army led by Sun Jian launched a fierce attack on Dong Zhuo. Due to his outstanding military achievements, this son of Jiangdong became famous all over the world. However, shortly after, Sun Jian died in the war against Liu Biao in Jingzhou. Sun Ce’s son inherited his father’s legacy and although he quickly pioneered Jiangdong, he was soon assassinated. The heavy responsibility of achieving hegemony fell only on Sun Ce’s younger brother, Sun Quan. Can this Jiangdong master, who lacks the heroic spirit of his father and brother, shoulder this heavy responsibility.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: Sun Quan is a magnificent and well appointed person. His grandeur means that he has a broad mind and is well appointed. He is good at identifying and utilizing talents. In this regard, Sun Quan has been in charge of Jiangdong for decades and has appointed four commanders, all of whom were first-class talents in the late Han and Three Kingdoms periods.
The wheels of history rolled forward, and as Dong Zhuo was eradicated, the governors and governors of each state were recruiting troops and using alliances or campaigns to consolidate and expand their own strength. But true heroes are not judged by the gains and losses of a city or a place, but by whether they have great talent and strategy, whether they have a strong will, whether they can attract people’s hearts, and whether they can establish their own advantages in the face of changes. Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan, these three figures who did not make magnificent appearances on the historical stage of the late Han Dynasty, emerged during the war. Cao Cao’s great talent and strategy gradually emerged in the flames of war. When the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty had no power to speak of, he was the first to realize the value of the emperor. In 196 AD, Emperor Xian of Han arrived in Luoyang, and Cao Cao rushed to welcome him. He then moved Emperor Xian of Han to Xu County to firmly control him, creating a political model of taking the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Bu Xianqun: He had a very accurate judgment of the political situation at that time, so he took advantage of the emperor to order the feudal lords to relocate Emperor Xian of Han to Xuchang. He first gained political initiative, which other warlords at that time had not been able to achieve.
As a hero, Liu Bei suffered setbacks on his journey to start his own life. When he was at a loss, he was even forced to defect to Cao Cao. Although he did not have strong political and military power, he could not even find a place to settle down. But this destitute royal relative did not lack any advantages, and his strong desire to restore the Han dynasty brought him a lot of popularity.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liang Mancang: Liu Bei had to go through multiple setbacks and defeats, and had no way out before joining Xuchang. He had always wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to hide himself, packaging himself as someone who had no ambition, was mediocre, only knew how to live a small life, and grew vegetables.
The two heroes Cao Cao and Liu Bei finally had their first confrontation in 196 AD. This face-to-face confrontation did not occur on the battlefield, but it was equally thrilling. On this day, while Cao Cao was feasting with Liu Bei in Xuchang, he was drinking and his ears were hot. With a bold spirit, Gan Yun smiled and asked Liu Bei, “Who is a hero in the world today?” Liu Wei was surprised, but he immediately hid it and mentioned Yuan Shao and others. Unexpectedly, Cao Cao laughed and said, “There are only heroes in the world today, you and me. Before we could finish speaking, our murderous aura had already been revealed.”. For Liu Bei, this is a crucial moment in his life. Admitting or denying it, what attitude would he adopt as someone who is also determined to conquer the world.
Shen Bojun, a researcher at the History Institute of Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences: Despite Liu Bei repeatedly evading and taking precautions, this sentence still surprised him. When he heard this, Liu Bei was shocked. He was afraid that Cao Cao would see his heroic aspirations. In his shock, the key and pen fell to the ground. It was the knife and chopsticks that fell to the ground during the meal. Fortunately, at this moment, a thunderbolt suddenly sounded. Liu Bei used the sound of thunder as a cover, saying that the sage said that lightning will change quickly and fiercely. As expected, a thunderbolt was so powerful that it startled me. He picked up the pen and pen, and Cao Cao thought to himself, “You, Liu Bei, can even sound a thunderbolt and pick it up.” You were scared, not a hero, and suddenly relaxed your guard.
True heroes never show off their bravery. When the time was not ripe, Liu Bei accumulated strength and endured humiliation. After the banquet, Liu Bei quickly found an excuse to leave Cao Cao, hoping to use Yuan Shao’s power to fight against him. In the year 200 AD, Yuan Shao personally led a large army southward, and the two major military groups of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao finally engaged in a firefight at Guandu. This is a decisive battle about the ownership of the Central Plains. Yuan Shao’s strength far surpassed that of Cao Cao, but seemingly weak Cao Cao chose to fight.
Yu Daji, a researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences of the People’s Liberation Army of China: The success or failure of a war mainly depends on tangible material forces, but intangible forces cannot be ignored and can play a significant role. What is it? He himself is superior to Yuan Shao in terms of magnanimity, strategy, and military affairs. Yuan Shao is always skeptical about his employment, and Cao Cao is not skeptical about his plans. Yuan Shao is indecisive and can make decisions on major matters. Yuan Shao does not understand the importance of military tactics, and Cao Cao uses troops like a god. In addition to these, there are many other aspects that he is superior to Yuan Shao.
At the most critical moment of this war, Cao Cao personally led a team of light cavalry to cut off Yuan Shao’s food supply and burned down his army’s provisions. Taking advantage of the unstable morale of Yuan’s army, he launched a fatal attack on Yuan Shao’s main force, writing a classic battle in Chinese history where less wins more. This battle laid the foundation for Cao Cao’s unification of the northern Central Plains. After the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao accelerated the pace of unification. In 204 AD, Cao’s army captured Ye City, captured Jizhou and Qingzhou, and in three years, occupied Youzhou and Bingzhou, pacified the three counties of Wuhuan. Cao Cao’s power reached its peak, and his ambition to unify the north went far beyond that. Sword pointing towards Cao Cao in the south, he will now face his true opponents, Liu Bei and Sun Quan. After escaping from Cao Cao, Liu Bei fought against Cao Cao’s army multiple times. Due to the disparity in power, Liu Bei was repeatedly defeated. He repeatedly relied on others and left Yuan Shao before defecting to Liu Biao in Jingzhou. Although he relied on the Han family and spread the word of loyalty, Liu Bei’s power continued to accumulate and grow. However, at this time, Liu Bei had the greatest distress, which was the lack of talents who could truly assist him.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liang Mancang: In fact, the Three Kingdoms War is a talent war. Whoever unites useful talents and a large number of talented people, their career will develop and they may win.
This place belonged to Nanyang County in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. More than 1000 years ago, it was a paradise in the world. The spring atmosphere in the thatched cottage was abundant, and the sun outside the window was slow. Zhuge Liang, who was known as the Wolong, lived here. His poetry, music, prose, qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting were all cultured and elegant, nurturing Zhuge Liang to spend his leisure time with him. However, leisure was superficial, and scholars knew about the world without going out. After more than a decade of learning, observation, and thinking, a plan to achieve national unity was becoming increasingly mature in his mind. At this time, he needed a true Bole. In 207 AD, both Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After three visits to the thatched cottage, Liu Bei finally met Zhuge Liang, marking a significant turning point in his career.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: Deeply aware of the importance of talent, he eagerly sought out talented individuals. Therefore, when he found out that Zhuge Liang in Wolong was in Longzhong, Liu Bei, who was already 47 years old, spared no effort and respectfully invited the young Zhuge Liang to come out of the thatched cottage to assist him, becoming a timeless tale.
As soon as Liu Bei saw Zhuge Liang, he couldn’t wait to ask, “The Han Dynasty was in decline, and treacherous officials stole their lives. I wanted to extend righteousness to the world, what should I do?” This sentence led to the important planning of the Three Kingdoms in history – Longzhong. Zhuge Liang analyzed that in order for Liu Bei to gain control of the world, he must face the two main forces: Cao Cao and Sun Quan. Cao Cao Cao already has millions of people and cannot compete with him in the short term. Sun Quan has control of Jiangdong and can use him as a helper, rather than competing with him. The overall situation of the Three Kingdoms was certain, and Liu Bei’s development direction was determined. Zhuge Liang pointed to Jingzhou and Yizhou on the map, telling Liu Bei that as long as he possessed Jingzhou and Yizhou, he had the most solid foundation for achieving great success. Seven years earlier than Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang’s Longzhong Dui, a similar dialogue had already taken place in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. He was later known as the Jiangdong Dui. Sun Quan asked his advisor Lu Su, “The Han Dynasty is facing danger and is surrounded by clouds. I want to make achievements and make achievements. How will you assist me?” Lu Su replied, “The Han Dynasty cannot revive, and Cao Cao cannot immediately eliminate it. He is the general’s plan, but to occupy the eastern part of the Yangtze River, closely monitor the situation, take action, and the heroes have similar views. Lu Su’s gaze also paid attention to Jingzhou, and he suggested firmly holding onto the Yangtze River fortress.”.
Shen Bojun, a researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: This strategy has been referred to as the Jiangdong pair by later historians. He also soberly analyzed the global situation faced by the Sun Wu Group, and realistically proposed a two-step development strategy based on Sun Wu’s own geographical environment. It can also be regarded as a high-level strategic plan that can be compared to the Longzhong pair, and his proposal was several years earlier than the Longzhong pair. Therefore, the Longzhong pair and the Jiangdong pair can be regarded as ancient strategies, which have formulated the best development strategies for Liu Bei and Sun Quan, the two major groups.
This is the prosperous and stable Jingzhou. Due to the prolonged war in the north, Jingzhou, located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, became an oasis in the turbulent and chaotic era of the end of the Han Dynasty. With abundant crops and a happy life for the people, not only that, but Jingzhou’s military geographical location and importance have always been a battleground for soldiers. The war is still ongoing, but the situation has undergone tremendous changes. After experiencing brutal wars of survival of the fittest, most of the various heroes who rose up to suppress Dong Zhuo have disappeared into thin air. The stage of history has gradually turned into a three party confrontation between Cao Cao, Sun Quan, and Liu Bei. At this time, they all focus their attention on Jingzhou.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liu Chi: Jingzhou is a place of four battles, located in the middle of the two major forces in the north and south. Of course, you can say that you have occupied Jingzhou. You can launch an attack on both the Central Plains and Jiangnan.
In 208 AD, Cao Cao personally led hundreds of thousands of troops and marched south, heading straight to Jingzhou. The decisive battle among the three sides began in Jingzhou, and the final focus fell on Chibi, which was less than 500 kilometers away from Jingzhou City. At this time, it had been nine years since the discussion of heroes through drinking, and Cao Cao’s strength had become even stronger. However, Liu Bei no longer chose to back down. Faced with Cao Cao’s aggressive attack, Sun Quan, after weighing the pros and cons, did not choose to surrender. Obviously, the Sun and Liu families could not compete with Cao Cao with their unilateral strength, and they chose to unite to resist Cao Cao’s army.
Researcher Lou Jin from the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: The military resources and efforts invested by both sides are unprecedented. Cao Cao wanted to complete his mission, know how to hunt Jiangdong, and achieve his ideal of truly unifying China. However, he was too hasty and underestimated the natural conditions in Jiangdong, which posed a natural threat to him. He also underestimated the determination of the Sun Wu regime to resist the enemy.
In 208 AD, another decisive battle of the Three Kingdoms period, the Battle of Red Cliffs, began. During Cao Cao’s nearly ten-year military career, he was almost invincible. This time, he was also full of confidence and was determined to win. In the face of powerful external forces and crises, in addition to courage, Sun Quan and Liu Bei also needed to aggregate the wisdom they had unleashed in the Longzhong and Jiangdong confrontations. Can they create miracles.
Researcher at the History Institute of Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: The two armies are facing each other across the river, and it is especially necessary to use intelligence. At this time, Cao Cao came victorious, but he was arrogant because of his victory. He made mistakes again and again, but the key is that he could not come up with an effective attack method. Sun and Liu’s joint forces, taking advantage of Cao Cao’s temporary lack of effective attack methods, helplessness, and relatively lax situation, used Huang Gai to carry out false surrender. Taking advantage of Cao Cao’s numb mentality, at the key point of implementing false surrender, it happened to be a strong southeast wind. Therefore, they seized the opportunity to launch a fire attack, which burned most of Cao Cao Cao’s warships and also caused chaos. The morale of the Cao army, coupled with the Sun Liu coalition starting with a fire attack and attacking both land and water, caused chaos and resulted in a hasty retreat.
The great fire of the Sun Liu coalition not only extinguished Cao Cao’s naval warships and oars anchored by the river, but also shattered Cao Cao’s dream of unifying the country. The Battle of Red Cliffs was once again a war where less won over more, and the weak won over the strong. This time, wisdom ultimately determined the victory of the war. For Cao Cao, the Battle of Red Cliffs was an end, and from then on, Cao Cao retreated to the north, ending his southern expedition. For the Sun and Liu families, the Battle of Red Cliffs was a comma, and they still had to continue dividing the half of the country after Cao Cao’s withdrawal. For the social process, the Battle of Red Cliffs is a question mark, and what path must history take to achieve unity.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: After the Battle of Red Cliff, the original Jingzhou belonged to Cao, Liu, and Sun. Therefore, in reality, the Battle of Red Cliff first divided Jingzhou into three parts. Jingzhou was originally a county, and after competition, Cao Cao occupied Nanyang County, Sun Quan occupied Nanjun and Jiangxia County, and Liu Bei occupied the four counties in Jiangnan.
In 211 AD, according to Longzhong’s plan, Liu Bei left Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and others to guard Jingzhou. He personally led tens of thousands of infantry to enter and occupy Shu territory. Eight years later, Liu Bei began his unification campaign and launched an attack on Cao Cao in the Central Plains. At this time, the army of Guan Yu stationed in Jingzhou also began to take action. So, the focus of history shifted to another hero, Guan Yu. He not only excelled in martial arts, but also became famous for his loyalty and righteousness. Guan Yu once fought alongside Liu Bei and always faithfully followed him, going through life and death, avoiding difficulties. In July 219 AD, Guan Yu led his army to launch a northern attack on Xiangyang. Along the way, he was unstoppable and saw the victory of Liu Bei’s army in front of him. However, to his surprise, Sun Quan had quietly pulled out a sharp blade from behind to stab his allies.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Lou Jin: Jingzhou is its throat, and it is the upstream of Jianye. Jingzhou has always been a political power in the Jiangdong region, and it is important to manage Jingzhou as the most important strategic location. Jingzhou is in your hands, and he is on pins and needles. Therefore, as long as the conditions are mature, Sun Quan is not unwilling to stab you in the back and take Jingzhou back.
The land of Jingzhou is related to the strength, safety, and survival of Sun Wu. Just as Guan Yu’s army was victorious in attacking Xiangyang, Sun Wu’s army took advantage of the situation and launched a surprise attack on Jingzhou, occupying Jiangling. Guan Yu gave up attacking Xiangyang and returned to his army to save Jiangling. However, in Maicheng, Guan Yu was defeated and killed. Guan Yu is known for his loyalty and righteousness throughout the world. After his death, his image gradually became mythological and revered as Guan Gong, becoming a subject of folk worship. After being praised and honored by various dynasties, Guan Yu was also revered as a martial saint, on par with the literary sage Confucius. Liu Bei not only lost Guan Yu, a loyal minister, but also Jingzhou, a strategic location. The strategy of flanking the Central Plains in Longzhong encountered unprecedented challenges.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liang Mancang: The Sun Liu alliance has broken down, and the enmity between the two families has deepened. This has had an impact on both sides, forcing Sun Quan to actively show goodwill with Cao Cao in order to prevent Liu Bei’s retaliation. The proximity of these two families can put the political power of Shu Han in a more dangerous situation.
In January 220 AD, Cao Cao passed away due to illness. This famous politician in Chinese history made immortal contributions to the reunification and stability of China. In October of the same year, his son Cao Pi replaced Emperor Xian of Han through abdication, and established the Yuan Dynasty in Huangchu, with the country name Wei and the historical name Cao Wei. In April of the second year, Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor in Chengdu, founded Yuan Zhangwu, and the country was named Han, also known as Shu Han in history. In another year, Sun Quan proclaimed himself the King of Wu. Although he did not proclaim himself emperor, using Huang Wu as his reign title was also the standard of an emperor, and the situation of the Three Kingdoms was officially formed. In July 221 AD, Liu Bei had just declared himself emperor for three months, but he did not have much joy. Instead, he eagerly prepared to launch a war against Sun Wu. Many people believed that Liu Bei’s move was to avenge Guan Yu.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liu Chi: It cannot be said that Liu Bei did not have the factor of seeking revenge for Guan Yu. This factor should be said to hold a considerable position, but on the other hand, Liu Bei should say that he sent troops and had the confidence to win. If he did not have this confidence, it would have turned into seeking death. He believes that by sending troops, he could obtain many political and economic benefits, not just seeking revenge for his brothers.
The third great war has begun. In 221 AD, Liu Bei personally led an army of 80000 soldiers, both water and land, to march eastward along the Yangtze River and kill towards Eastern Wu. The main battlefield of the war was in Yiling, known as the Battle of Yiling in history. At the beginning of the war, the Shu army was as imposing as a rainbow, advancing step by step. Sun Wu avoided its sharpness and took the initiative to retreat. Retreat did not mean timidity, but was a strategic necessity. When Sun Wu withdrew from the Three Gorges and arrived at the Yiling area, they stopped retreating and erected a strong defense line. The Battle of Yiling will become a crucial battle for Sun Quan or Liu Bei to achieve the grand vision of Jiangdong or grand confrontation.
Yu Daji, a researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences of the People’s Liberation Army of China: Sun Quan is not as good as Cao Cao in military affairs, but he also has outstanding qualities. He has self-awareness, and generally plays a crucial role in deciding whether to fight a war. How to fight a war, he knows that morality is his weakness, and he doesn’t care if he hands him over to an expert general to manage.
The two armies were facing each other in Yiling. Half a year had passed, and the powerful Shu army was exhausted. After a long period of perseverance, the Sun Wu army gradually shifted from passive to active. When the time was ripe, they took the opportunity to launch a counterattack and launched a fire attack on the Shu army camp. In the end, the Shu army was defeated, with tens of thousands of people killed in battle. The scene was tragic and unbearable. Liu Bei had no choice but to retreat to the White Emperor City. The Battle of Yiling created another miracle in the history of the Three Kingdoms War, where less won over more. It reflects the success or failure of the war, not in the short term, but in the final outcome. It is precisely Sun Quan’s extraordinary resilience that enabled him to persevere until the end and win the victory.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: What is the role of this battle in military history and strategy? In fact, this battle consolidated Sun Wu’s possession of Jingzhou, and thus, the situation of a tripartite confrontation was relatively stable.
Life is a tragicomedy. A few months ago, Liu Bei had the ambition to unify the world, but now he has to face death. In April 223 AD, Liu Bei, who suffered heavy military and psychological damage, passed away in Yong’an Palace. Before his death, this generation of warlords entrusted his son, the Shu Han regime, and his political ideals to Zhuge Liang, his most trusted prime minister and comrade in arms. The Battle of Guandu laid the foundation for Cao Cao’s unification of the Yellow River Basin, the Battle of Red Cliffs established the preliminary pattern of the Three Kingdoms, and the Battle of Yiling was the final finalization of this pattern. The three kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu reached a temporary balance, with the tripod having three legs and standing in three parts. However, when the tripod was completed, it was not the entire tripod. They ultimately had to be unified on top of the tripod, and time was still passing. Breaking the balance would take time, and history could only wait. However, this waiting was not passive. During this period, all three countries were working hard. This effort was a surging undercurrent, a surging rock slurry that would eventually break the temporary balance and form a new unity.
90 Seconds in History: Departure Table
In the early spring of 234 AD, the Prime Minister of Shu Han, Zhuge Liang, decided to lead another northern expedition. At this time, it had been 11 years since Liu Bei entrusted him with the task of governing Shu Han, and Zhuge Liang was doing his best to govern Shu Han. Now that Zhuge Liang was about to launch another northern expedition against Cao Wei, could this famous military strategist really eliminate the Cao Wei regime with a population and army five times larger than his own, and thus revive the Han Dynasty in his mind? Before his first expedition, Zhuge Liang had written a letter to the Empress Dowager Liu Chan expressing his thoughts. Chen Liangyan said that the late emperor had not yet started his own business, but the middle way had collapsed. Today, the late emperor did not use his lowly officials to eliminate traitors and revitalize the Han dynasty. He should stay away from it and shed tears on his face. He was loyal, dedicated, self reliant, just, honest, diligent, and indifferent. Although Zhuge Liang’s physical life is no longer there, his spiritual life shines for thousands of years.