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 Campaigns and Events:
Three Kingdoms Sovereigns
| 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.
