Figure of Three Kingdoms

Author: He Manzi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: War novels and historical novels narrate the rise and fall of dynasties. The rise and fall of dynasties are determined by all-around political struggles, and ultimately by special political means—war. Therefore, in a certain sense, historical novels are actually war novels. Romance of the Three Kingdoms begins with the war of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and ends with the war of the Western Jin's conquest of Eastern Wu. The entire book depicts over a hundred battles, both large and small, where the rise and fall of heroes are realized through these wars, and the rise and decline of the Three Kingdoms' powers are tied to the outcomes of these battles. Among these wars, three decisive battles had a global impact on the history of the Three Kingdoms, shaping the Tripartite (tripartite balance): Yuan Shao's and Cao Cao's Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao's Battle of Red Cliffs against the alliance of Sun Quan and Liu Bei, and Sun Quan's and Liu Bei's Battle of Yiling.
The Battle of Guandu was the decisive confrontation between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, a northern warlord more powerful than Cao Cao, after the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Dong Zhuo's chaos. The outcome of this battle solidified Cao Cao's unshakable position in Central China and can be considered the battle that laid the foundation for the establishment of the Cao Wei state.
The Battle of Red Cliffs was the decisive battle where the alliance of Sun Quan and Liu Bei halted Cao Cao's southward advance and unified the nation, forming the Tripartite (tripartite balance).
The Battle of Yiling was the battle after Liu Bei secured the two provinces, where the alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei broke apart. This battle further led to a stalemate between Sun Quan and Liu Bei, forcing them to re-form an alliance to counter Cao Wei. It was also the battle that determined the Tripartite (tripartite balance) must be maintained until their eventual demise.
Other battles, such as Cao Cao's campaigns to defeat northern warlords, the campaigns of Sun Ce and Sun Quan in establishing Jiaxing in the Jiangdong region, Liu Bei's conquest of Sichuan and Zhuge Liang's southern campaigns, held only local significance. Battles like the Battle of Hefei between Sun Quan and Cao Cao, and the Battle of Hanzhong between Liu Bei and Cao Cao, did not determine the survival of any side. The Battle of Jingnan between Guan Yu and Cao Cao's forces, and the Battle of Jingzhou where Sun Quan and Wu forces seized Jingzhou and killed Guan Yu, were significant but served as prelude to the Battle of Yiling.
These battles were far less important than the three major battles of Guandu, Red Cliffs, and Yiling. Their roles were like the dense network of tributaries and lakes connecting anding the main river channel. P36-37