"Here begins our tale. The empire, long divided. must unite;
long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been."
168 AD-280 AD
Total War: Three Kingdoms Announcement Cinematic Trailer
168
Emperor Ling takes the throne of the Han Dynasty
184
Yellow Scarves Uprising
Answering the imperial call to fight the Yellow Scarves, three heroes swear an oath of brotherhood to save the empire; they attain merit in battling the rebels and are thrust into the struggle to control the empire.
Liu Bei (Xuande), Lord Guan (Guan Yu) and Zhang Fei become sworn brothers.
189
Death of Emperor Ling, Emperor Shao ascends throne.
Dong Zhuo deposes Emperor Shao and enthrones Emperor Xian; Yuan Shao and Cao Cao oppose Dong Zhuo.
THE TYRANT RISES! Total War: Three Kingdoms - Dong Zhuo - Romance Campaign #1
190
Yuan Shao rallies lords against Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo moves imperial capital from Luoyang to Chang'an.
map from JR Comics, Three Kingdoms, vol 1
Luoyang sacked and burned, illustration from a Ming woodblock edition
192
Wang Yun deploys the Honey Trap to turn Lv Bu against Dong Zhuo; Lv Bu kills Dong Zhuo
mural at the Long Corridor, Summer Palace, Beijing
Cao Cao receives surrender of Yellow Scarves
196
Cao Cao brings Emperor to Xuchang
197
Yuan Shu declares himself Emperor
Total War: Three Kingdoms heroes
winter 198-199
Battle of Xiapi: Cao Cao and Liu Bei defeat Lv Bu
Cao Cao executes Lv Bu, Utagawa Kuniyoshi
200
Cao Cao defeats Liu Bei and captures Lord Guan
Lord Guan later takes leave of Cao Cao to rejoin Brothers, slaying six generals and breaching five passes;
Cao Cao eventually allows his escape.
The Solitary Ride for 1000 Li; Lord Guan Rejoins his Brothers, mural at the Long Corridor, Summer Palace, Beijing
The Battle of Guandu
The Three Kingdoms - the battle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao
Cao Cao defeats Yuan Shao at Guandu, expands power in northeast.
201
Jingzhou
Liu Bei takes refuge with Liu Biao in Jingzhou.
Lord Guan later loses Jingzhou, giving rise to the idiom "Losing Jingzhou through Folly."
202
Yuan Shao dies
207-08
Liu Bei seeks out Zhuge Liang.
Juxtaposing two illustrations of this famous scene
Liu Bei seeks out the reclusive Zhuge Liang to serve as his chief strategist. Zhuge Liang (aka "Sleeping Dragon") is living in seclusion in the mountainous Longzhong area.
Liu Bei must visit him thrice to persuade him to serve.
mural at the Long Corridor, Summer Palace, Beijing
Zhuge Liang develops strategies to defeat Cao Cao. He suggests an alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei.
winter 208-209
The Battle at Red Cliff is the most famous battle of this epic; a face-off between Cao Cao and the alliance of Liu and Sun.
Zhuge Liang’s brilliant strategies enable the surprising outcome of this naval battle.
Escape at Huarong Pass
Following the Battle at Red Cliff, Lord Guan allows Cao Cao to escape via Huarong pass, requiting his earlier kindness. This is foretold by Zhuge Liang. The escape is so famous that there is a Chinese puzzle named after the Huarong pass.
Guan Yu Lets Cao Cao Pass (Romance of The Three Kingdoms 1994)
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The Three Brothers must fight Cao Cao another day.
