The Three Kingdoms

Join us for an engaging history discussion as we explore the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms, from the restoration of Han rule in 25 CE to the division of China among Wei, Shu, and Wu in the third century. This was an age of imperial revival, court intrigue, peasant rebellion, warlord rivalry, and legendary battles. Beneath the famous stories of heroes and strategists lay deeper forces: weak emperors, powerful eunuchs, regional militarization, and the gradual collapse of central authority.

Topics for Discussion

• The Restoration of the Han under Emperor Guangwu
• The Prosperity and Problems of the Eastern Han
• Court Politics: Eunuchs, Empresses, and Imperial Clans
• The Qiang Wars and Frontier Pressures
• The Yellow Turban Rebellion
• The Rise of Regional Warlords
• Dong Zhuo and the Collapse of the Han Court
• Cao Cao and the Rebuilding of Power in the North
• Liu Bei, Sun Quan, and the Struggle for Legitimacy
• The Battle of Guandu
• The Battle of Red Cliffs
• The Founding of Wei, Shu, and Wu
• Zhuge Liang and the Northern Campaigns
• The Sima Clan and the Fall of Wei