THREE KINGDOMS

Chinese (WadeGiles romanization) San-kuo, Pinyin Sanguo (AD 220280) trio of warring Chinese states that followed the demise of the Han dynasty. By the end of the 2nd century AD, the great Han empire had disintegrated into a period of chaos. Its last emperor had become a mere puppet, and finally (220) he ceded the throne to Ts'ao P'eir, the son of his generalissimo and protector, Ts'ao Ts'ao. Thus began the Wei kingdom, but its effective influence was confined to the North. Two other Han generals shortly installed themselves as emperors and took over regions of the West and South; the Shu-Han empire was proclaimed in what is now Szechwan Province, and the Wu empire was declared south of the Yangtze at present Nanking. The Sinicizing of the southern regions by the Wu was an important contribution to the future of China, and Nanking was to become a future Chinese capital for more than two centuries. The Wei conquered the Shu-Han in 263/264, but two years later one of the Wei generals usurped the throne and proclaimed the Chin dynasty, which in 280 conquered the Wu and reunited the country. This dynasty soon fell apart, and the country disintegrated into chaos. The Three Kingdoms survived for too short a period to contribute much to the arts in any conventional sense, although during their time the use of clay puppets to act out dramas did arise. But the period is important to the arts as subject matter. This short and bloody era of warfare and political intrigue was one of the most interesting and romantic in China's long history; and, ever since, it has been a favourite subject of historical fiction and other art forms. One of the most celebrated examples is the novel San Kuo chih yen-i (Romance of the Three Kingdoms).