Browse stories

History glossary

Three Kingdoms era

the period after the Han collapse when Wei, Shu Han, and Wu competed for legitimacy and control.

Category
Historical period
Region
China
Date range
220-280 CE

What it means

The Three Kingdoms era followed the collapse of Han rule. From 220 to 280 CE, the rival states of Wei, Shu Han, and Wu competed for legitimacy and control before China was reunified under the Jin.

Stories using this term

A weekly route through history

Find out first about the latest published stories, feature notes and occasional Premium offers in one weekly email.