The outbreak of the Yellow Turban Army peasant uprising in the late Eastern Han Dynasty

Mondo History Updated on 2024-03-05

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Yellow Turban Army peasant uprising led by Zhang Jiao erupted like a volcano and swept across the land. The people who rebelled were marked by the yellow turban wrapping their heads, hence the name "Yellow Turban Army". This uprising was not only large-scale, but also a programmatic, organized, and prepared peasant uprising, and the spearhead was directly aimed at the decaying feudal dynasty of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The struggle of the Yellow Turban Army dealt a heavy blow to the powerful landlord clique and highlighted the great role of the working people in promoting the historical process.

From the late Western Han Dynasty, the landlord class gradually divided internally, forming a powerful landlord class that owned a large amount of land and wealth. With the Confucian policies of the Eastern Han Dynasty, this class was further developed and strengthened, becoming the most reactionary and decadent force in society. In order to satisfy his personal luxury, Liu Hong, Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, set up a quasi-official office, openly holding an official position, making money the only criterion for measuring a person's value. After coming to power, these powerful landlords, who bought official positions with money, treated the people like enemies, levied taxes like jackals, and did everything they could to loot, causing great oppression to the people.

The eunuchs were a group of political nouveau riche, greedy, vicious, and frantically grabbing power and wealth. The ten permanent servants around Emperor Han Ling are a group of greedy and extravagant people who do all kinds of evil, and they squeeze the blood and sweat of the people, as if they were cutting off their lives. The powerful landlord clique even frantically annexed land and brutally exploited and plundered the peasants, causing the peasants to live in misery. The rich enjoyed hundreds of houses, vast fields, herds of slaves and maids, and countless dependents, while the poor peasants were left unclothed, hungry, and wandering. The increasingly acute contradictions between the landlord class and the peasants finally led to the outbreak of the Yellow Turban Army's peasant uprising.

In order to consolidate their reactionary regime, the rulers of the Eastern Han Dynasty were mired in superstition and prophecy, and trumpeted the ways of Confucius and Mencius. Emperor Zhang Liu Hu personally convened the White Tiger Temple, combining Confucian classics with superstition, trying to religiorate and theologize the way of Confucius and Mencius, so as to strengthen the spiritual control of the working people. At the same time, in order to satisfy the arrogant and lascivious life of the rulers, they constantly waged unjust wars against the ethnic minorities in our country, resulting in "repeated military divisions and fatigue of the people", which further increased the burden on the people and aggravated the class contradictions in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

The brutal exploitation and political oppression of the peasants by the landlord class were like heavy shackles, forcing the peasants to rise up again and again. Against this background, the peasant uprising of the Yellow Turban Army came into being, and they stepped onto the stage of history with a clear political program and a huge organizational scale.

Zhang Jiao, the leader of the Yellow Turban Uprising, and the three brothers of Julu County, Zhang Jiao, Zhang Bao, and Zhang Liang, are each talented and have a heart for the world. Not only do they have outstanding abilities, but they also often stand up to solve problems for the people, and they are deeply loved by the people.

Zhang Jiao, as the eldest son in the family, is proficient in medical skills, he knows that medical skills can save people in danger, so he often treats the poor for free, and his spirit of selfless dedication has won wide praise and deep support from the poor. He knew the wishes of the peasants, who longed for a stable life, but in reality they were tormented by the oppression of the landlords and natural disasters. This deep compassion and understanding made Zhang Jiao determined to take action to create a peaceful world for farmers.

In order to achieve this grand goal, Zhang Jiao decided to use the power of religion to organize the masses. He founded a sect called "Taiping Dao", which used religion as a bond to unite people closely. The purpose of Taiping Dao is to pursue peace and tranquility and oppose oppression and injustice, which coincides with the ideal society in Zhang Jiao's heart.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to spread the Taiping Tao and treat the poor peasants, he actively propagated revolutionary ideas and made ideological and organizational preparations for the uprising. After more than ten years of hard work, he accumulated hundreds of thousands of believers in the eight prefectures of Qingdao, Xu, You, Hebei, Jing, Yang, and Henan (that is, the vast areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River), and later developed to the top.

One or two million people.

They secretly agreed that on the fifth day of the third month of the "Jiazi" year (184 AD), the believers in the capital and all over the country would revolt at the same time. In order to arouse the enthusiasm and confidence of the people, they put forward a shocking slogan: "The sky is dead, the yellow sky should stand; The year is in Jiazi, and the world is auspicious. In this slogan, "Cangtian" symbolizes the decaying Eastern Han Dynasty, while "Huangtian" represents Zhang Jiao and his Taiping Dao. They hope to overthrow the old rule and establish a new peaceful world through an uprising.

In order to ensure the smooth progress of the uprising, Zhang Jiao also sent personnel to the temples in Luoyang and the gates of the official palaces of various prefectures and counties, and wrote the word "Jiazi" in white powder as a code for the uprising.

Under the leadership of the brothers Zhang Jiao, Zhang Liang, and Zhang Bao, they wrapped yellow scarves on their heads and armed with knives and guns, galloped around Guangzong, Yingchuan, and Nanyang, and waged fierce struggles against the powerful landlord class and feudal bureaucrats.

At Zhaoling, the Yellow Turban Army of Runan defeated the army of Taishou Zhao Qian with a thunderous force; In Guangyang, the Yellow Turban Army broke through Jixian County and killed Guo Xun, the assassin of Youzhou.

With the growing strength of the rebel army, Zhang Jiao proclaimed himself the general of Tiangong, and his younger brothers Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang were called General Digong and Rengong General respectively. Zhang Jiao and Zhang Liang were stationed in Guangzong, and Zhang Bao was stationed in Xiaquyang, and these places became the first base of the peasant army. They led their troops to conquer cities and territories around Jizhou, and at the same time led various rebel armies, forming a powerful military alliance.

In the south, the Yellow Turban Army in Nanyang, led by Zhang Mancheng, continued to expand its power, echoing the Yellow Turban Army in the north. In Runan, the Yellow Turban Army led by Bo Cai and Peng Tuo operated on the front line of Yingchuan and Chen Guo, becoming the third main force of the Yellow Turban Army. These Yellow Turban armies encircled Luoyang from the north, east, and south, which plunged the Eastern Han court into an unprecedented crisis.

The rapid development of the Yellow Turban Peasant Army caused extreme panic in the Eastern Han court. Emperor Ling of Han was forced to wake up from his pleasures and hastily organized armed forces to suppress it. In order to alleviate the contradictions within the ruling class, he ordered an amnesty for the party; At the same time, an edict was issued ordering all localities to strictly prevent the infiltration of rebel forces, and to actively mobilize troops to encircle and suppress them.

In order to strengthen the defense of Luoyang, Emperor Ling of Han ordered He Jin, his uncle and general, to lead the left and right Yulin armies and defend the Beijing division. Huang Fu Song, the general of the left middle lang, and Zhu Jun, the general of the right middle lang, led 40,000 cavalry to attack the Yellow Turban Army in Yingchuan; Lu Zhize, the general of Beizhonglang, led the Northern Army and local troops to attack the Yellow Turban Army in Hebei.

When the Nanyang Yellow Turban Army led by Zhang Mancheng attacked Wancheng, a strategic place in the Central Plains, it was met with stubborn resistance from Nanyang Taishou Qin Jie, and finally Zhang Mancheng died on the battlefield. Zhao Hong took over the command and conquered Wancheng, and the number of troops grew to more than 100,000. In June, Zhu Jun, who had just exterminated the Yingchuan rebel army, led an army with more than 20,000 troops to besiege Wancheng with Xu Xuan, the assassin of Jingzhou, and Qin Jie, the Taishou of Nanyang. The Yellow Turban Army resisted desperately and held out for more than two months, showing amazing perseverance and combat effectiveness.

In the fourth lunar month of 185 AD, the Yellow Turban Army led by Bo Cai and Zhu Jun's official army engaged in a fierce battle. With his outstanding military talents, Bocai successfully defeated Zhu Jun's troops and then besieged Huangfu Song in Changshe. Due to his lack of combat experience, Bocai chose to camp in the grass. It was a windy weather, Huangfu Song seized this favorable opportunity, took advantage of the night wind to set fire, the rebel army was in chaos, and finally defeated.

Huangfu Song quickly united with the three armies of Zhu Jun and Cao Cao and launched a fierce counterattack against the Yellow Turban Army. In this fierce battle, tens of thousands of rebel soldiers died heroically. The officers and troops took advantage of the victory to pursue and attack the Yellow Turban Army in Runan and Chen. In the Battle of Yangzhai, Bocai was unfortunately killed, and his heroic sacrifice marked a great loss for the Yellow Turban Army. At the same time, the Yellow Turban Army led by Peng Tuo also suffered a crushing defeat in Xihua.

In August, the Yellow Turban Army and the official army of Dongjun launched a thrilling battle at Cangting. In this battle, more than 7,000 rebel soldiers were tragically killed, and the main general Bu had also died heroically. The main forces of the Yellow Turban Army in the three counties of Yingchuan, Runan, and Dongjun were all annihilated in this war, and the situation of the Yellow Turban Uprising was precarious.

Although the Yellow Turban Uprising lasted only nine months before it failed, its effects lasted for more than 20 years. This uprising not only dealt a heavy blow to the decadent rule of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but also disintegrated the ruling foundation of the feudal dynasty, laying the groundwork for later historical development.

Cao Cao, a generation of heroes, the word Mengde, was born in Peiguo County (now Bozhou, Anhui). His life was magnificent, and he went through ups and downs, setting the tone for the political landscape of the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period.

At the age of twenty, Cao Cao was promoted to filial piety for his outstanding conduct, and thus began his career. He successively served as the lieutenant of northern Luoyang and the prime minister of Jinan, and won praise from the people for his unique political vision and decisive decision-making ability.

During the Yellow Turban Uprising, Cao Cao resolutely joined and fought fiercely with the rebels. With his outstanding military talent and courage, he successfully helped the Han Dynasty and the people through this crisis and established his prestige in the army.

Over time, Cao Cao's power gradually expanded. Through a series of military and political means, he succeeded in unifying the north and laid the foundation for the establishment of the Cao Wei regime. In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208), Cao Cao became prime minister and became one of the most powerful figures in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

Sun Jian(155-191), Ziwentai, was born in Fuchun, Wu County (now Fuyang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang). He was an outstanding general and local separatist in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Sun Jian began to hold official positions in the county when he was young, and was known for his courage and fortitude.

In the first year of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty (184), Sun Jian followed Zhu Jun to suppress the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and his courageous performance made him fearless in battle. In the fourth year of Zhongping (187), Sun Jian was appointed as the Taishou of Changsha, he successfully suppressed the Quxing Uprising, and was named the Marquis of Wucheng for his outstanding achievements.

He Miao, the year of birth is unknown, he was a native of Nanyang Wan (now Nanyang, Henan) during the Eastern Han Dynasty, and he was also the younger brother of He Jin. In the first year of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty (184), after the outbreak of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, He Miao was appointed as Yin of Henan Province and shouldered the heavy responsibility of suppressing the uprising. He led his army in a fierce battle against the rebels in the Xingyang area, and eventually succeeded in helping the Han Dynasty and its people through this crisis. Because of his outstanding military exploits, he was named the general of the chariot and cavalry, and became an important general in the imperial court.

With the accession of the Young Emperor to the throne, He Miao and his brother He Jin were jointly responsible for leading the forbidden army and protecting the safety of the palace. However, He Miao repeatedly accepted bribes from eunuchs, which complicated his political stance. Especially when He Jin conspired with Yuan Shao and others to kill the eunuchs, He Miao thwarted their plans because he accepted bribes from the eunuchs. This behavior not only violated the principle of loyalty to the imperial court, but also exposed his greedy pursuit of power and money, which ultimately led to mixed reviews in history.

Wang Yun, a minister who left a strong mark in the history of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was born in 137 and died in 192. He was born in Qi County, Taiyuan (now Shanxi), and contributed to the stability and prosperity of the Eastern Han Dynasty with his outstanding talent and selfless dedication.

Wang Yun served as a county official in his early years, and was famous for hunting and killing eunuchs, showing his upright, heroic and fearless character. During the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, he served as the assassin of Yuzhou, responsible for suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion. With his outstanding military talent and strategic vision, he successfully helped the Han Dynasty and the people through this crisis, winning the praise of the court and the people.

However, Wang Yun's legendary life did not end there. After Emperor Xian ascended the throne, he was appointed as Situ and conspired with Lü Bu to kill the powerful minister Dong Zhuo. This heroic move not only demonstrated his loyalty and courage, but also laid a solid foundation for the stability and development of the Eastern Han Dynasty. However, unfortunately, after the deed, he was betrayed and killed by Dong Zhuo's generals Li Dao and Guo Yan, which made his legendary life end in a tragic ending.

Wang Yun's life is full of ups and downs and legends. His loyalty, bravery, and wisdom left a deep mark on the history of the Eastern Han Dynasty. His deeds also inspire us that no matter what the circumstances, we should stick to our beliefs, move forward bravely, and contribute to the well-being of our country and people.

Fu Liao, a brave and fearless general of the Eastern Han Dynasty, although some of his life deeds are no longer available, his bravery and loyalty will forever be recorded in history. He was born in Lingzhou (now Lingwu, Ningxia) and was an outstanding figure in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

In his early years, Fu Liao served under Tai Lieutenant Liu Kuan, and was later promoted to the rank of Protector Sima. He fought side by side with Zhonglang General Huangfu Song to suppress the Yellow Turban Rebellion. In this battle, Fu Lian's achievements were outstanding, but because he dared to speak out to slander the eunuchs, he was ultimately not rewarded by the imperial court.

Fu Lin was not discouraged by this, and he was appointed as the Taishou of Hanyang. During his tenure, the Geumseong rebels besieged Hanyang, and food in the city was in short supply. In the face of difficulties, Fu Liao held his ground and did not flinch. He led the army and people of the city to resist bravely and defend their homeland to the death. In this fierce battle, Fu Liao unfortunately died heroically, and his loyalty and courage became a good story for later generations.

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