The War of the Three Kingdoms, one of the most famous warlike events in ancient Chinese history, was characterised by a complex web of alliances, betrayals and bloody battles that marked the fall of the Han dynasty and the beginning of an era of turmoil and instability. The Han Empire had fragmented into three rival parts: the kingdom of Wu, the kingdom of Shu and the kingdom of Wei. The three kingdoms began to vie for dominance of China, each led by semi-legendary figures in Chinese history such as Cao Cao of Wei, Liu Bei of Shu or Sun Quan of Wu.

One of the most famous moments was the Battle of the Red Cliffs in 208 A.D., in which the forces of Shu and Wu defeated Wei's superior army through a series of naval tactics involving the use of flaming ships, succeeding in almost totally destroying Wei's fleet. The victory of the allied kingdoms was even more incredible considering the disparity in forces on the field: 200,000 men for Wei and less than 50,000 between Shu and Wu.

But the real protagonists of this era were the heroes of both sides. Cao Cao, the powerful and ambitious leader of Wei, is a symbol of absolute and unyielding authority. Guan Yu, known for his unwavering moral integrity, is still remembered as an emblem of loyalty and justice. Zhuge Liang, also known as 'the sleeping dragon', was Shu's wise strategist and Liu Bei's most trusted advisor. It was he who devised the tactic of flaming ships at the Red Cliffs, which proved decisive.

The War of the Three Kingdoms became semi-legendary thanks to the classic novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, which blended mythology and true events to dramatise real historical events. Even today, stories from the era of the Three Kingdoms permeate Chinese popular culture, inspiring novels, films, video games, TV series and comics. However one chooses to remember it, the Three Kingdoms War is always and will always be depicted as the golden age of heroes in Chinese history.