The Collapse of the Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition

When Cao Cao returned to central China after recruiting troops in Yangzhou, the once-ferocious coalition against Dong Zhuo had already dissolved into infighting. The alliance, which had promised to overthrow the tyrannical regent, now resembled a nest of squabbling warlords more concerned with personal gain than their original mission.

In Jizhou, Governor Han Fu viewed Yuan Shao as a growing threat and deliberately reduced grain supplies to Henei. Meanwhile, in Yan Province (Yanzhou), the supposed heartland of the anti-Dong movement, violence had already erupted. Inspector Liu Dai of Yan Province had never gotten along with Qiao Mao, the Grand Administrator of Dong Commandery. Eventually, Liu Dai allied with Zhang Miao and Wu Zi, the Grand Administrator of Jiyin, to kill Qiao Mao, installing his subordinate Wang Gong as the new Grand Administrator of Dong Commandery.

Ironically, among all these self-proclaimed Dong Zhuo opponents, only Cao Cao had actually engaged Dong’s forces in battle – and even that ended in defeat. This political farce revealed the coalition’s true nature: an opportunistic gathering of regional strongmen rather than a unified resistance movement.

Cao Cao’s Strategic Pivot to Yuan Shao

Upon his return, Cao Cao made a significant decision that would shape his future – he chose to align himself with Yuan Shao rather than rejoin his old acquaintance Zhang Miao in Chenliu. This choice stemmed from two crucial realizations:

First, his relationship with Zhang Miao wasn’t as strong as it appeared. Zhang had maintained a guarded attitude toward the aggressive Cao Cao, offering no support when Cao’s forces were decimated in battle. This forced Cao to undertake the arduous journey back to his hometown and Yangzhou to rebuild his army.

Second, Yan Province had descended into chaos, with warlords carving out territories through violence. Cao recognized that Zhang Miao lacked the vision and capability to achieve great things in this turbulent era. In contrast, Yuan Shao represented the most promising path forward.

Their reunion in Henei marked a pivotal moment. When Yuan Shao asked about future plans, their responses revealed fundamentally different approaches. Yuan outlined a meticulous strategy to secure the Yellow River, control the northern regions, incorporate nomadic cavalry, and then push southward – essentially following Emperor Guangwu’s blueprint for conquering China.

Cao’s vague response about “employing the talents of the realm” reflected his relative lack of long-term planning at this stage. The contrast between the “Four Generations of Three Excellencies” Yuan and the “descendant of eunuchs” Cao couldn’t have been starker. Yet history would soon demonstrate that meticulous planning didn’t always guarantee success in this chaotic period.

Dong Zhuo’s Counteroffensive and the Coalition’s Failure

By winter 190 AD, Dong Zhuo had crushed the White Wave Bandits in Bing Province and turned his attention to the crumbling coalition. Feeling betrayed by the warlords’ empty posturing (which had prompted his controversial decision to move the capital), Dong launched devastating counterattacks.

Wang Kuang’s forces at Henei fell first to Dong’s tactical brilliance – feigning a crossing at Pingyin Ford while secretly sending elite troops across at Xiaoping Ford to attack from the rear. With the northern approaches to Luoyang secured, Dong’s armies began expanding outward.

The so-called “Allied Campaign Against Dong Zhuo” had achieved virtually nothing militarily. Only one man had truly challenged Dong’s regime: the fiery and unpredictable Sun Jian. This historical episode might be more accurately termed “Sun Jian’s Northern Expedition” rather than any coordinated coalition effort.

The Meteoric Rise of Sun Jian

Sun Jian’s background couldn’t have been more different from the aristocratic Yuan Shao or Cao Cao. Hailing from humble origins in Fuchun, Wu Commandery (and claiming descent from Sun Tzu), Sun’s family had produced no notable officials for generations. Local legends about supernatural phenomena at his ancestral gravesite hinted at his future prominence.

From his youth, Sun displayed the quintessential qualities of a warrior-opportunist: striking appearance, fearless personality, and formidable martial skills. At seventeen, he gained fame by single-handedly intimidating and killing pirates. His marriage to the talented Lady Wu came about through what amounted to coercion – her family feared his violent retaliation if they refused.

Sun’s military career began in 172 AD suppressing the rebellion of Xu Chang in Kuaiji Commandery. Over the next decade, as a county administrator in three different posts, he built a loyal following and military reputation. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion erupted in 184 AD, General Zhu Jun recruited Sun as his assistant, recognizing his combat prowess.

Sun’s battlefield style combined reckless bravery with cunning survival instincts. After being unhorsed in one engagement, he played dead until his loyal horse led rescuers to him. His fearless assaults on Yellow Turban strongholds, including being first over the walls at Wan Castle, earned him promotion to Separate Army Major.

In 185 AD, during the Liang Province rebellion, Sun served under Zhang Wen and witnessed Dong Zhuo’s insubordination firsthand. His recommendation to execute Dong (which went unheeded) demonstrated both his perceptiveness about people and his lack of political subtlety. The mutual wariness between Sun and Dong would resurface dramatically five years later.

By 187 AD, Sun had suppressed rebellions in Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang, earning the title Marquis of Wucheng – a remarkable achievement for someone of his modest background. When the anti-Dong coalition formed in 190 AD, Sun eagerly joined from his base in Changsha, seeing an opportunity to settle his old score with Dong Zhuo.

Sun Jian’s Controversial Northern Campaign

Sun’s march northward quickly devolved into a personal power grab rather than a genuine contribution to the anti-Dong cause. His first major act – executing Imperial Inspector Wang Rui of Jing Province – revealed his ruthless ambition and deep-seated resentment toward the scholar-official class that had long looked down on him.

The pretext for killing Wang (who belonged to the prestigious Langye Wang clan) was flimsy at best. When questioned about his crime, Sun simply declared “the crime of incompetence.” This act of political violence against a high-ranking official demonstrated Sun’s willingness to shatter norms when they stood in his way.

Rather than consolidating his position in southern Jing Province (a strategically sound move given the defensible terrain around Xiangyang), Sun pushed north into Nanyang Commandery. There, he employed deception to eliminate another high-ranking official – Administrator Zhang Zi of Nanyang. Feigning illness, Sun lured Zhang into a trap and had him killed when he came to “take command” of Sun’s forces.

These actions made Sun Jian the most feared and distrusted figure in central China. While he temporarily gained control of Nanyang’s resources, he had alienated the powerful scholar-official class and made himself a target for retaliation. His northern campaign, rather than weakening Dong Zhuo, had primarily benefited two men who would ultimately determine his fate.

The Contrasting Paths of Three Warlords

The events of 190-191 AD revealed fundamental differences between these emerging warlords. Yuan Shao represented the aristocratic elite, carefully planning his rise according to historical precedents. Cao Cao, though initially less strategic, demonstrated an ability to adapt and learn from stronger figures. Sun Jian embodied the ruthless opportunist, relying on brute force and deception to climb from obscurity.

Their approaches reflected their backgrounds: Yuan’s meticulous planning stemmed from generations of high-level governance experience; Cao’s pragmatism came from his family’s position between the eunuch faction and scholar-official class; Sun’s aggression and distrust reflected the struggles of a talented outsider in a system stacked against him.

As the Han dynasty’s collapse accelerated, these three approaches would be tested against each other and against the chaotic realities of civil war. The outcomes would reshape Chinese history for centuries to come, proving that in times of upheaval, neither noble birth nor careful planning guaranteed success – but neither did raw ambition and military brilliance ensure survival.