Volta
Conflict190–191

The Coalition against Dong Zhuo and the Move to Chang’an

Also called: Coalition against Dong Zhuo

In 190 the lords east of the passes rose against Dong Zhuo under Yuan Shao. Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang and dragged the emperor and the people to Chang’an, while the lords, each waiting for the others, dispersed.

When Dong Zhuo deposed the emperor and seized power, the lords east of the Hangu Pass — Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, Sun Jian and others — took up arms in early 190 with Yuan Shao as leader. Dong Zhuo burned the palaces and homes of Luoyang, moved the emperor and hundreds of thousands of people to Chang’an, and even plundered the imperial tombs.

The lords would not be first to fight. Cao Cao pursued alone and was beaten at Xingyang; only Sun Jian killed Dong Zhuo’s general Hua Xiong at Yangren and entered Luoyang. The coalition soon broke up as its members fought each other for land, and the age of the warlords began.

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The map in AD 190

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States at the time
Han
Places
Hulao Pass (Sishui Pass)

People

  • Dong ZhuoAD 192

    key figure · Late Han warlord who seized Luoyang in 189, deposed Emperor Shao and enthroned Emperor Xian, and was killed by Lü Bu in 192

  • Yuan ShaoAD 202

    commander · The most powerful northern warlord of the late Han, leader of the coalition against Dong Zhuo, defeated by Cao Cao at Guandu in 200

  • Cao CaoAD 155 – AD 220

    participant · Chancellor and King of Wei in the late Han, who controlled Emperor Xian, defeated Yuan Shao at Guandu and unified the north, laying the foundation of Wei

1 part of this event

  1. AD 190Three Heroes Fight Lü Bu at Hulao PassFiction

    A scene from chapter 5 of the Romance: Zhang Fei takes on the invincible Lü Bu, Guan Yu and Liu Bei join in, and the three drive him off. It is not in the official history.

Before and after

Earlier
AD 189 Dong Zhuo Seizes Power
Later
AD 192 The Death of Dong Zhuo

Themes that include this event

  • The Three KingdomsAD 184 – AD 280

    From the Yellow Turban Rebellion to the Jin reunification — a century of Wei, Shu and Wu, the age of Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan