At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, politics became increasingly corrupt, eunuchs and consorts fought for power and profits, and powerful landlords annexed land at will. After Andi, floods, droughts and locusts continued year after year, and farmers went bankrupt and went into exile. In the last years of Emperor Huan, the area around Yuzhou (now Henan) was "starved to death for 14 or 15 years, even those who destroyed their families". Nevertheless, the oppression and exploitation of landlords and feudal countries continued unabated, officials were insatiable, and many farmers died in Chu. Therefore, since Andi, the peasant's resistance struggle has been almost continuous. In the more than 80 years from Andi to Lingdi, there have been more than 100 peasant riots recorded in history, and there are countless so-called "bandits who are hungry for grass in spring" and "bandits who are poor and cold". At that time, there was a ballad among farmers: Wang's hair was like leek and was cut back to life; The head is like a chicken, it will ring when it is cut. Don't be afraid of officials, and people don't have to be light! "It embodies the heroic spirit of farmers who dare to resist. Although the scattered peasant riots were suppressed by the Eastern Han government, the subsequent riots became more frequent and the scale continued to expand, eventually forming a national yellow turban insurrectionary uprising headed by Zhang Jiao.

Zhang Jiao, a native of Julu, Jizhou (now Pingxiang County, Hebei Province), was the leader of Taiping Road, calling himself a "great moral teacher". During the reign of Emperor Ling, the plague prevailed. Zhang Jiao painted spells, founded and spread Taiping Dao in the name of treating diseases, and organized peasant uprisings by using religious secrets. Zhang Jiao sent "Eight Sons and Four Sides" to preach, which was trusted by farmers. After more than ten years' efforts, the world finally belongs to it, and the number of believers has grown to hundreds of thousands, covering eight States of Qing, Xu, You, Ji, Jing, Yang, Yan and Yu (now north of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River to the vast areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River).

The activities of Zhang Jiao attracted the attention of the ruling group in the Eastern Han Dynasty. The Eastern Han Dynasty pardoned the conspiracy of the Han Dynasty many times, and prepared to order the counties to use force to "arrest and beg". Situ Yangci realized the seriousness of this problem. He believes that the influence of the opening angle is "growing". "If you go to the county to arrest and beg, you will be more harassed and will soon suffer." Therefore, he suggested that the emperor order the local officials in counties to "simplify the flow of people and return the guards to counties to weaken their party and punish their leaders", which "can be decided easily." Later, Liu Tao and others also went to see the Emperor Shuling, demanding that "Amin's imperial edict should be issued, and the horn should be raised again." And reward the land: if you dare to avoid it, you will be guilty of the same crime, in an attempt to eliminate the uprising by means of buying. However, the above countermeasures of the rulers of the Eastern Han Dynasty were not implemented.

In this favorable situation, Zhang Jiao accelerated the preparations for the uprising. He organized Taoists into a "phalanx", which was divided into 36 phalanxes, with generous people 1 10,000 people and a small phalanx of 67,000 people. Each phalanx had a handsome canal. After the organizational work was ready, Zhang Jiao and others "thieves ignored state affairs" and got a deep understanding of the internal situation of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Finally, they decided to revolt at the same time on March 5th in Jiazi year (the first year of Zhong Ping, 184). Zhang Jiao issued a slogan to Taoists, "Heaven dies, Huang Tianli, aged in Jiazi, and the world prospers", announcing to the people that the collapse of the Eastern Han Dynasty is imminent and a new dynasty will be born. Taiping Taoists widely spread the name of "Huangtian Taiping" and sent people to scribble the word "Jiazi" in clay on temples and county yamen in Luoyang as the signal of the uprising and the target of the attack.

In the spring of the first year of Zhong Ping (184), Zhang Jiao sent tens of thousands of followers from Ma Yuanyi and Yang Yang to Yecheng (now Linzhang County, Hebei Province) to cooperate with the uprising in Beijing and other places. Ma Yuanyi sent many missions to Luoyang, contacting eunuch Feng Xu and others as insiders. I have an appointment on March 5, inside and outside. However, at this critical moment, Tang Zhou, a traitor in the uprising army, tipped off the Eastern Han government and revealed all the plans of the uprising. The government of the Eastern Han Dynasty ordered a manhunt, Ma Yuanyi was arrested and died in Luoyang, and more than 0/0,000 people were killed. At the same time, he ordered the Jizhou government to arrest Zhang Jiao and others. When Zhang Jiao learned that the plan had been leaked, he made a decisive decision. In the evening, he sent people to all parties to inform believers and immediately held an uprising. In February of the first year of Zhong Ping (18 14), the peasant rebels, symbolized by the yellow turban insurrectionary uprising, revolted at the same time in seven states and twenty-eight counties, thus the organized and prepared peasant war broke out in the history of China.

Under the unified command of Zhang Jiao, the Yellow Scarf Army launched a fierce attack on the feudal rule of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The Yellow Scarf Army quickly formed three centers after the uprising. One is the Yellow Scarf Army in Jizhou, and the three brothers Zhang Jiao call themselves "General Heaven", Zhang Bao "General Earth" and Sean "General Man". One is the Yingzhou Yellow Scarf Army led by Cai Bo; The other is the Nanyang Yellow Scarf Army led by Zhang Mancheng. The rebel army is huge. "Where the house is burned, the robbery is gathered in the city, the counties are lost, and the chief executive escapes; In ten days, the world responded and the capital shook. "

After the Yellow turban insurrectionary uprising, the Eastern Han court was very alert, and quickly appointed blades consort as general, led around Yulin and Wuying Yingshi to station troops in Duting (near Luoyang), and dispatched eight dangerous passes, including Hangu, Otani, Guangcheng, Yike, Xie Yuan, Xuanmen, Jin Meng and Xiaopingjin. He also sent corps commanders Huang Fusong, Zhu Juan, Lu Zhi and Dong Zhuo to lead troops to suppress the uprising. In order to unite the landlord forces to suppress the uprising, Emperor Ling adopted the suggestion of the servant, announced the cancellation of the party ban, and pardoned party member. So landlords all over the country began to fight the Yellow Scarf Army. At that time, there was a clear-headed doctor in the imperial court named Zhang Jun, who boldly put forward the idea of killing eunuchs to thank the people. He said: "Stealing the opening angle can make a mutiny, and 10,000 people are so happy to attach themselves to it. The source is that Shi Changshi released more fathers, brothers, children, in-laws and guests according to the state and county, and plundered the people. The people's grievances could not be told, so they conspired against each other and became thieves. Ten regular attendants should be beheaded and hung in the southern suburbs to thank the people. He also sent envoys to declare the world that without a division and a brigade, the bandits would be gone. " The fatuous spirit emperor not only refused to adopt it, but defended the eunuch. As a result, Zhang Jun was falsely killed by eunuchs.

At the beginning of the uprising, the yellow turban insurrectionary army on every battlefield dealt a heavy blow to the loyalist. The Yellow Scarf Army of Jizhou led by Opening Angle captured Wang Anping Liu Xu and Ganling Wang Liuzhong alive, killed Youzhou secretariat Guo Xun and satrap Liu Wei, captured Guangzong (now Weixian East, Hebei Province) and Xiaquyang (now Jinxian West, Hebei Province), and successively defeated the loyalist led by Lu Zhi and Dong Zhuo. In March of the same year, Zhang Mancheng, Nanyang Yellow Scarf Army, conquered Wancheng and killed Gong Chu, the satrap. In April, under the command of Cai Bo and Peng Tuo, Yingchuan and Runan Yellow Scarf Army defeated Zhu Juan and surrounded Huangfusong's main force in Changshe (now northeast of Changge, Henan). At that time, the peasant army was huge, and the loyalist was beaten out of the water.

The development of the situation was very beneficial to the yellow turban insurrectionary army. However, due to the peasant army's lack of operational experience, Cai Bo's Yingchuan Army lost its vigilance after surrounding the Long Snake Society, and the "disregard for human life" gave Huang Fusong an opportunity. Huangfusong set fire to the wind and launched a surprise attack on the insurgents. Huangfusong ordered all the soldiers to go to the city with a bunch of burning reeds, so that Ruishi broke the room and set fire to the city. As a result, Song made a scene and attacked from the city. Just then, Cao Cao, a captain on horseback, led reinforcements to attack the Yellow Scarf Army. The rebels were defeated and tens of thousands of people were slaughtered. Then, the remnants of Cai Bojun were in Yangzhai, and the Pengtuo Rebel Army was in Xihua, which failed one after another. Later, Huang Fusong sent troops to the East and defeated Runan and Chen. HuangFuSong north east county, east county yellow turban insurrectionary army leader boss unfortunately captured. Zhu Juan's army continued to March southward to attack the rebels in Nanyang.

On the battlefield in Nanyang, Zhang Mancheng was stationed in Wanxia for more than 100 days after killing the prefect of Nanyang, and there was no new military progress. In June of the same year, the Eastern Han government sent Qin Jie to crusade against the insurgents, and Zhang Mancheng died unfortunately. The yellow turban insurrectionary army promoted Zhao Hong to be the commander-in-chief, expanded its ranks to more than 100,000 people, drove away the new Nanyang satrap Qin Jie, and then seized Wancheng. Zhu Bo and Jingzhou secretariat Xu Ying, Wan Taishou Qin Jie and other local troops besieged Wancheng. From June to August, the insurgents smashed loyalists, attacked many times and held Wancheng, and Zhu Qian was almost removed from his post. However, the Yellow Scarf Army missed the opportunity to take the initiative to attack, and sat down to let the loyalist accumulate strength again and turn the situation around. After Zhao Hong died, the insurgents elected Han Zhong as commander-in-chief, Han Zhong was killed, and then elected Sun Xia as commander-in-chief to continue fighting. With more and more loyalists, the rebels have no backup. In November, Wancheng fell, and Sun Xia led the rebels to Jingshan Mountain in western Hubei (now Nanyang North, Henan Province). Zhu Xie took the opportunity to pursue the Yellow Scarf Army. Sun Xia died, and the Yellow Scarf Army died more than 10,000 people. The main force of the Yellow Scarf Army in Nanyang suffered great setbacks.

In Jizhou area, after the uprising broke out, Zhang Jiao first led the rebels to capture Guangzong (now east of Wei County, Hebei Province) and Xiaquyang (now west of Jinxian County, Hebei Province). The Eastern Han government sent Lu Zhi, a northern corps commander, to suppress it. Although Lu Zhi won a small victory at first and captured the Yellow turban insurrectionary and more than 10,000 troops, he did his best to "build a wall and take a ladder" and never captured Guangzong. The Eastern Han government had no choice but to send Dong Zhuo, commander of the Eastern Army, instead of Lu Zhi to suppress it. Dong Zhuo fought the rebels in Xiaquyang and was defeated by Zhang Jiao. He besieged Guangzong for three months, but Guangzong stood still. At the end of August, the Eastern Han government transferred Huang Fusong, a left corps commander, to replace Dong Zhuo and join the Guangzong battlefield. At this time, Zhang Jiao had died, and his younger brother Sean commanded Guangzong Rebel Army.

"Liang Zhongjing Yong, Song can't be defeated", and Huang Fusong had to "joint venture and wait and see". However, in a battle in 10, due to the negligence of the insurgents, Huang Fusong "sneaked into the army at night" and rushed to the rebel position when the cock crowed. The insurgents rushed into the battle, and Sean died before the battle. More than 30,000 people died with Sean, the rest refused to yield, and more than 50,000 people died. In November of the same year, Huangfu Song Jun attacked Quyang and Zhangbao, and more than 100,000 rebels were killed. The cruel rulers of the Eastern Han Dynasty took bloody revenge on the peasants. Because Zhang Jiao died first, he was buried in a coffin and handed over to the capital. He also built a "Jing Guan" in the south of Xiaquyang. This barbaric behavior did not change the fate of the rulers of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Although the main force of the Yellow Scarf Army was suppressed, the peasants' resistance did not stop. In the second year of Zhong Ping (185), the rest of the yellow turban insurrectionary and hungry people from all over the country raised flags and headed for Yuan Ye, north of the Yellow River. According to the biography of Zhu Juanchuan in the Later Han Dynasty, after the yellow turban insurrectionary thieves, there were Montenegro, Huanglong, Bai Bo, Zuojiao, Guo, Yu Biangen, Qingniujiao, Zhang Baiqi, Liu Shi, Zhangba with a left beard, Pinghan, Daye, Li Si, Yi Zai, tripterygium wilfordii and tripterygium wilfordii. The largest is 20,000 to 30,000, and the smallest is 6700. Zhang Yan, the leader of the Black Mountain Army (that is, Zhang, whose original surname was Chu, died in battle and changed his surname to Zhang), contacted the peasant army in Shandong and West counties of Taihang Mountain and developed into a team of one million people, that is, the most powerful army. They have long persisted in their struggle against the separatist forces of loyal subjects and Yuan Shao. There are a large number of rebel groups following the Yellow Scarf Army, but due to the lack of unified leadership and organization, all groups are scattered and not affiliated with each other, so it is impossible to concentrate on marching on the same enemy. Although Zhang Yan mostly communicated with "bandits" in the valley, he could not lead various groups, and his sense of resistance was not firm. Shortly after the incident, he was appointed as a corps commander by the Eastern Han government to lead the valley in Hebei.

In the fifth year of Zhong Ping (188), the remaining yellow turban insurrectionary forces scattered in Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou and Bing launched an uprising again. For example, Guo Tai started from the White Trough in Xihe (now Xiangfen, Shanxi) and moved in Taiyuan and Hedong counties to fight against Dong Zhuo's army. In October of the same year, the yellow turban insurrectionary rose again in Qing and Xu areas, with a huge momentum. After Tao Qian blocked the North Sea, Xuzhou Yellow Scarf Army attacked the North Sea. Kong Rong, the magistrate of Beihai, was awed by the uprising, went out to Duchang (now Linqu, Shandong Province) and was surrounded by the uprising troops. It was not cleared until Liu Beibing arrived. After Qingzhou Yellow turban insurrectionary resurfaced, it successively attacked Taishan, Yanzhou and Dongping, and killed Ren Cheng Xiang Zheng Sui and Yanzhou secretariat Liu Dai, reaching a million people. Cao Cao tried his best to stop the rebel army. In Shouzhang Cave, he fought day and night with the insurgents and was defeated by them. Bao Xin, Prime Minister of Jibei, was killed. Although the number of rebels is large, women, children and other non-combatants account for more than two thirds, and the supply of military supplies depends entirely on "money", which brings great difficulties to their mobile operations. In the third year of Chuping (192), this rebel army was taken over by Cao Cao, who simplified some of its elite into "Qingzhou soldiers" and became an important military force for his later unification of the north. After being recruited by the Eastern Han government, the Black Mountain Army "gradually invaded Hanoi and approached the capital". It was not until the summer and April of the tenth year of Jian 'an (205) that Zhang Yancai led more than 100,000 people to surrender to Cao Cao. The Yellow Scarf Uprising came to an end, but the regime of the Eastern Han Dynasty was also divided by separatist forces, and history entered a situation of scuffle among aristocratic families, and the Eastern Han Dynasty existed in name only.