The Battle of Guandu was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in 200 AD in the late Eastern Han dynasty. Cao Cao's decisive victory against Yuan Shao's numerically superior forces marked the turning point in their war. The victory was also the point at which Cao Cao became the dominant power in northern China, leading to the establishment of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period.
Mural showing cavalry and chariots, from the Dahuting Tomb of the late Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD), located in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China
Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty, ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government. He laid the foundation for what was to become the state of Cao Wei (220–265), established by his son and successor Cao Pi, who ended the Eastern Han dynasty and inaugurated the Three Kingdoms period (220–280). Beginning in his own lifetime, a corpus of legends developed around Cao Cao which built upon his talent, his cruelty, and his perceived eccentricities.
A Ming dynasty illustration of Cao Cao in the Sancai Tuhui.
A mural showing chariots and cavalry, from the Dahuting Tomb of the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 CE), located in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China
Statue of Cao Cao in Wuhan
Fresco of a tomb in Luoyang dated to the Cao Wei period (220–266 AD), showing seated men wearing hanfu silk robes