When it comes to the Three Kingdoms, people often think of the decades-long war for hegemony. Although the three kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu had their own political ideals and statecraft, they were never able to unify the world, resulting in a state of division and separation in the land of China for a long time. However, there is an interesting historical phenomenon worth noting: despite the continuous internal wars in the Three Kingdoms, foreign forces such as the Xiongnu in the north and the barbarians in the south rarely took advantage of the fire to loot. Why is that?
The reason for this is that the generals of the Three Kingdoms period contributed to the strong military deterrence formed by foreign races. Take Gongsun Zhan as an example, although this Xianbei general was repeatedly defeated in the Three Kingdoms Civil War, the white horse righteous servants under his command made the Xiongnu in the north fearful. According to historical records, Gongsun Chan once broke the Xiongnu in the north, and the Xiongnu did not dare to go south from then on, and its prestige can be seen.
From another point of view, the Three Kingdoms is like a large-scale "game", and the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu are the "main line" of the game. The surrounding small countries and tribes are like "dungeons" in the game, which are important resources for the generals of the Three Kingdoms to "brush up experience" and "replenish" when the main story is frustrated. Whenever a civil war reaches a stalemate, generals often lead their armies to conquer these "dungeons", accumulating strength for the main line of war by plundering resources and capturing populations.
Nanzhong County in the south is such a typical "copy". Zhuge Liang went out of Qishan Mountain, and after the Northern Expedition was blocked, he led his army to the south many times to defeat the Southern Barbarian tribe led by Meng Huo. Legend has it that Zhuge Liang captured Meng Shu seven times, just like a player repeatedly killing the same "wild monster" in the game. By pacifying the Southern Barbarians, Shu Han not only obtained a large amount of materials, but also expanded its sphere of influence, accumulating strength for the future Northern Expedition.
The military prowess of the generals of the Three Kingdoms was not only reflected in the command of the civil war, but also in the conquest of the surrounding aliens. These alien tribes, including the Xiongnu, Qiang, and Xianbei in the north, and the Nanban in the south, are like "wild monsters" scattered around the Chinese territory, threatening the security of the Central Plains Dynasty at all times. The generals of the three countries fought or fought, or fought or appeased, and resolved these external troubles through various means, providing a guarantee for the continuation of the civil war.
Of course, we cannot ignore the complexity of the interracial issue during the Three Kingdoms period. The Hu people in the north and the barbarians in the south were not completely "alien" at that time, and they had an intricate relationship with the Central Plains Dynasty. On the one hand, they are the object of competition between the three regimes, and on the other hand, they are an important source of replenishment of the army and acquisition of resources. When Zhuge Liang was in the southern expedition, he captured a large number of southern barbarians to enrich the army. It can be said that without the existence of these "foreign people", it will be difficult to maintain the military territory of the three countries.
In short, despite the frequent civil strife during the Three Kingdoms period, the strong military strength, especially the deterrent effect on the surrounding foreign races, made the foreign races dare not take advantage of the situation. This kind of military deterrence was not only the embodiment of the military strength of the three countries, but also a powerful aspect of the Chinese civilization at that time.
Of course, we must also see that the conquest of foreign races during the Three Kingdoms period was not entirely out of consideration for the maintenance of China, but more often to meet the needs of the civil war. This kind of beggar-thy-neighbor practice and sacrificing other ethnic groups for the sake of hegemony is inevitably morally inappropriate. If the three countries can put aside their prejudices and work together, they may be able to create a more inclusive and vast prosperous China.
However, history has no ifs. The military deterrence of the Three Kingdoms period was not only a product of that era, but also profoundly influenced the historical trend of later generations. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Five Hu Rebellion in China, the northern nomads marched southward, the Chinese civilization suffered a huge impact, and the military deterrent formed during the Three Kingdoms period disappeared. It was not until the Sui and Tang dynasties that the prestige of the Central Plains Dynasty was re-established.
Today, we re-examine the military history of the Three Kingdoms period, not only to see its military achievements, but also to reflect on the historical lessons contained in it. A truly strong civilization should not only rely on military force to deter alien races, but also resolve contradictions and promote coexistence through cultural tolerance and economic integration. Only by seeking common ground in diversity and developing in symbiosis can Chinese civilization move towards a more brilliant future.