
The Yangtze River in Three Kingdoms
The Yangtze River is a location in Total War: Three Kingdoms. It is a point of interest used as the border between central and southern China, flowing from Jiangyang commandery in the far west of the campaign map into the Dong Sea.
Description[]
From its source far in the west, the 'Long River' carries life right across China.
Historical Context[]
The Yangtze or Yangzi River is the third largest river in the world, flowing from its source in the mountains of Qinghai province into the East China Sea. The Yangtze has played a prominent role in China's economic, cultural, political, and military history in more ways than one could briefly list. It has often been used as a natural border by various states, either as an internal administrative or external geographical one. In the context of the Three Kingdoms, the Yangtze served as a natural border between the Kingdom of Wei and the Kingdoms of Shu-Han and Wu to the south. It was also the site for the legendary Battle of Red Cliffs that thwarted Cao Cao's southern conquests. It played a significant role as a border in the Northern and Southern Dynasties period of Chinese history after the War of the Eight Princes.
The Yangtze has always been a vital economic artery for China. Due to how far it reaches inland, it is easy to use for shipping, and the mouth of the Yangtze is home to various prosperous trading hubs such as Nanjing and Shanghai. For its broad cultural significance to both the Chinese and various other peoples and its economic importance, the Yangtze has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.