Editing Shu Han (section)

==History==
===Beginnings and founding===
{{further|End of the Han dynasty}}
{{Main|Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province}}
Towards the end of the [[Eastern Han dynasty]], [[Liu Bei]], a warlord and distant relative of the Han imperial clan, rallied the support of many capable followers. Following the counsel of his advisor, [[Zhuge Liang]], and Zhuge's [[Longzhong Plan]], Liu Bei conquered parts of [[Jingzhou (ancient China)|Jing Province]] (covering present-day [[Hubei]] and [[Hunan]]) in 208 and 209, [[Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province|took over]] [[Yi Province]] (covering present-day [[Sichuan]] and [[Chongqing]]) from the warlord [[Liu Zhang (warlord)|Liu Zhang]] between 212 and 214, and wrestled control of [[Hanzhong]] from his rival, [[Cao Cao]], in 219. Afterwards, Liu Bei proclaimed himself [[Hanzhong Campaign|King of Hanzhong]].

From the territories he gained, Liu Bei established a position for himself in China during the final years of the Han dynasty. However, in 219, the alliance between Liu Bei and his ally, [[Sun Quan]], was broken when Sun sent his general, [[Lü Meng]], to [[Lü Meng's invasion of Jing Province|invade Jing Province]]. Liu Bei lost his territories in Jing Province to Sun Quan. [[Guan Yu]], the general guarding Liu Bei's assets in Jing Province, was captured and subsequently executed by Sun Quan's forces.

Cao Cao died in 220, and was succeeded by his son, [[Cao Pi]], who forced the last Han ruler, [[Emperor Xian of Han|Emperor Xian]], to abdicate the throne in his favour. Cao Pi then established the state of [[Cao Wei]], and declared himself emperor. Liu Bei contested Cao Pi's claim to the throne, and proclaimed himself "Emperor of Han" in 221. Although Liu Bei is widely seen as the founder of Shu Han, he never claimed to be the founder of a new dynasty; rather, he viewed Shu Han as a continuation of the Han dynasty.

To distinguish the state from other historical Chinese states of the same name, historians have added a relevant character to the state's original name: the state that called itself "Han" (漢) is also known as "Shu Han" (蜀漢) or just "Shu" (蜀).

===Liu Bei's reign===
{{see also|Battle of Xiaoting}}

Liu Bei ruled as emperor for less than three years. In 222, he launched a campaign against [[Sun Quan]] to retake [[Jingzhou (ancient China)|Jing Province]] and avenge [[Guan Yu]], culminating in the [[Battle of Xiaoting]]. However, due to grave tactical mistakes, Liu Bei suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Sun Quan's general, [[Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms)|Lu Xun]], and lost the bulk of his army. He survived the battle and retreated to [[Baidicheng]], where he died from illness a year later.

===Liu Shan's reign===
{{see also|Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions|Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions}}

[[File:Wei and Shu battle at the banks of River Wei.jpg|thumb|290px|A [[Qing dynasty]] illustration of a battle between Wei and Shu at the banks of the [[Wei River]]. Many battles were fought between Shu and Wei in the Three Kingdoms period.]]
[[File:Three Kingdoms Shu Pottery Musician (9832743546).jpg|thumb|Pottery musician, Shu, Three Kingdoms.]]
Before Liu Bei's death, he appointed the [[Zhuge Liang|chancellor Zhuge Liang]] and the general [[Li Yan (Three Kingdoms)|Li Yan]] as regents to his son, [[Liu Shan]]. The young Liu Shan was only 16 years old, making him the youngest of the rulers of the Three Kingdom states, and Liu Bei expected the two regents to assist Liu Shan in managing state affairs. Zhuge Liang was the ''de facto'' head of the Shu government throughout Liu Shan's reign, and was responsible for most of Shu's policies during his regency.

When Liu Shan succeeded his father, Shu was the weakest of the three major powers. Following his father's defeat in 221, the portion of Jing Province previously held by Shu was now firmly under the control of Wu. Shu only included the western lands of [[Yi Province]], while Wei controlled all of the northern lands, and Wu controlled all the lands from the east of Yi Province to the southern and eastern coastlines. Meanwhile, Shu's population was not large enough to stand against the rival state of Wei.<ref name="Wolfram">{{cite book|last1=Eberhard|first1=Wolfram|title=A History of China|date=1977|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=0520032683|page=112}}</ref> This greatly limited Shu in terms of resources and manpower; although the country could efficiently defend itself, Shu could not easily launch successful campaigns. As such, Zhuge Liang parleyed for peace with Wu, and reaffirmed the alliance between Sun Quan and Shu — with the former even recognising Sun Quan's legitimacy when the latter broke with Wei, and declared himself "Emperor of Wu" in 229.  In order to strengthen the Shu Han state's authority in the remote southern region of [[Nanzhong]], Zhuge Liang also [[Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign|launched an expeditionary force]] there in 225 to quell local rebellions, and the growing influence of the [[Nanman]] (literal: southern barbarians) in the region.

Zhuge Liang advocated an aggressive foreign policy towards Wei, because he strongly believed it was critical to the survival of Shu and its sovereignty. Between the years of 228 and 234, he launched a series of [[Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions|five military campaigns]] against Wei, with the aim of conquering [[Chang'an]], a strategic city located on the road to the Wei capital, [[Luoyang]]. Most of the battles were fought around present-day [[Gansu]] and [[Shaanxi]] provinces. However, aside from gaining [[Jiang Wei]] as an officer in 228, and the Wudu and Yinping commanderies, Shu failed to achieve any significant victories or lasting gains in the five expeditions. During his final campaign where he fought against the Wei general, [[Sima Yi]], an already taxed and ill Zhuge Liang died under the strain of the long stalemate with the Wei forces at the [[Battle of Wuzhang Plains]].

After Zhuge Liang's death, the Shu government was then headed by [[Jiang Wan]], [[Fei Yi]], and others, and Shu temporarily ceased its aggression towards Wei. In 244, the Wei regent, [[Cao Shuang]], launched an invasion of Hanzhong. Despite being outnumbered 2-to-1, the Shu forces defeated the invading combatants at the [[Battle of Xingshi]], with the humiliated Wei forces fleeing. Between 247 and 262, the Shu general, [[Jiang Wei]], resumed Zhuge Liang's legacy by leading [[Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions|a series of military campaigns]] against Wei, but also failed to make any significant territorial gains.

===Fall of Shu===
{{main|Conquest of Shu by Wei|Zhong Hui's Rebellion}}

In 263, armies led by the Wei generals [[Deng Ai]] and [[Zhong Hui]] attacked Shu, and conquered its capital, [[Chengdu]], without much struggle — the state having been exhausted by Jiang Wei's ill-fated campaigns. In the same year, Liu Shan surrendered to Deng Ai outside Chengdu, marking the end of Shu. In spite of this, Jiang Wei attempted to incite conflict between Deng Ai and Zhong Hui, in the hope of taking advantage of the situation to revive Shu. Zhong Hui captured Deng Ai, and openly rebelled against the Wei regent, [[Sima Zhao]], but the revolt was suppressed by Wei forces. Jiang Wei, Zhong Hui, and Deng Ai were killed in the struggle.

Liu Shan was brought to [[Luoyang]], where he met with Sima Zhao, and was awarded the title of "Duke of Anle." He lived a comfortable and peaceful life in Luoyang until the end of his days.