However, there are more accessible routes to understanding the period, including the handful of popular TV, movie and game adaptions listed below:

1. Movie：The Assassins (铜雀台), 2012

An upcoming movie due for release later this summer that depicts Cao Cao (曹操), founder of the Wei Kingdom, in his old age, trying to unify the country and stop war. The movie claims to entirely reinterpret Cao Cao’s character in contrast to his portrayal in the classic novel.

2. Movie：Red Cliff (赤壁), 2008

In the early third century, the land of Wu is invaded by the warlord Cao Cao with an army of millions at his back. The Wu ruler, Sun Quan (孙权), calls on rival warlord Liu Bei for help, but their two armies are still hopelessly outnumbered. However, the Wu strategist Zhou Yu (周瑜) sees that Cao Cao’s army is unused to maritime warfare, offering a glimmer of hope if the pair can exploit this weakness properly.