Zhang Jue Tells His Story as Prophet and Rebel of the Yellow Rebellion in China Against the Han

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My name is Zhang Jue, and I lived during the final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty in China, around the 2nd century AD. You might not know my name, but I led one of the largest uprisings in Chinese history—a rebellion that shook the empire to its core and helped set the stage for the Three Kingdoms period. I wasn’t a king or a general when I started. I was a healer, a teacher, and a man with a mission to bring change to a crumbling world.

Back then, the Han government was corrupt and falling apart. Local officials were abusing power, people were being taxed into poverty, and the countryside was filled with hunger and suffering. Meanwhile, the imperial court was full of greedy eunuchs and nobles who cared more about wealth and power than about the people they ruled. I saw it with my own eyes, and I knew something had to be done.

I studied Daoism and medicine, and I became known as a faith healer. I practiced what I called the Way of Great Peace, a belief that the world could be restored through harmony, justice, and renewal. People started following me—not just for healing, but for hope. I became known as the Great Teacher, and soon my two brothers, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang, joined me. Together, we spread our message across the provinces. We told people, “The Han has lost the Mandate of Heaven,” and we offered them a new vision.

In 184 AD, we launched what became known as the Yellow Turban Rebellion—named after the yellow cloth our followers wore as headbands. It wasn’t a small protest. It was a full-scale movement involving hundreds of thousands of farmers, peasants, and workers. We struck multiple cities at once, hoping to overwhelm the government. At first, we had momentum. The empire had grown weak, and our forces were everywhere.

But the Han Dynasty still had powerful warlords and generals, including future names like Cao Cao and Liu Bei. They raised armies to stop us, and although we fought hard, we were outmatched in weapons and military experience. I fell ill during the early stages of the rebellion and died before it was over, and my brothers were eventually defeated too. The Han declared victory—but they didn’t realize that the damage was already done.

Even though our rebellion failed, it showed the world that the people had lost faith in the Han government. The empire never fully recovered. The fighting and power struggles that followed tore China apart and led to the legendary era of the Three Kingdoms.

If there’s one lesson I want you to take from my story, it’s this: when leaders fail to care for their people, the people will rise. I wasn’t driven by greed or glory—I was driven by a vision of justice and peace. I may not have lived to see it, but I hope my story reminds you that change is always possible when people come together with purpose. Thank you for listening.

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