The Yellow Turbans originated as a Taoist movement called the
Tàipíng Dào or "Way of the Great Peace" (太平道), which had started well over a decade prior to the rebellion. Zhang Jue's followers hailed him as being able to cure patients by giving them water blessed by the burning of talismans (
fulu). Those who recovered then believed in him and his teachings, and his fame spread by word of mouth. Professor
Rafe de Crespigny noted that disease outbreaks were reported in Han dynasty China in 171, 173, 179, 182, and 185 CE, with the potential cause theorized as the
Antonine Plague of 165 to 180CE of
smallpox or
measles spreading along the
Silk Road. Giving himself the title of "Great Teacher" (), Zhang Jue led the rebellion with his younger brothers Zhang Bao () and Zhang Liang (). He and his brothers gave themselves titles: Zhang Bao was the "General of Earth" (), Zhang Liang was the "General of the People" (); and Zhang Jue was the "General of Heaven" (). The Yellow Turbans claimed to be Taoists, and rebelled against the Han dynasty in response to burdensome taxes, rampant corruption, and famine and flooding, which were seen as indications that the
Han emperor had lost the
mandate of heaven. During this time, Zhang spoke of the
magic he thought himself capable of to his followers, and "promised that if they took his medicines, they would be immune from wounds and could fight in battle without fear". The rebellion began in March
184. The Yellow Turbans conquered significant territory in the early years of the rebellion, but after a failed siege of the capital, they could not hold out against Han imperial forces led by
He Jin,
Lu Zhi,
Dong Zhuo,
Huangfu Song,
Zhu Jun and others. Zhang Jue died from sickness later in October 184. Although the Yellow Turbans still remained capable even in face of their more powerful foe, they were nonetheless torn apart upon the death of their leader, and were eventually defeated and dispersed. Zhang Bao was defeated and killed by imperial forces led by Huangfu Song and Guo Dian () in December 184 or January 185 at Xiaquyang County (; west of present-day
Jinzhou, Hebei), while Zhang Liang also met his end in November or December 184 at the hands of imperial forces led by Huangfu Song at Guangzong County (; southeast of present-day
Guangzong County,
Hebei). Large groups of Yellow Turbans roamed through China for years after the rebellion's defeat, most of them eventually joining the army of the warlord
Cao Cao, whose agrarian reform policies closely matched Zhang Jue's own programme. ==In
Romance of the Three Kingdoms==