Three Kingdoms Huarong Road

Hua Rong Dao is an ancient Chinese folk puzzle game, renowned for its multifaceted complexity and enduring appeal. Alongside Rubik's Cube and Solitaire Diamond, it is considered one of the “three incredible feats” of the intellectual games world by international puzzle experts. It shares a common moniker, “China's puzzles,” with other classic Chinese brain teasers such as Tangram and the Chinese Rings.

According to annotations in the Zizhi Tongjian, “From this path one may reach Huarong.” Hua Rong Dao was originally the name of an ancient Chinese locale. Legend has it that Cao Cao once retreated through this place. As the Huarong Dao of that time was a swamp, Cao Cao’s army had to cut grass to fill the ground; many soldiers were tragically buried alive, resulting in a devastating loss of life.

Gameplay: By moving the pieces, help Cao Cao escape from his starting position to the center of the bottom of the board. Pieces may not be jumped, and the goal is to move Cao Cao to the exit in the fewest possible steps. Cao Cao's greatest obstacle to escape is Guan Yu, who stands guard at Huarong Dao, making it an impenetrable fortress. Guan Yu and Cao Cao are, of course, the keys to solving the puzzle. The four Liu Bei soldiers are the most agile and easiest to maneuver; careful consideration should be given to effectively utilizing them. A board with twenty squares represents the Huarong Dao.

The following document contains a complete compendium of Three Kingdoms Huarong Dao levels. Help Cao Cao escape!