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关羽 Guan Yu (AD 160-219) Lord Guan revered for his bravery
October 21, 2011, Friday
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GUAN Yu was a famous military general and sworn brother of Liu Bei, a warlord and later the founder of the Kingdom of Shu Han (AD 221-263) during the late Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220) and the Three Kingdom Period (AD 220-280).
Due to his unswerving loyalty, faultless righteousness and matchless bravery, Guan later became one of the best-known Chinese historical figures not only in China, but also throughout most of Asia and among ethnic Chinese around the world.
Today, people usually call him Lord Guan and his statue, with an iconic crimson red face and long black beard, can be seen in almost all Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist temples or temples solely devoted to him.
Smaller statues of Guan can also be found in many traditional Chinese shops and restaurants both in and outside China. He is widely revered and deified by Chinese people as the god of war and protection.
Details about the background of Guan and his family were scarce. But according to records found in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Guan was born in a scholar?ˉs family in today?ˉs Shanxi Province in north China. Guan?ˉs father taught him Chinese classics such as Book of Changes and Spring and Autumn Annals.
Also, he began to practice martial arts when he was a young boy. Later, he grew into a giant man more than 2 meters tall.
At the age of 19, Guan fled his home after killing a local squire who bullied and raped a village girl. He lived in hiding for several years.
It was during the years when Guan joined the armed forces fighting peasant rebellions that he met Liu and Zhang Fei, another military general later serving the Kingdom of Shu Han. One popular story that has been repeatedly told generation after generation is about how Liu, Guan and Zhang became sworn brothers after they took an oath of fraternity in a peach orchard. And their true brotherhood and unshakable loyalty to each other has become a legend and symbol of virtue among Chinese people.
Tons of other stories about Guan are believed today to be more fictional than real.
One of the highly popular stories of Guan describes how the hero escaped from the territory of warlord Cao Cao, who later became the ruler of the powerful Kingdom of Wei. Guan escaped by charging through five passes and slaying six generals of Cao.
The vivid description and mesmerizing plots in the story still attract thousands of people to ballet shows, opera houses, movie theaters and story-telling parties today.
Other favorite stories about Guan's life and accomplishments include how he helped the joint forces of the Kingdom of Shu Han and the Kingdom of Wu win the famous Battle of the Red Cliffs; how he underwent a surgery by the legendary physician Hua Tuo to remove poison from his arm without an anesthetic while playing chess and showing no sign of pain at all; and how he spared the life of Cao, the arch enemy of his kingdom, as a way to pay back the friendship and favors he once received from Cao earlier.
But like most heroes in Chinese history, the end of Guan's life was tragic and heart-wrenching.
In AD 219, Guan and his troops were ambushed by an army from the Kingdom of Wu in a place called Maicheng in central China. After a fierce fight, Guan and his son were captured. Because they refused to surrender, they were beheaded under the order of the emperor of Wu.
Today, "walking into Maicheng" has become a Chinese saying, equivalent to the English phrase "meeting one's Waterloo."
Due to his unswerving loyalty, faultless righteousness and matchless bravery, Guan later became one of the best-known Chinese historical figures not only in China, but also throughout most of Asia and among ethnic Chinese around the world.
Today, people usually call him Lord Guan and his statue, with an iconic crimson red face and long black beard, can be seen in almost all Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist temples or temples solely devoted to him.
Smaller statues of Guan can also be found in many traditional Chinese shops and restaurants both in and outside China. He is widely revered and deified by Chinese people as the god of war and protection.
Details about the background of Guan and his family were scarce. But according to records found in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Guan was born in a scholar?ˉs family in today?ˉs Shanxi Province in north China. Guan?ˉs father taught him Chinese classics such as Book of Changes and Spring and Autumn Annals.
Also, he began to practice martial arts when he was a young boy. Later, he grew into a giant man more than 2 meters tall.
At the age of 19, Guan fled his home after killing a local squire who bullied and raped a village girl. He lived in hiding for several years.
It was during the years when Guan joined the armed forces fighting peasant rebellions that he met Liu and Zhang Fei, another military general later serving the Kingdom of Shu Han. One popular story that has been repeatedly told generation after generation is about how Liu, Guan and Zhang became sworn brothers after they took an oath of fraternity in a peach orchard. And their true brotherhood and unshakable loyalty to each other has become a legend and symbol of virtue among Chinese people.
Tons of other stories about Guan are believed today to be more fictional than real.
One of the highly popular stories of Guan describes how the hero escaped from the territory of warlord Cao Cao, who later became the ruler of the powerful Kingdom of Wei. Guan escaped by charging through five passes and slaying six generals of Cao.
The vivid description and mesmerizing plots in the story still attract thousands of people to ballet shows, opera houses, movie theaters and story-telling parties today.
Other favorite stories about Guan's life and accomplishments include how he helped the joint forces of the Kingdom of Shu Han and the Kingdom of Wu win the famous Battle of the Red Cliffs; how he underwent a surgery by the legendary physician Hua Tuo to remove poison from his arm without an anesthetic while playing chess and showing no sign of pain at all; and how he spared the life of Cao, the arch enemy of his kingdom, as a way to pay back the friendship and favors he once received from Cao earlier.
But like most heroes in Chinese history, the end of Guan's life was tragic and heart-wrenching.
In AD 219, Guan and his troops were ambushed by an army from the Kingdom of Wu in a place called Maicheng in central China. After a fierce fight, Guan and his son were captured. Because they refused to surrender, they were beheaded under the order of the emperor of Wu.
Today, "walking into Maicheng" has become a Chinese saying, equivalent to the English phrase "meeting one's Waterloo."
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