Text: Chen Si (author's original authorization)
In the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Guan Ping is the righteous son of Guan Yuzhi, a famous general of Wei Zhen Huaxia, who is skilled in martial arts, diligent, loyal and filial piety, and is a positive example of the descendants of the Shu Han Dynasty. However, in the main history, there are very few records involving Guan Ping. However, through the relevant events of other Shu Han Dynasty descendants in the main history, the author can vaguely see the literary image of Guan Ping. It can be said that Guan Ping's literary image condenses and epitomizes the experiences of many descendants of the Shu Han Dynasty in history, showing the tragic and magnificent side of the descendants of the Shu Han Dynasty.
1. Guan Ping in literary works
In literature, Guan Ping is a "white-faced general" (the seventy-seventh time in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms), who followed Guan Yu on his eastern expedition to the west after Guan Dingzhuang worshipped Guan Yu as his father, and participated in many large and small battles. In the novel, although Guan Ping's role is not much, its characteristics are distinct and impressive.
First of all, Guan Ping's martial arts were skilled, and among his peers, it was needless to say that he was not even inferior to Wei Yan and others of his father's generation. Both depictions in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms can be proved. The first place is the seventy-fourth time, Guan Ping's first battle against Pound, the two "battle thirty, regardless of victory or defeat, two families rest", in the face of the menacing and imposing Pound, Guan Ping can play against the thirty-fold without winning or losing, which is really rare. In terms of literary works, it is also Zhan Pound, and Wei Yan was once defeated by Pound when Cao Liu Hanzhong was fighting ("A general flashed out of the thorn and shouted: 'Hugh hurt my lord!'" 'See, it's Pound. De struggled forward, retreated from Wei Yan, and bao Cao moved forward. "Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Seventy-second)." Comparing the two, it can at least show that Guan Ping's martial arts are not inferior to Wei Yan.'s In the second place, the seventy-sixth time, Guan Ping escorted Liao Hua to the rescue of Shangyong, and Guan Ping killed Ding Feng so that Liao Hua took advantage of the situation to break through ("Just when Wu intercepted Ding Feng. Killed by Guan Ping's efforts, Feng was defeated and left, and Liao Hua took advantage of the situation to kill the siege. "Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Seventy-sixth). In addition to these two outstanding performances, the rest such as the capture of Gao Pei and Yang Huai on the way into the river, and the beheading of Cao Ren's deputy general Zhai Yuan at the Battle of Xiangfan, all support the excellent martial arts of Guan Ping in the novel.
Secondly, Guan Ping is cautious and has a big picture view. In the seventy-fourth time of the novel, Guan Yu zhan pounded, and Guan Ping kindly reminded his father: "The common cloud: 'The newborn calf is not afraid of the tiger,' even if the father beheaded this person, he was only a small pawn in the Western Qiang; if there is negligence, it is not so important to the trust of his uncle. Although there is also an element of comforting Guan Yu here, it is obvious that Guan Ping has clearly defined the purpose of the Xiangfan Battle in his heart, that is, to consider the overall interests of Liu Bei's group, and on this issue, Guan Ping's mind has always remained sober, and it seems to be better than his father Guan Yu.
Finally, Guan Ping is loyal and filial, which is reflected in the plot of Guan Ping's struggle to save his father in the novel. In the seventy-seventh time of the novel, Guan Yu was defeated and took Maicheng and was unfortunately captured, and Guan Ping learned of it and "rushed to the rescue", until "Pan Zhang and Zhu Ran led the troops behind them and surrounded Guan Ping around." Ping fights alone, and is also held to the fullest." Here, Guan Ping originally had the opportunity to escape alone, but Guan Ping did not abandon his father Guan Yu, but struggled to rescue until he was exhausted, which shows that Guan Ping has the belief that he will live and die with his father since the defeat of Guan Yu's Maicheng army. In particular, it is worth mentioning that Guan Ping in the novel is not Guan Yu's parent, and at such a time of life and death, he can act in this way, which shows the righteousness of Guan Ping.
In literary works, Guan Ping is almost flawless in terms of image, martial arts and character, which is an example for the descendants of the Shu Han Dynasty, but such a perfect image shaping inevitably lacks some sense of reality. In the author's view, Guan Ping's literary image refers to the events and experiences of many descendants of the Shu Han Dynasty in the main history, and is a positive typical figure created by the literati, the common people and even Mr. Luo Guanzhong in later generations after mixing various images.
2. The distinction between the righteous son and the parent
In the novel, Guan Ping's identity is Guan Yu's righteous son, and the twenty-eighth episode of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms details Guan Yu's confession of righteousness, "Guan Ding led the second son to worship before the caotang." Xuande asked for his name. Guan Gong said: "This person has the same surname as his brother, and has two sons: the eldest son, Guan Ning, who learns literature; and the second son, Guan Ping, who learns martial arts." Guan Dingyue said: "Now Yu intends to send his second son to follow General Guan, but he is not willing to accommodate it?" Xuan De said: "How old is it?" "Eighteen years old." Xuan De said, "Having received the favor of the elders, my brother has not yet had a son, and now he is taking Xianlang as his son, what if?" Guan Ding was overjoyed, so he ordered Guan Ping to worship Guan Gong as his father and Hu Xuande as his uncle. In the canonical history, there are very few records involving Guan Ping, according to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms Guan Yu ("Quan Shu will counterattack Yu, chop Yu and Ziping in Linfeng." and Pei Songzhi's note quotes the Shu Ji (蜀記曰: Yu Chu went out of the army to encircle Fan, the dream pig gnawed his feet, and the language Was Ping Yue: "I am in decline this year, but I must not pay it back!" We can only vaguely see Guan Ping's figure, but it is certain that Guan Ping should be Guan Yu's parent. So, why did Guan Ping, who was Guan Yu's parent in the main history, become a righteous son in literary works?
In the author's opinion, in addition to some folk belief factors, Guan Ping's role change in becoming Guan Yu's Yoshiko in literary works may be somewhat related to the image of Liu Feng's righteous son in the main history. According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Feng was "the son of the Marquis Kou of Benluo and the nephew of the Liu clan of Changsha." The first lord went to Jingzhou, with no heirs, and raised a seal as a son", and then "the first lord entered Shu, and since Ye Meng also attacked Liu Zhang, he was sealed for more than twenty years... The generals and Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei, and others went west, where they fought." Liu Feng's experience in the main history is similar to that of Guan Ping in the novel, first of all because Liu Bei or Guan Yu had no children before, so he adopted an adopted son or a righteous son. Secondly, liu feng's experience in the main history is also similar to Liu Feng and Guan Ping's entry into sichuan with Liu Bei in the novel. Finally, the record of Liu Feng in the main history that "he had martial arts and excellent strength" can also be reminiscent of Guan Ping, who was skilled in martial arts in the novel. Therefore, the author personally believes that the image of Guan Ping in literary works should more or less refer to some of Liu Feng's experiences in the main history. However, unlike the main history, literary works need to shape the typical, but also need to have a strong contrast, so Guan Ping's image needs to borrow the advantages of Liu Feng in the main history to a certain extent, and at the same time, it is also necessary to reflect Liu Feng's quality defects.
Guan Ping became Guan Yu's righteous son in literature, and the author personally believes that there are several reasons for consideration, one is that the beauty of symmetry is emphasized in literary works, that is, Guan Ping and Liu Feng are partners. The two have cooperated in literary works for a long time, and have achieved many military achievements, such as Liu Bei's frequent cooperation when he was stationed in Xinye, and liu Bei was also a fresh force when he entered Sichuan, so he simply changed Guan Ping's parent-child status to Yizi to reflect Liu Feng. The two reflect different personality qualities with the same identity, that is, with Guan Ping's struggle to save his father at the critical time, liu Feng's fear of the head and tail when he is in danger, and Guan Ping's loyalty and filial piety against Liu Feng's injustice, in order to achieve the purpose of affirming and praising the quality of loyalty and filial piety in Guan Ping. Under such a goal, Guan Ping's literary image was borrowed and transplanted through liu feng's historical image, coupled with the good qualities that later generations eagerly expected, the historical image of Guan Yu's parents was gradually indifferent, and the literary and artistic image of Guan Yu Yoshiko began to penetrate the hearts of the people.
3. The descendants of the Shu Han Dynasty, represented by Guan Ping
Although Guan Ping's literary image borrows and transplants Liu Feng's historical image, his image of tragically dying with his father has a history to follow. In addition to Guan Ping, the other descendants of the Shu Han Dynasty also had similar tragic and heroic deeds. For example, Zhuge Liangzi Zhuge Zhan and Sun Zhuge Shang ("Sui War, Great Defeat, Dying Chen, Shi Chinese New Year's Eve Seven." Everyone dispersed, and Ai Chang drove to Chengdu. Zhan's eldest son is still alive with Zhan. "Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The Biography of Zhuge Liang"), Zhang Feisun Zhang Zun ("Baozi Zun was a Shangshu, followed Zhuge Zhan to Mianzhu, fought with Deng Ai, and died." "Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Fei's Biography"), Zhao Yunzi Zhao Guang ("Second Son Guang, The Tooth Gatekeeper, accompanied by Jiang Weipuzhong, Linchen died in battle. "Romance of the Three Kingdoms Zhao Yun Biography"), Huang Quanzi Huang Chong ("Quan Liu Shu Zi Chong, for Shang Shu Lang, accompanied by the Wei general Zhuge Zhan to reject Deng Ai." When they arrived in Fu County, Zhan Pan Huan did not advance, and Chong repeatedly advised Zhan Pan huan to act quickly and take advantage of the danger, so that the enemy could not be allowed to enter the flat land. Zhan Juju and Wei Na, reverence to the drooling. Hui Ai drove forward, but Zhan fought to Mianzhu, and the commander Li Sergeant was expected to die, and He saw Chen to kill. "Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Biography of Huang Quan"), Li Qiu's nephew Li Qiu ("Disciple Qiu, the right governor of Yulin, followed Zhuge Zhan to reject Deng Ai, Linchen gave orders, and died in Mianzhu." "Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Biography of Li Hui"), the descendants of these Shu Han founders were indomitable and eventually died in fierce battles. Guan Ping is only one of them, but Guan Ping, as the first descendant to dedicate himself to Shu Han in literary works, not only shows the fierce ambition of the descendants of the Shu Han Yuanxun, but also hints at the tragic spirit of the descendants of the Shu Han Yuanxun.
Guan Ping's artistic image represents not only Guan Ping alone, but more expresses the affirmation of the descendants of the Shu Han Yuanxun in later generations, and Guan Ping, as a positive model and pioneer of the descendants of the Shu Han Yuanxun, his artistic image also reflects the poignant tragedy of the descendants of the Shu Han Yuanxun in the real history from just one side.