In fact, during the Song Dynasty, Guan Yu was still regarded as a guardian saint to protect people from evil forces. However, over time, especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the rise of the Jin merchants had a profound impact on Guan Yu's image.
The Jin merchants, as one of the famous business groups in Chinese history, were active in many fields such as tea, salt, and silk, and their trade scope covered the whole of China. They know that the success of business lies not only in the pursuit of personal interests, but also in the mutual trust and cooperation between people. This way of making money with righteousness is the core value upheld by Jin Shang.
The worship of Guan Yu in Shanxi is more fervent than in other places, because Guan Yu's hometown is Jiezhou, Salt Lake, Shanxi. In order to express their admiration and worship for Guan Yu, the Jin merchants began to worship him extensively. They believe that Guan Yu is not only a brave general, but also a loyal man, and his qualities are in line with the business philosophy of Jin merchants. In business dealings, Jin merchants keep their promises and pay attention to righteousness, which is closely related to Guan Yu's image. As a result, Guan Yu gradually became the patron saint of Jin merchants and a symbol of business ethics.
By paying homage to Guan Yu, the Jin merchants expressed their pursuit of loyalty, integrity, and business ethics. They believe that only by upholding these values can they achieve long-term business success. As the influence of Jin merchants gradually expanded, Guan Yu's image as the god of wealth was gradually accepted and worshipped by merchants in other regions.
To sum up, the process of Guan Yu becoming the God of Wealth is closely related to the development of business ethics in Chinese history. The rise of the Jin merchants and the worship of Guan Yu contributed to the formation of this phenomenon. The values of loyalty, integrity and business ethics represented by Guan Yu have become the common spiritual pillar of Chinese businessmen.
#History##God of Wealth##Guan Yu##God of Martial Wealth#