One summer day in 1988, an ironic thing happened in Liujia Village, Guanliujia Village, Dengzhou City, Henan Province. A precious Guan family tree was almost torn up as a piece of paper. In this genealogy that has been handed down for hundreds of years, a lot of information about Guan Yu and his descendants is recorded. However, is Guan Yu really an ordinary person from a poor background, as described in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"? What kind of attitude does he have towards Cao Cao? Can this family tree solve the mystery of Guan Yu's life and reveal his true relationship with Cao Cao?
1. The discovery of the Guan family tree
In Guanliujia Village, Dengzhou City, Henan Province, there lives a family surnamed Guan. The ancestors of the Guan family migrated here from Yuncheng, Shanxi, and it has a history of hundreds of years. The Guan family has been farming for generations, and their lives are ordinary, and the people in the village say that they are kind and simple good people.
One afternoon in the summer of 1988, Guan Laohan was enjoying the shade in the yard when he suddenly heard his daughter-in-law's voice from the house: "Dad, it's not good, Xiao Mao has diarrhea again!" Guan Laohan hurriedly ran into the house, only to see his little grandson Xiao Mao crying, and his buttocks were covered with feces. The daughter-in-law stood by helplessly, still holding a few pieces of paper in her hand.
Guan Laohan fixed his eyes and suddenly changed his face: "This is the family tree handed down by the ancestors, how can you tear it up and use it as a piece of paper?" It turned out that the daughter-in-law saw an old book on the table, thinking that her father-in-law was going to throw it away, so she tore a few pages to wipe the child's buttocks. As everyone knows, this old book is the ancestral genealogy of the Guan family, and it is a priceless treasure for the Guan family.
Guan Laohan carefully picked up a few torn pages and looked at them carefully. This genealogy is much larger than the A4 paper that is common today, 36 centimeters long and 23 centimeters wide, printed on fine cotton paper and then pasted on mulberry paper, with a total of 103 pages. Although the years have left mottled marks, the paper is still intact and legible.
Guan Laohan hurriedly collected the family tree, called his son and daughter-in-law, and talked about the origin of this family tree. It turned out that this genealogy was originally repaired in the Ming Dynasty, and in the twenty-third year of Kangxi, the ancestor Guan Qihui rebuilt and renewed it, so that it had its current appearance. At that time, Guan Qihui, as an official of the imperial court, in order to show the prominence of the family, spared no expense to hire skilled craftsmen and carefully revise the family tree. From the paper to the binding, everything is exquisite, which shows the importance he attaches to the family.
Guan Laohan said that this genealogy is not only a precious historical document for their Guan family, but also a witness to the bloodline of the Guan family. It records the deeds of Guan Yu and his descendants, and is the spiritual wealth of the Guan family. For generations, the family tree was kept as a family heirloom, carefully preserved, for fear of any mistakes.
When the daughter-in-law heard her father-in-law's words, she was so ashamed that she was ashamed of herself and apologized again and again. Guan Laohan sighed and said, "Fortunately, you only tore two pages, if the entire family tree is destroyed, I really don't know how to face the ancestors and ancestors!"
Since then, the Guan family has cherished this family tree even more. They framed their genealogies and enshrined them in the ancestral hall, which they did not show to others easily. Only when there is a big event in the Qingming Festival or the Guan family, will you be invited to come out to pay respects. The fact that the family tree was almost damaged also became a topic of conversation after tea and dinner for the Guan family, and everyone was glad that there was no danger and the family tree was preserved.
This genealogy, written more than 300 years ago, carries the memory and glory of the Guan family. Its unexpected discovery not only made the Guan family cherish their surname and bloodline more, but also attracted widespread attention in the historical circles. Experts believe that this genealogy has important academic value for the study of Guan Yuqi and the history of the Three Kingdoms period. For a time, Guan Yu's family tree became the focus of public opinion.
Second, the mystery of Guan Yu's life experience
Guan Yu, the word cloud is long, the word is Changsheng, the name is Hanshou Tinghou, and he is a native of Jiezhou, Hedong. Since ancient times, Guan Yu has been the embodiment of loyalty, righteousness and bravery, and is deeply loved by the people. However, there are few records in history books about Guan Yu's life experience, but there are many descriptions in folklore and romance novels, which make it difficult to distinguish the truth from the false.
This century-old Guan family tree may be able to uncover a corner of the mystery of Guan Yu's life experience. According to the family tree, Guan Yu's ancestor was named Guan Longxiao, who was a doctor in the Xia Dynasty. By the generation of Guan Yu's grandfather, Guan Xian, he was already a counselor in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and he was one of the three dukes. Guan Yu's father, Guan Yi, is said to be "buried in the well, and later generations built a tower to show it". All indications show that Guan Yu was born in a prominent family of eunuchs, and he is by no means an idle person.
This is very different from the description of Guan Yu in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". In the novel, Guan Yu is a tofu seller who defected to Liu Bei because he killed people and fled for his life, and finally became brothers. The genealogy does not mention Guan Yu's experience, but emphasizes his noble origins. This may be because in ancient times, when compiling family trees, some disgraceful experiences were often omitted in order to highlight the prominence of the family.
Guan Yu's wife is not recorded in the official history. However, it is clearly written in the family tree that Guan Yu's wife's surname is Hu, which is in line with the statement that Guan Yu's wife's surname is Hu in some literature. As for Guan Yu's children, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" said that Guan Ping is an adopted son, and Guan Xing and Guan Suo are biological. However, it is recorded in the family tree that Guan Yu has three sons, Guan Ping, Guan Xing, and Guan Suo, and there is no mention of succession.
Regarding Guan Yu's early experience, the history books are vague, but only general. In the family tree, there is some information faintly revealed. According to genealogical records, Guan Yu's father, Guan Yi, was "buried in a well", which may imply that Guan Yi died unexpectedly. Combined with Guan Yu's experience of leaving his hometown in his early years, some scholars speculate that Guan Yu may have been in the middle of the family because of his father's tragic death when he was young, and he had to go out to earn a living. This speculation, while lacking direct evidence, is not entirely impossible.
In short, the mystery of Guan Yu's life experience, under the disclosure of this family tree, seems to have some eyebrows. Unlike the image of Guan Yu shrouded in legend in the past, Guan Yu in the family tree is more real and three-dimensional. He is not the reckless hero of the novel, but a young man with a prominent background but no ambitions. It is such a vivid Guan Yu that will make future generations more grateful for his loyalty and bravery.
Of course, genealogy is different from official history after all, and it is inevitable that there are some beautifying elements in it. We can't just take it all, but we can't deny it all either. Through the window of genealogy, we can at least get a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg of the mystery of Guan Yu's life experience, and have a more three-dimensional understanding of this famous military general in history.
3. The relationship between Guan Yu and Cao Cao
The relationship between Guan Yu and Cao Cao has always been a thought-provoking topic in the history of the Three Kingdoms. In literary works such as "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Guan Yu is portrayed as an image loyal to Liu Bei and despising Cao Cao. However, the record of Guan Yu in the Xuchang period in this Guan family tree provides people with a new perspective.
The genealogy mentions that during Guan Yu's time in Xuchang, he was appreciated and valued by Cao Cao. Cao Cao not only gave Guan Yu the title of official, but also talked with him many times and admired his talent. In the genealogical records, Cao Cao is referred to by his first name, and no derogatory words are used. This is very different from the titles such as "Cao thief" and "traitorous male" in romance novels.
This attitude of objectivity and neutrality has aroused widespread attention in the field of historiography. Some scholars believe that the ancestors who revised the family tree viewed Cao Cao with a more fair attitude. In their eyes, although Cao Cao was a monarch, he was also a leader who knew people well. The reason why Guan Yu was able to achieve military exploits such as beheading Yan Liang and Wen Chou during the Xuchang period, and his fame shocked the world, is inseparable from Cao Cao's appreciation and promotion.
This can also be corroborated in the official history. It is recorded in "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wei, Emperor Wu" that Cao Cao treated Guan Yu "very politely", which shows that he really values Guan Yu. In "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Shu Shu, and the Biography of Guan Yu", it is also mentioned that when Guan Yu left Xuchang, Cao Cao "personally sent it to Baimen". This kind of personal send-off for his subordinates was very rare at that time, which shows that Cao Cao attached great importance to Guan Yu.
Of course, Guan Yu's feelings for Cao Cao may not be as simple as described in the family tree. After all, Guan Yu was Liu Bei's sworn brother, and Cao Cao was Liu Bei's political enemy. During Guan Yu's time in Xuchang, although he was respectful to Cao Cao on the surface, deep down, I am afraid that he still remembered Liu Bei. This complex psychology was vividly expressed when Guan Yu left Xuchang.
According to historical records, when Guan Yu left Xuchang, he once put forward three conditions to Cao Cao: one was to take away thousands of troops, the second was to take away Liu Bei's family, and the third was to retrieve his beloved horse Chitu. Cao Cao actually agreed to all of this, which shows that he still trusts Guan Yu quite a lot. After receiving Cao Cao's promise, Guan Yu did not leave immediately, but stayed in Xuchang for a period of time to observe, until he confirmed that Cao Cao did not regret it, and then left with his men and Liu Bei's family. This cautious approach may be a reflection of Guan Yu's complex emotions in his heart.
In short, the relationship between Guan Yu and Cao Cao is far more complicated than we imagined. They are both kings and adversaries, and they appreciate each other, but they also have contradictions that are difficult to resolve. I am afraid that this complex relationship can only be truly understood by the parties themselves. And this genealogy, although it does not directly describe Guan Yu's psychological activities, but through the portrayal of some details, it also allows us to have a more three-dimensional understanding of this history.
In the past few years in Xuchang, for Guan Yu, it is not only an important period of growth, but also a period of inner torment. He made brilliant achievements here and won Cao Cao's appreciation, but at the same time he also carried guilt towards Liu Bei. This complex state of mind has created a more mature and wise Guan Yu. It is precisely this Guan Yu who can become a real legend on the battlefield later.
Fourth, the value of the descendants of the Guan family and the genealogy
Although Guan Yu died young, his reputation has been famous for centuries. In his hometown of Dengzhou, Henan, there is still a descendant of the Guan family that has been multiplying for generations. Although these descendants of the Guan family have been separated from Guan Yu for dozens of generations, they are still proud to be descendants of Guan Yu.
According to the local Guan clan in Dengzhou, their Guan family migrated from Yuncheng, Shanxi to Dengzhou in the last years of the Ming Dynasty. At that time, there were frequent wars in Shanxi and life was difficult, so the Guan clan had to leave their hometown and come to the land of Dengzhou to make a living. After several rounds, they eventually settled in Guanliujia Village and became one of the main surnames here.
Today, there are more than 350 descendants surnamed Guan in Guanliujia Village. There is a Guan ancestral hall in the south of the village, which is the spiritual home of the Guan clan people in the village. Every Qingming Festival or Guan Yu's birthday, the descendants of the Guan family in the village will hold a grand sacrifice here to commemorate the great achievements of the ancestors.
Among the young men and women in the village, there is a special wedding custom, that is, on the eve of the wedding, the bride and groom will go to the Guan ancestral hall to burn incense and worship to pray for the blessing of the ancestors and a happy marriage. This tradition has been passed down among the Guan clan for hundreds of years.
In addition to these descendants of the Guan family, all over China, there are families who claim to be descendants of Guan Yu. Shanxi Yuncheng is Guan Yu's hometown, and there are several Guan families in the local area, all of whom claim to be Guan Yu's descendants. Jingzhou, Hubei Province is Guan Yu's fiefdom, and some local families with the surname Guan also claim to be descendants of Guan Yu.
However, it is very difficult to verify whether these Guan families are really related to Guan Yu. After all, it has been more than 1,800 years since Guan Yu's death, and the existing literature records are limited, and it is difficult to find direct evidence.
However, for these descendants of the Guan family, their reverence for Guan Yu is beyond doubt. It is precisely because of this spiritual inheritance that Guan Yu's heroic image can last for a long time and become one of the spiritual totems of the Chinese nation.
And this Guan family tree found in Dengzhou is undoubtedly an important carrier of this spiritual inheritance. Although this genealogy is old, it is well preserved, with clear handwriting and detailed records. It not only records Guan Yu's life and deeds in detail, but also records the lineage of the Guan family.
According to expert research, this genealogy was first repaired in the Ming Dynasty, and in the twenty-third year of Kangxi, it was renewed by Guan Qihui, a descendant of the Guan family. As a genealogy, its editing style and binding format are very particular, reflecting the cultural literacy and economic strength of the Guan family.
More importantly, this genealogy provides us with new historical materials for our research on Guan Yuqi and the history of the Three Kingdoms. Through the records in the family tree, we can understand Guan Yu's personality and family history in a more three-dimensional way, and understand his important role in the Three Kingdoms period.
At the same time, there are also many anecdotes about the Three Kingdoms period recorded in the family tree, which provides another perspective for us to understand that magnificent era. These records undoubtedly have important reference value for the study of the history of the Three Kingdoms.
At present, this Guan family tree has been collected by the Dengzhou Municipal Archives. As a precious historical document, it is not only a precious wealth of the Guan family, but also a cultural treasure of the Chinese nation. We have reason to believe that with the passage of time, the value of this genealogy will continue to emerge, providing more enlightenment for future generations to study the history of the Three Kingdoms.