Guan Yu - Three Kingdoms and Five Tiger Generals

　　Guan Yu (162?-220), born during the reign of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was a native of Hedong (present-day Yuncheng, Shanxi). A famous general of the Shu Han Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period. After his death, he was revered by the people, and after being praised by the imperial court, he was worshipped as the Emperor of Guan Sheng, and buddhism was called Garan Bodhisattva, and he was honored as "Guan Gong". A famous general of the Shu state during the Three Kingdoms period. It was revered by later rulers as "Martial Saint", along with Confucius, who was called "Wen Sheng". Later generations have poems praising Guan Yu: an outstanding military and strategist of the Shu state during the Three Kingdoms period.

Life

　　Guan Yu encountered the Eastern Han government in Zhuo County (涿郡, in present-day Zhuo County, Hebei) to mobilize armed groups of powerful landlords from all over the country to jointly suppress the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Here he became acquainted with Liu Bei (Liu Bei claimed to be a descendant of Liu Sheng, the Prince of Zhongshan Jing, the Emperor of the Western Han Dynasty), who were gathering a crowd of troops, and Zhang Fei, and the three were like-minded, fell in love at first sight, loved each other unusually, and were as close as brothers. Later legend has it that Liu, Guan, and Zhang once married in Taoyuan. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms "Yanyi" issued their oath: "Although they have different surnames and are married as brothers, they will work together to save the poor and help the needy; report to the state, and go down to Lishu, not to be born on the same day of the same month of the same year, but only to die on the same day of the same month of the same year." Although this is the novelist's statement, it has a huge impact because it is in line with the mentality of the middle and lower classes of the turbulent era. Many peasant uprisings in later generations have followed the form of righteousness to consolidate the ranks and strengthen unity. The three organized an armed force and took part in the attack on the peasant rebel army. Guan Yu also began his career as a horseman from then on. From the first year of Zhongping (184) until his death, Guan Yu always loyally followed Liu Bei, "following his maneuvers and not avoiding difficulties and dangers" (Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Shushu, Guan Yu Biography).

　　Liu Bei raised troops and participated in the suppression of the Yellow Turban Uprising, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei served as his bodyguards, which was his right and left hands. In the first year of Zhongping (185), Liu, Guan, and Zhang took the newly organized soldiers and horses and first defected to Zou Jing, a lieutenant in Zhuo County. The Yellow Turban Army hit Zhuo County, and they cooperated with the officers and men to resist, winning the first battle and making great achievements. They then left Zhuo Commandery (涿郡) and went to defect to Lu Zhi, the Zhonglang general who was besieging the Yellow Turban chief Zhang Jiao in Guangzong (in eastern Wei County, Hebei Province). After arriving at Guangzong, they were sent back to Jingshi because Lu Zhi was framed, and they decided to return to Zhuo County. On the way back, he encountered Zhang Jiao, the General of the Yellow Turban Army, who was pursuing Dong Zhuo, who had taken over Lu Zhi's post. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei led a group of men and horses to suddenly kill the Yellow Turban Army and save Dong Zhuo. Liu Bei later defected to the Youzhou warlord Gongsun Zhan, and because of his repeated military exploits, he was appointed as the Minister of Plains, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei served as simas of other departments, and divided the divisions. The three of them still "slept in the same bed, Enruo brothers" (Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Shushu, Guan Yu Biography), Guan Yu and Zhang Fei served Liu Bei all day long, protecting Liu Bei.

　　In the first year of Jian'an (195), after Cao Cao was welcomed by Emperor Xian of Han to move the capital to Xuchang (in present-day Xuchangdong, Henan), he took sole control of the military and political power, taking charge of the imperial government, and the emperor became a puppet. In the third year of Jian'an (198 AD), Liu Bei was defeated by Lü Bu and defected to Cao Cao. Cao Cao named him a general on the left and Guan Yu as a general in zhonglang (a military attaché second to a general). The Shiche general Dong Cheng accepted the emperor's edict and conspired with Liu Bei and the Changshui lieutenants Zhongji, the general Wu Zilan, and Wang Zifu to get rid of Cao Cao.

　　In the fourth year of Jian'an (199), Liu Bei, fearing Cao Cao's suspicions, wanted to wait for an opportunity to break away from Cao Cao's control, and took advantage of the rout of the right general Yuan Shu and took the initiative to request to go with the general Zhu Ling to intercept it. Cao Cao's advisers Cheng Yu, Guo Jia, and Dong Zhao believed that Liu Bei, who had a suspicious mind, should not be let go, and Cao Cao immediately sent someone to chase after him, but it was too late. Yuan Shu fled south to Shouchun (寿春, in present-day Shou County, Anhui), Zhu Lingbanshi returned to the dynasty, and in December, Liu Bei killed Xuzhou's assassin Shi Che, and with Guan Yu acting as Taishou of Xiapi (下邳, northwest of present-day Suining, Jiangsu), he recruited troops from Xiao Pei, recruited troops, and expanded his strength, echoing the anti-Cao forces in the DPRK. The rebel leader Chang Xi and others in Donghai (present-day Tancheng, Jiangsu), as well as the surrounding counties and counties, were annexed to Liu Bei, and Liu Bei's army soon grew to tens of thousands, and he sent emissaries to form an alliance with Yuan Shao, forming a serious threat to Cao Cao. He also defeated Sima Changshi Liu Dai and the Zhonglang general Wang Zhong, who had come to fight, and temporarily took xuzhou and Xiapi as a base for recuperation and development.

　　In the first month of the fifth year of Jian'an (200), the che general Dong Cheng's plan to assassinate Cao Cao was leaked, and Dong Cheng, Wang Fu, and Zhongji were all slaughtered, but Liu Bei, who participated in the conspiracy, escaped by chance and became more and more powerful. Cao Cao personally recruited Liu Bei, Liu Bei was shocked to learn that Cao Cao's army was coming, personally led dozens of horses out of the city to observe, and sure enough, he saw Cao Jun's banner, so he had to rush to the battle, was defeated by Cao Jun, and Liu Bei's wife was captured. Cao Cao then attacked Xia Pi and forced Guan Yu to surrender. Liu Bei fled to Yicheng (邺城, in modern Southwest Linzhang, Hebei) and defected to Yuan Shao.

　　Cao Cao praised Guan Yu as a person and worshipped him as a partial general, and was very courteous. Soon, however, he realized that Guan Yu's mind was uncertain and had no intention of staying for long, so he said to Zhang Liao, who had a very good relationship with Guan Yu: "Qing tried to ask him with affection." Zhang Liao went to ask Guan Yu, and Guan Yu sighed, "I know very well that Cao Gong treats me thickly, but I have been generously favored by General Liu, and I swear to die together, and I must not betray it." I will not stay in the end, and I will repay Cao Gongnai for his deeds" (Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Shushu, Guan Yu Biography). Zhang Liao relayed Guan Yu's words to Cao Cao, and after Cao Cao heard about it, he not only did not resent Guan Yu, but instead thought that he had benevolence and righteousness, and valued him even more.

　　In the fifth year of Jian'an (200), the Battle of Guandu broke out, and in February, Yuan Shao, the pastor of Jizhou, mobilized more than 100,000 horses to march into Liyang (liyang, northeast of present-day Hua County, Henan), conquered Cao Cao, and sent the general Yan Liangjin to besiege Baima and attack Liu Yan of Dong Commandery to ensure the main force to cross the river. Liu Yan urged for help. In April, Cao Cao, in order to relieve the flanking threat, rescued Liu Yan from the north. Counselor Xun You suggested: "If there are few soldiers today, it is possible to divide their strengths." When the Duke arrived in Yanjin, if he sent the troops to the latter, Shao Bixi responded, and then the light army attacked Baima, hiding its unpreparedness, and Yan Liangke was also a bird" (Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wei Shu, And The Biography of Emperor Wu), Cao Cao followed his plan. Yuan Shao heard that Cao Bing crossed the river, and sure enough, he divided his troops to the west and advanced into Yanjin. Cao Cao took the opportunity to lead his troops to Baima, and when he was more than 10 miles away from Baima, Yan Liang was greatly shocked and hurried to meet the battle. Cao Cao sent Zhang Liao and Guan Yu as the vanguard and led his troops to attack. In front of Guan Yu's Prancing Horse Formation, he saw Yan Liang's car in the distance (the general's chariot, set up a building and Zhang Gai), rushed straight over, stabbed Yan Liang to death among the crowd, beheaded him, and Yuan Shao's generals "Could not be the ones" ("Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Shu Shu, Guan Yu Biography"). Cao Cao ordered the army to charge and kill, and the Yuan army was defeated and scattered, so the siege of Baima was lifted.

　　Cao Cao praised Guan Yu for his bravery and rewarded him heavily, making him the Marquis of Hanshou Ting (汉寿, place name; Tinghou Hou, marquis name). After Guan Yu killed Yan Liang, Cao Cao knew that he would go, so he repaid the reward. Guan Yu sealed all the rewards that Cao Cao had repeatedly given him, hung the seal of the Marquis of Hanshouting on the hall, wrote a letter of farewell to Cao Cao, protected Liu Bei's family, left Cao Camp, and went to Yuan Shao's army to find Liu Bei. When Cao Cao heard about it, he wanted to go after him, but Cao Cao dissuaded him, saying, "Let each of them be his master, and do not pursue him" (Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Shu Shu VI, Guan Yu Biography).

　　From Guan Yu's capture to his meritorious service to Cao Cao and his return to Liu Bei, this experience has always been passed on by word of mouth and popular. By the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", a splendid and splendid story unit was formed, including three things about Guan Gongtun Tushan (surrendering Han and not lowering Cao; treating the second sister-in-law with courtesy; once he learned of Liu Bei's whereabouts, he resigned); Cao Cao treated Guan Yu kindly, feasted for three days, feasted for five days; Cao Cao gave a robe, Guan Yu wore it at the bottom of his clothes, and used the old robe given by Liu Bei to cover it, and did not dare to forget the old with the new; Cao Cao gave the red rabbit horse, Guan Yu prayed to Xie, thinking that he could see Liu Bei in one day on this horse; Guan Gong beheaded Yan Liang and Xue Wen ugly; Guan Gong hung up the seal and sealed gold; and rode alone for thousands of miles. Pass five levels and slash six generals; ancient city brotherhood and so on. In China, few people are unaware of this story.

　　appraise

　　Chen Shou, the author of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, commented: "Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are both called enemies of ten thousand people, and they are the tiger subjects of the world. Yu repays Cao Gong, Fei Yi interprets Yan Yan, and has the style of a national soldier. Ran Yu is rigid and self-effacing, violent and unkind, defeated by short, and the number of reasons is often also. ”

　　In traditional Chinese opera, Guan Yu's character has a face of rubbing a red face, indicating loyalty and courage, and the phrase "red face is loyal" is derived from Guan Yu's face. Gou Dan phoenix eyes, handsome eyes, Confucian demeanor, plus Guan Yu has the name of "beautiful hair", so they will add a big hair mouth, holding a green dragon crescent knife. Later, in order to show respect for Guan Yu, he would deliberately add a black dot to the faceplate, and did not dare to imitate him completely.

　　Guan Yu's ancestral temples are scattered all over the country, and he is one of the most ancestral temples among Chinese gods. The god of war in ancient sacrifices was originally the "Lord of Soldiers" Xuan you. According to the official sacrifices, there were martial temples in the early Tang Dynasty, but the main worship was Jiang Ziya, a famous general of the Zhou Dynasty, and Guan Yu was a congregation. By the end of the Song Dynasty at the latest, the folk temple dedicated to Guan Yu had "all existed in the counties and prefectures and the wells in the countryside" (Hao Jing's "Lingchuan Collection"). Although the yuan dynasty court believed in lamaism, it did not control the people's beliefs, so the people's reverence for Guan Yu increased unabated, and the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty sent envoys to offer sacrifices. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, temples dedicated to Guan Yu have not only spread throughout Chinese mainland, but also extended to Mongolia, Tibet, the Korean Peninsula and even overseas. Today, in the old city of Beijing alone, there are more than a hundred temples dedicated to Or concurrently dedicated to Guan Gong.

　　Because Guan Yu was not only revered by Confucians, but also worshipped by Taoists and Buddhists, Guan Yu was a god who crossed the three major Chinese sects of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. However, the Confucian Guan Yu reflects more of Guan Yu's true colors.

　　As Guan Yu's status became prominent, Guan Yu was honored as the "King of Wu" and "Martial Sage", standing side by side with Confucius. It is precisely because Guan Yu is so prominent, in addition to the military and martial artists worshipping him as an industry god, even the depiction of gold, tobacco, incense, education, fate and other unrelated industries have also pushed Guan Yu, so he has also become the god of martial wealth, and he is also one of the five Wenchang.

　　In Hong Kong, although the police and the triad members are opposed, they all respect and respect Guan Yu, calling him "Second Brother Guan", "Guan Gong", "Guan Di" and so on. They believed that Guan Gong was the one who would defend the faithful and righteous, so neither side believed that there was a conflict of faith.

　　Hong Kong also has a number of ancestral temples dedicated to Guan Yu, the most famous of which is the Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong.　　

　　Whether it is the United Kingdom, the United States or other countries, as long as there are Chinese communities, there must be people who worship Guan Yu.

　　According to Nao Komatsuda's Illustrated History of the World, there are also numerous Guandi Temples in Japan, where Guan Yu is the god of learning and business.