Guan Yu
A peerless-bearded general of the late Eastern Han, revered as a god of loyalty and martial courage.
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Guan Yu was a military general from Xie County in Hedong Commandery, present-day Yuncheng, Shanxi.[1] He was executed in early 220 after being captured by Sun Quan's forces.[2] The traditional depiction of Guan Yu as a red-faced warrior with a long, lush beard originates from a description in the first chapter of the 14th-century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.[3]
Quick Facts
- Office
- General of the Vanguard (前將軍)
- Took office
- 219
- Left office
- 220
- Monarch
- Liu Bei (King of Hanzhong); Emperor Xian of Han
- Birthplace
- Xie County, Hedong Commandery, Han dynasty (present-day Yuncheng, Shanxi)
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
He and Zhang Fei joined Liu Bei's volunteer militia during the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the 180s.[4] Liu Bei treated Guan Yu and Zhang Fei like brothers, sharing a room and eating from the same pot.[5] Guan Yu later left Cao Cao to rejoin Liu Bei, sealing up all gifts and writing a farewell letter.[6] Departing his home for reasons that are not recorded, Guan Yu made his way to Zhuo Commandery.[1]
Cao Cao secured from Emperor Xian the title of Lieutenant-General for Guan Yu, and also had the emperor grant him the marquisate of Hanshou Village.[7][6] Guan Yu pulled back, fell into the hands of Sun Quan's troops, and was put to death alongside his son Guan Ping at the start of 220.[2]
What the cited sources add
The Fu Zi gives a different account of Zhang Liao's dilemma about whether to convey Guan Yu's message to Cao Cao.[8] Pei Songzhi commented that Cao Cao allowed Guan Yu to leave to fulfill his allegiance to Liu Bei, calling it an example of Cao Cao's goodness.[9] According to the Shu Ji, prior to the Fancheng campaign, Guan Yu had a dream about a boar biting his foot, after which he informed his son Guan Ping that he might not come back alive.[10] The Shu Ji recounts that when Xu Huang, a former close friend of Guan Yu, encountered him at Fancheng, Xu Huang commanded his troops that whoever secured Guan Yu's head would receive 1,000 jin of gold.[10]
References
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ( ) Sanguozhi vol. 36.; ( ) Sanguozhi vol. 54.; ( ) Jiang Biao Zhuan annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Perkins 1999, p. 192 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: RotK, "ch. 1". quote: ( ) (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ( ) Sanguozhi vol. 36.; ( ) Sanguozhi vol. 32.; (河東關羽雲長，同郡張飛益德，並以壯烈，禦侮。) Huayang Guo Zhi vol. 6. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: (先主與二子寢則同床，食則共器，恩若弟兄。然於稠人廣眾中，侍立終日。) Huayang Guo Zhi vol. 6. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ( ) Sanguozhi vol. 36. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ( ) Sanguozhi vol. 36.; ( ) Sanguozhi vol. 32. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ( ) Fu Zi annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ( ) Pei Songzhi's annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Guan Yu" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ( ) Shu Ji annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Guan Yu (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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