Guan Yu (162-220) was a general and friend of the warlord, Liu Bei during the late Han dynasty, and was one of the "Three Sworn Brothers" alongside Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. Known for his height, his long beard, his prowess in battle, and his fast horse, Red Hare, he was deified in Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism as the "God of War".
Biography[]
Early life[]
Guan Yu after slaying Hua Xiong.
Guan Yu was born in Yuncheng, Shanxi, China in 162 AD, and he joined the volunteer army raised by Liu Bei to crush the Yellow Turban Rebellion in 184 AD. Guan Yu, Liu Bei, and fellow volunteer, Zhang Fei made an oath in a peach garden where they became sworn brothers and agreed that they would not live without each other.
Guan Yu distinguished himself during the suppression of the uprising, and he also served under Liu Bei during the campaign against Dong Zhuo.
At the Battle of Sishui Gate, he slew the feared warrior, Hua Xiong, bringing his body back to the warlord, Yuan Shao. Later that year, at the Battle of Hulao Gate, Guan Yu and his two sworn brothers fought off the feared warrior, Lu Bu.
Capture by Cao Cao[]
Guan Yu in the battle.
Following the campaign against Dong Zhuo, the land descended into chaos, and Liu Bei and his followers were repeatedly forced to wander, as they had no territory or permanent allies.
In 193, they were given refuge by Xu Province warlord, Tao Qian, and they helped to defend his province from Cao Cao's forces. After Tao Qian died, he bequeathed control of Xuzhou to Liu Bei, who took part in an uprising against Cao Cao as he campaigned against Yuan Shu in the south. Cao Cao sent Guo Jia to subjugate the province in 197, and Liu Bei was forced to become Cao Cao's vassal.
In 198, Liu Bei was forced to ally with Cao Cao when Lu Bu seized control of Xu Province, and, following the Battle of Xiapi, Cao Cao appointed Che Zhou as regional governor. Guan Yu killed Che Zhou after an argument, and Liu Bei was once again forced to rebel against Cao Cao. Cao Cao's army defeated Liu Bei, and Guan Yu was captured while holding Cao Cao's forces off.
Guan Yu in 200
Guan Yu agreed to join Cao Cao's forces under the conditions that Liu Bei's spouses were treated well, that he surrendered to the Emperor and not to Cao Cao, and that he was allowed to reunite with Liu Bei once he discovered his whereabouts. Guan Yu fought under Cao Cao at the Battle of Guandu in 200 AD, slaying Yuan Shao's two powerful warriors, Yan Liang and Wen Chou.
At that battle, he discovered that Liu Bei was alive and in Yuan Shao's camp, so, after Cao Cao's victory, Guan Yu decided to rejoined his lord. Guan Yu wrote a farewell letter to Cao Cao before leaving with Cao Cao's gift to him, the fast horse, Red Hare, and he also escorted a carriage carrying Liu Bei's wives.
Cao Cao gave orders that Guan Yu was not to be touched, but several gate commanders refused to allow for Guan Yu to leave, saying that he did not have an exit permit. Guan Yu was forced to slay Kong Xiu, Han Fu, Bian Xi, Wang Zhi, and Qin Qi at each gate, and he and his party meet up with Liu Bei at Runan, where he was battling Cao Cao's forces.
Brothers reunited[]
Guan Yu returned to his sworn brothers and continued to serve as one of Liu Bei's generals, participating in the Battle of Bowang Po as the leader of an ambush unit, and at the Battle of Changban as commander of the fleet which evacuated Liu Bei's army and that entourage to Sun Quan's territory.
Following the Battle of Chibi in 208 AD, Guan Yu allowed for Cao Cao to escape in order to fulfill his debt to him (as Cao Cao had let Guan Yu leave his service peacefully), and Zhuge Liang nearly had Guan Yu executed before Liu Bei intervened. Following the battle, Guan Yu helped Liu Bei with his conquest of Jing Province, beating Sun Quan's forces in capturing several major cities.
Ultimately, Jing was divided between the two forces, and Guan Yu served as governor of Jing for several years. He survived an attempt by Sun Quan's strategist, Lu Su to assassinate him: Lu Su invited Guan Yu to drink with him and requested that he hand over Jing - if he accepted, Guan Yu would leave alive, but, if he refused, an ambush party under Lu Meng and Gan Ning would ambush him as he left. Guan Yu saw through this and, while pretending to be drunk, held Lu Su hostage as he left the meeting, and he escaped alive.
Fan Castle and death[]
Guan Yu's death.
In 219 AD, Guan Yu was ordered to attack Cao Cao's forces at Fan Castle in northern Jing Province, and that he used a flood attack to weaken the castle's defenses.
Victory was almost his when Lu Meng's army arrived to assist Cao Cao, betraying Liu Bei and capturing much of Jing Province. Guan Yu and his children, Guan Ping, Guan Suo, and Guan Yinping were forced to flee to Mai Castle by the combined Cao Cao-Sun Quan army, and Guan Yu and Guan Ping decided to make a last stand as Guan Suo and Guan Yinping reluctantly escaped.
Guan Ping was slain during the retreat, while Guan Yu, by himself, held off several of Sun Quan's soldiers. He was then stabbed by several soldiers at once and died while still standing up, and he was then beheaded.
It was later said that his ghost roamed the land in search of his head, and that his ghost killed Lu Meng and played a part in Pan Zhang's death at the hands of his son, Guan Xing at the Battle of Yiling.
Gallery[]
