Introduction of Lord Guan Yu (漢壽亭侯關雲長)

 

Guan Gong (關公), initial name known as Guan Chang Sheng (關長生) or Guan Yu (關羽), which later changed to Guan Yun Chang (關雲長). He was born in Han Dynasty, birthday recorded as AD160, 24th Day of Lunar 6 Month (生于漢朝農曆六月二十四日) and hometown in Shan Xi Province, Yun Cheng City, Chang Ping Village (家鄉於山西省雲城市常平村).

In some Religious Records, Guan Gong was believed to be the reincarnation of a Red Dragon Deity (A Taoist Dragon Deity of the South), after getting the help from a Priest, he was given a chance to get his reborn in the Mortal World (相傳關公為天界紅龍神所下降﹐即為道教之南方龍神).

Guan Gong got married at quite an young age, his wife was known as Madam Hu, at the age of 18, on AD178 13th Day of Lunar 5 Month, they got their 1st son, known as Guan Ping 關平 (in some contexts, Guan Ping was the foster son, but in some other contexts, Guan Yun 關雲 was the foster son).

AD183, due to killing a big bully in his hometown, Guan Gong had to leave his family and escaped to a faraway land without anyone knowing.

AD188, after 5 years of fleeing, he reached Hei Bei Province (河北省). This was the how he met up with his other 2 sworn Brothers – Liu Bei (劉備) and Zhang Fei (張飛).

After the ceremony of being sworn brother-hood, Guan Gong suggested to Liu Bei to start recruiting volunteers to fight against the rebellious armies. After going thru serious consideration and planning, Liu Bei agreed to start doing the recruiting.

AD190, Guan Gong and his 2 brothers went to Shan Dong Province to assist General White Horse Gong Sun Zan (白馬將軍公孫瓚), immediately, Liu Bei was being appointed as the Magistrate Officer and Guan Gong & Zhang Fei was being appointed as the Overall In-charge for the Armies.

AD200, Guan Gong was being bestowed with the title of Han Shou Ting Hou (漢壽亭侯) by Cao Cao (曹操), after defeating the Yuan Shao's armies, due to Guan Gong was in the urge of going back to serve his brother Liu Bei, he rejected Cao Cao's offer as a high ranking Officer in the Cao Territory. Without any acknowledgement made to Cao Cao, Guan Gong left all the valuable items that Cao Cao bestowed to him in the camp and left Cao Territory (this is the reason for him to become the Military Wealth Deity in later part of the Chinese History 掛印巡兄而被後世奉為武財神).

AD207, Guan Gong followed his brother Liu Bei to Long Zhong Area to invte Zhu Ge Liang to assist them in the planning of strategies (隆中迎孔明).

AD219, Guan Gong's armies were being defeated by Sun Quan's armies (孫權) and they were being trapped in City Fan (樊城). Within months, Guan Gong, Guan Ping and his assistant Zhou Cang (周倉) were being captured. After they were being captured, Sun Quan commanded his armies to kill Guan Gong on the spot. At that time, Guan Gong was only 59 years old.

After his death, in between AD219 – AD220, people saw Guan Gong's spirit returned to City Fan and this was the well-known part in the Classic of Three Kingdoms (樊城顯聖).

Due to his uprightness, loyalty, not willingly to betray brother-hood and treated wealth as an un-important object, he was being respected as a Deity by the folks.

In Chinese Deity System, Guan Gong was being known as a Lord Duke that being given the Spiritual Authority in looking after the Heavenly Army Troops. Whereas in other contexts, he was being bestowed with an Official Title by Jade Emperor as the Spiritual Minister in the Celestial Palace (玉皇大帝敕封為駕前聖相).

In other non-Chinese Religions (非中原本土所傳之教學), Guan Gong was being imported into their Culture much later, at late Tang Dynasty, as a Protector for the so-called withholding their upright Religious Teaching.