Giving Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao, Sun Quan buried Guan Yu's body in Dangyang with a burial befitting a duke. It was also a ploy by Cao Cao to break the alliance between the State of Wu and Shu. Cao Cao gave Guan Yu a funeral befitting a hero.Ĭao Cao ordered a wooden body to be buried with the head so that Guan Yu would be complete and intact in death. After Guan Yu was beheaded by Sun Quan, his head was sent to Cao Cao as a tribute, as well as to shift the blame. Guanlin Temple in Luoyang is the final resting place of Guan Yu's head. There are three Guan Yu tombs: Guan Yu's head was buried in Luoyang his body in Dangyang, and a Guan Yu cenotaph was built in Chengdu. Guan Yu was captured by Ma Zhong, a subordinate of Sun Quan's general Pan Zhang, and finally, Guan Yu was killed by Sun Quan. Guan Yu lost Jingzhou and retreated to Maicheng after the Battle of Fancheng. Sun Quan ordered Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang to cut off Guan Yu's escape. Guan Yu pretended to surrender and fled with only a dozen cavalry officers. Sun Quan sent his men to lure Guan Yu into surrender. Lü Meng, Sun Quan's general, took advantage of the confrontation between Guan Yu and Cao Ren to attack Jingzhou and occupied Guan Yu's headquarters.įacing enemies on both sides, Guan Yu had to hurriedly withdraw his troops from Fancheng to Maicheng. Because the position of Jingzhou was very important, Sun Quan could not allow Guan Yu to garrison there. In the middle and late period of the war, Sun Quan joined the war. This victory was the most brilliant of Guan Yu's career. Pang De was killed because he refused to surrender. Yu Jin was forced to surrender to Guan Yu. Guan Yu took the opportunity to order his army to launch an attack by boat.Ĭao's army was defeated. Cao Cao ordered generals Yu Jin and Pang De to reinforce Fancheng.ĭue to continuous heavy rain, Cao Cao's army was trapped by a flood. Guan Yu set out from Jingzhou and attacked Fancheng, which was occupied by Cao Cao. This battle showed the power and strength of Guan Yu, but it was also the battle that led to Guan Yu's death. The Battle of Fancheng was launched by Guan Yu. As a result, Lü Bu fled on horseback during the siege of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Liu Bei. In the novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', the author arranged a battle between Guan Yu and Lü Bu. Lü Bu was very skilled in archery and riding and could shoot targets 100 meters away.

Guan Yu once took off the head of an opposing general in the midst of a large number of mounted and foot soldiers, and no one could stop him. It is hard to say which of them was stronger. In recorded history, although Guan Yu and Lü Bu were enemies, they never actually fought each other. In addition to Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Quan, there were many other leaders, including Lü Bu. Guan Yu and Lü BuĪt the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220), powerful politicians fought for supremacy. But Guan Yu was unmoved and eventually returned to Liu Bei. Cao Cao offered Guan Yu many rewards in the hope that he would stay. Guan Yu won the Battle of Baima for Cao Cao. In order to take care of Liu Bei's family, Guan Yu had to stay with Cao Cao for a time. Cao Cao appreciated Guan Yu so much that instead of killing him, he made him a general.Īt that time, Liu Bei was defeated and fled without trace, leaving his family behind.

One of the unusual things Guan Yu did was that he served both his long-time leader and friend Liu Bei and their enemy leader Cao Cao well.

Further reading: The history of the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220–280).

Despite being fictional, the Peach Garden Oath has become a symbol of fraternal loyalty. Guan Yu recognized Liu Bei as his elder brother and Zhang Fei as his younger brother.įrom then on, they fought side by side, supported each other, and were loyal to each other. Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei held a brotherly ritual in a peach garden. The story of the Peach Garden Oath in 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' is widely known. They protected Liu Bei from every danger. Shandong is known in history as a place where rebellions start. Later Liu Bei became a ruler in Shandong. Perhaps guided by fate, he fled to Zhuojun, where he met Liu Bei and Zhang Fei and joined their army fighting against the Yellow Turban Rebellion. He was said to have been born in Xie Xiang ('Xie County' in present-day Shanxi).ĭue to a serious offence, he had to flee. Guan Yu was first called Changcheng ('Long Life'). Guan Yu's early life was barely recorded.

Opponents: Cao Cao (Wei), Sun Quan (Wu), Lü Bu.

Deity names: Guan Gong (Lord Guan), Guan Di.

Children: Guan Xing, Guan Ping, Guan Feng.

Birthday: 24th day of the sixth lunar month.

Life size guan yu statue