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Kuan Kung in Victory & Defeat, Life & Death

In 219, Guan Yu attacked the nearby enemy city of Fancheng, which was guarded by Cao Ren, and besieged it. In autumn, heavy showers in the region caused the Han River next to the city to overflow. The flood destroyed reinforcements troops from Cao Cao led by Yu Jin and Pang De. Both Yu and Pang were captured by Guan Yu in battle. However, reinforcements led by Xu Huang managed to force Guan Yu's troops to retreat.

At that time, Guan Yu realised that Eastern Wu had secretly formed an alliance with Cao Wei and attacked Jingzhou while he was attacking Fancheng. The commanders Mi Fang and Fu Shiren he left in charge of Jingzhou had surrendered to Eastern Wu. When Guan Yu's troops received news that their families in Jingzhou had fallen into the control of Eastern Wu, some of them started deserting and returning to Jingzhou to reunite with their families.

Guan Yu's army was severely depleted due to the desertions so he attempted to retreat to Bashu in the west but was surrounded and besieged by Eastern Wu forces at Maicheng. Guan Yu attempted to break out of the encirclement together with his son Guan Ping and subordinate Zhao Lei but failed. They were captured in Zhang Town (east of modern day Yuan'an County, Hubei) and executed by Eastern Wu forces after refusing to surrender. Sun Quan sent Guan Yu's severed head to Cao Cao, who performed the proper funeral rites and buried Guan Yu's severed head with full honours. Guan Yu was granted the posthumous title of Marquis of Zhuangmou.

Household Guardians :: Kuan Kung Legends

Kuan Kung is a romantic, adventurous and dashing figure, the principal of many Chinese legends.

In Hong Kong, a shrine for Kuan Kung is located in each police station, while members of the Triad crime gangs and the Hung clan worship Kuan Kung as well. This exemplifies the Chinese belief that a code of honor, epitomized by Kuan Kung, exists even in the underworld.

In Hong Kong, Kuan Kung is often referred to as "Yi Gor" (Cantonese for second big brother) for he was second to Liu Bei in their legendary sworn brotherhood.

Kuan Kung is also worshipped in Shanxi Province, Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia as God of Wealth, perceived to bless and protect the honest man. An example of his sense of honor was the release of Cao Cao during the Huarong Pass incident where he let Cao Cao and his general passed through safely.

Here are a few of the most loved myths, legends and stories about this great man, who by all accounts was brave, honorable, wise, accomplished and lucky, a formidible combination during any era.

Kuan Kung and the Peach Garden Oath

One of the most well-known stories revolves around Liu Bei, Kuan Kung and Zhang Fei who, having met by chance in the county of Zhuo in 188, found that all three shared the same desire to serve the country in the tumultuous times.

They swore to be brothers the next day in Zhang Fei's backyard, which was a garden full of peach blossoms. Liu Bei was ranked the eldest, Kuan Kung the second, and Zhang Fei the youngest. Having done this, they recruited more than 300 local men and joined the resistance against Yellow Turban rebels.

The peach blossom oath inspired the present day secret societies in Chinese communities, such as the Triad, to use a similar ritual when swearing in new members.

"Though not born on the same day of the same month in the same year, we hope to die so"

This phrase, according to legend the words the three brothers made when taking their oath, has also become popular among the present day secret society members as a romantic and daring pledge during war or times of great upheaval.

After Kuan Kung's Death

Guan Yu's spirit possessed Lu Meng and seized Sun Quan. As the others rushed forward to save Sun Quan, the possessed Lu Meng swore vengeance before collapsing onto the floor.

Moments later, Lu Meng died. Sun Quan was terrified and he sent Guan Yu's severed head to Cao Cao, hoping to push the responsibility of Guan Yu's death to Cao and sow discord between Shu Han and Cao Wei.

When Cao Cao opened the box containing Guan Yu's head, he saw that Guan's facial expressions resembled that of a living person. He smiled and spoke to the head, "I hope you are well since we last parted."

To his horror, Guan Yu's head opened its eyes and mouth and the long beard and hairs stood on their ends. Cao Cao collapsed and did not regain consciousness until a long time later. When he came to, he exclaimed, "General Guan is truly a god from heaven!"

Then he ordered the head to be buried with full honours befitting that of a noble.

Kuan Kung and the Poisoned Arm

During a siege on Fancheng (present day Hubei, China), Kuan Kung had been struck in the right arm by a bolt fired by crossbowers from the city walls.

The arrow was promptly removed but poison smeared on the arrowhead had already seeped deep to the bone.

As he was unwilling to abandon the offensive campaign, his subjects had to send for physicians to the camp to treat the poisoned arm.

One day, the famed physician Hua Tuo came by a boat from the east and went to see Kuan Kung, who was playing a game of strategy with advisor Ma Liang. After examining the wound, Hua Tuo told Kuan Kung he had to cut open the flesh and scrape off the residual poison on the surface of the bones.

He also suggested that the patient place the injured arm through a ring fixed to a pillar to prevent movement in the absence of anaesthesia, and that blindfold be applied.

However, Kuan Kung requested that the primitive surgery be performed on the spot, while he continued the game.

Those around him cringed at the sound of the knife scraping the bone, but Kuan Kung ate and drank, talked and laughed as if he did not feel any pain, presumably not to affect the morale of his army.

Within moments, the treatment was completed. Hua Tuo applied some medications to the wound and sewed it up. Kuan Kung laughed and praised the skills of the physician, for the arm felt no more pain. Hua Tuo then left without accepting any reward.

Those who are familiar with the name Hua Tuo will quickly recognize that he is one of the Eight Immortals!

Kuan Kung in Taoism & Buddhism

Kuan Kung is revered as Saintly Emperor Guan and a leading subduer of demons in Taoism since the Song Dynasty.

During the second decade of the 12th century, the saltwater lake in the present day Xiezhou County gradually ceased to yield salt.

Emperor Huizong then summoned Celestial Master Zhang Jixian, thirtieth descendent of Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, to investigate the cause.

The emperor was told that the disruption was the work of Chi You, a deity of war. The Master then recruited the help of Kuan Kung, who did battle with Chi You over the lake and triumphed, whereupon the lake resumed salt production.

Emperor Huizong then bestowed upon Kuan Kung the title of Immortal of Chongning, formally introducing the latter as a deity into Taoism.

In early Ming Dynasty, the forty-second Celestial Master Zhang Zhengchang recorded the incident in his book Lineage of the Han Celestial Masters, the first Taoist classic to affirm the legend.

Today Taoism practices are predominant in Kuan Kung worship. Many temples dedicated to Kuan Kung, including the Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou County, show heavy Taoist influence.

Every year, on the thirteenth day of the fifth month on the lunar calendar (legendary birthday of Kuan Kung), a street parade in the honor of Emperor Guan would also be held.

Among the Cantonese Chinese who emigrated to California during the mid-19th century, worship of Guan Yu was an important element. Statues and tapestry images of the god can be found in a number of historical California joss houses (a local term for Taoist temples), where his name may be given with various Anglicized spellings, including Kwan Dai, Kwan Tai, Kuan Ti, Kuan Kung, Wu Ti, Mo Dai, Guan Di, Kuan Yu, Kwan Yu, or Quan Yu.