Guan Yu

"Guan Gong" and "Guandi" redirect here. For other uses, see Guan Gong (disambiguation) and Guandi (disambiguation).

"Guan Yunchang" redirects here. For the 2011 film, see The Lost Bladesman.

"Guanyu" redirects here. For the racing driver, see Zhou Guanyu.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Guan.

Guan Yu
關羽
A portrait of Guan Yu in the Sancai Tuhui
General of the Vanguard (前將軍)
In office 219 (219) – 220 (220)
Monarchs	Liu Bei (King of Hanzhong) Emperor Xian of Han
General Who Defeats Bandits (盪寇將軍; under Liu Bei)
In office c. 211 – 219 (219)
Monarch	Emperor Xian of Han
Administrator of Xiangyang (襄陽太守; under Liu Bei)
In office c. 211 – 219 (219)
Monarch	Emperor Xian of Han
Lieutenant-general (偏將軍)
In office 200 (200) – c. 211
Monarch	Emperor Xian of Han
Personal details
Born	Unknown Xie County, Hedong Commandery, Han dynasty (present-day Yuncheng, Shanxi)
Died	January or February 220 Linju County, Xiangyang Commandery, Han dynasty (present-day Nanzhang County, Hubei)
Children	Guan Ping Guan Xing an unnamed daughter
Occupation	General
Courtesy name	Yunchang (雲長)
Posthumous name	Marquis Zhuangmou (壯繆侯)
Peerage	Marquis of Hanshou Village (漢壽亭侯)
Deity names	Guan Di (關帝; "Emperor Guan") Guan Gong (關公; "Lord Guan") Guan Sheng Di Jun (關聖帝君; "Holy Ruler Deity Guan") Sangharama Bodhisattva (伽藍菩薩)
Other names	Guan Er Ye (關二爺; "Lord Guan the Second") Guan Er Ge; 關二哥; "Guan the Second Brother") Mei Ran Gong (美髯公; "Lord of the Magnificent Beard") Changsheng (長生) Shouchang (壽長) See this section for more posthumous titles

Guan Yu
Guan's name in traditional (top) and simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
Traditional Chinese	關羽
Simplified Chinese	关羽
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guān Yǔ Bopomofo ㄍㄨㄢ   ㄩˇ Wade–Giles Kuan1 Yü3 Yale Romanization Gwān Yǔ IPA [kwán ỳ] ⓘ Wu Suzhounese Kue1 Yu6 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Gwāan Yúh Jyutping Gwaan1 Jyu5 IPA [kʷan˥ jy˩˧] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Koan Ú Tâi-lô Kuan Ú Middle Chinese Middle Chinese kwaen hjuX Old Chinese Baxter–Sagart (2014) *[k]ˁro[n] [ɢ]ʷ(r)aʔ
courtesy name
Traditional Chinese	長生
Simplified Chinese	长生
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Chángshēng IPA [ʈʂʰǎŋ.ʂə̌ŋ] Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Coeng4 Sang1 IPA [tsʰœŋ˩.sɐŋ˥] Middle Chinese Middle Chinese drjang sraeng Old Chinese Baxter–Sagart (2014) *Cə-[N]-traŋ sreŋ

Guan Yu ([kwán ỳ] ^ⓘ; d. January or February 220), courtesy name Yunchang, was a military general under Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty. Together with Zhang Fei, he was among Liu Bei's earliest followers. After a brief period in Cao Cao's service in 200, during which he killed Yan Liang at the Battle of Boma, Guan Yu returned to Liu Bei. He later commanded Liu Bei's forces in Jing Province.

In 219, Guan Yu attacked Cao Cao's forces at Fancheng, defeated and captured Yu Jin, and killed Pang De. While the campaign continued, Sun Quan ended his alliance with Liu Bei and sent Lü Meng to seize Liu Bei's territories in Jing Province. Guan Yu withdrew, was captured by Sun Quan's forces, and was executed with his son Guan Ping in early 220.

Guan Yu was later worshipped in Chinese folk religion, Taoism, Chinese Buddhism, and popular Confucian traditions. Storytelling, drama, and the 14th-century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms further developed his image as a model of loyalty and martial courage. In religious contexts he is commonly called "Lord Guan" (Guan Gong) or "Emperor Guan" (Guan Di).