Guan Yu (AD 160-220) was one of the most revered heroes of the Three Kingdoms era (AD 200-280) in Chinese history. He was known for his bravery and dedication. Together with Zhang Fei, he helped Liu Bei establish the Shu kingdom.
His actions and moral qualities were described in the novel "Three Kingdoms", written in the XIV century. During his lifetime and after death, kings and emperors endowed him with many honorary titles, such as "Prince Zhuangmou", "Saint Guan", etc.
Many people asked why Guan Yu was so respected. He was not the smartest or best warrior, much less in China's 5,000-year history. So why was he so revered?
The famous Chinese philosopher Mencius once said that there are three criteria that define a great person: “He cannot be bribed by any wealth or honor; no amount of poverty or low position can make him waver; no force or compulsion can force him to submit. We can call such a person great."
It is said that in his youth, Guan Yu killed a rich and powerful villain and therefore had to flee his hometown. He met Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, and the three of them became blood brothers, vowing to "act together to help the poor and those in danger." They started out with nothing, fought together and endured many hardships. This met the criterion: "no amount of poverty or low position can make him waver."
During one of the battles, all three were separated. To protect the wives of Liu and Zhang, Guan Yu surrendered to General Cao Cao. Cao Cao held him in high regard and bestowed gifts and beautiful girls. Guan Yu put the gifts aside and sent the girls to serve Liu and Zhang's wives. He wore new clothes that Cao Cao had given him under his old clothes. When he received news of his blood brother Liu Bei, he returned the gifts to Cao Cao, resigned his official position, and went to look for Liu Bei. This shows that he acted in accordance with the criterion: "he cannot be bribed by any wealth or honor."
Few dared to answer the challenge of Hua Xiong, the great warrior who defeated many, but Guan Yu accepted the challenge and defeated Hua Xiong. He was known for his courage. Guan Yu and his son were later ambushed. They were both executed, but could not win over to their side. This confirmed the principle: "no force or coercion can force him to submit."
The story of the Three Kingdoms mainly illustrates the virtue of righteousness. When people think of Guan Yue, they associate him with righteousness.
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Of course, Guan Yu was not perfect. He was proud and lost the battle in Jingzhou because of this. However, this does not prevent people from reading it. They probably understand that there are no perfect people. For thousands of years, Guan Yu has been considered a great man.