Guan Yu
Guān Yǔ ( Chinese 關羽 / 关羽 , IPA ( standard Chinese) [ ɡ̊u̯an5 y214 ]; * 160 ; † 219 ) was a Chinese general who lived at the end of the Han Dynasty and at the time of the Three Kingdoms . He was a comrade in arms of Liu Bei , the founder of the Shu empire . During the civil war at the end of the Han period, Guan Yu fought against the insurgent peasant group Yellow Turbans .
Guan Yu is one of the most famous figures in Chinese history and is still revered today. From the time of the Sui dynasty , he was glorified as a godlike figure and even placed on the same level as Confucius . Guan Yu stood for loyalty, courage and justice; Confucius for wisdom. His life was processed artistically, the best known is the historical novel " The Story of the Three Realms ". Guan Yu was mostly depicted as a red-faced, long-bearded warrior. His weapon is said to have been a 41 kg guan dao - a halberd-like scimitar. Historical facts and mythology were mixed up in these artistic interpretations.
Life
The exact date of birth of Guan Yu is not known. According to a stele in a temple and a biography from 1756, it is estimated to be in the year 160. His home is in the Xie region (now a district of Yuncheng in Shanxi ). He fled his homeland at the age of 23 after murdering the local tyrant Lü Xiong. About five years later, he turned up in Zhuo (now Zhuozhou in Hebei ), where Liu Bei was just setting up an army to fight the Yellow Turbans. Guan Yu joined the troops and fought against the rebellious peasants in northern China. Liu Bei became prince of Pingyuan Province in gratitude for his contribution to suppressing the uprising. Guan Yu was given its own command. According to historical reports, Guan Yu, Liu Bei, and a third officer - Zhang Fei - stood in unbroken loyalty to each other. The three are said to have even shared the bed.
In 199, Liu Bei had the regent of Xuzhou killed by the warlord Cao Cao . Guan Yu took control of the provincial capital Xiapi. Cao Cao himself led the retaliatory strike to retake Xuzhou. Liu Bei fled north to the warlord Yuan Shao , while Guan Yu was captured after Xiapi's surrender. Cao Cao treated him with great respect and even made him a general.
With a force of 100,000 men, Yuan Shao 200 attacked the capital of Cao Cao, Xuchang. In order to cross the Yellow River , Yuan Shao launched a diversionary attack on Baima City (located in what is now Henan Province ). Guan Yu was sent to relieve the city. Upon arrival, he recognized the opposing general Yan Liang's chariot and attacked it directly. In the midst of the enemy forces, he killed Yan Liang and brought back his severed head. After losing the important leader, the siege of Baima failed. Guan Yu was made Duke of Hanshou.
Guan Yu then broke with Cao Cao and returned to his previous ruler, Liu Bei, who was still in the care of Yuan Shao. Cao Cao allegedly stopped the persecution by his own troops by saying, "Each is his own."
Yuan Shao was finally defeated by Cao Cao in the Battle of Guandu , so that Liu Bei was forced to evade to Jingzhou . Its ruler Liu Biao died soon afterwards. Cao Cao seized the opportunity and occupied large parts of Jingzhou. Liu Bei escaped and formed an alliance with Sun Quan , another warlord who ruled large parts of southern China. Together they defeated Cao Cao in the Battle of Chibi and retook Jingzhou. Guan Yu became prince of Xiangyang and was entrusted with the defense of North Jingzhou.
Liu Bei went to Yizhou (now Sichuan ) in 213 and ruled the area two years later. He proclaimed himself king of Hanzhong in 219 and promoted Guan Yu to one of his five best generals. This group of five (Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong) came to be known as the Five Tiger Generals .
That same year, Guan Yu attacked Fancheng (now the Xiangyang District in Hubei ), who was being defended by Cao Ren , Cao Cao's cousin. Long rains in spring caused the Han River to overflow, washing away most of the troops Cao Cao had sent to defend it. Only more troops and Xu Huang were able to repel the attack. Guan Yu returned to Jiangling and found that the city had been handed over to Sun Quan by traitors.
Guan Yu tried to retreat west to Liu Bei, but most of his troops had already deserted. Guan Yu was surrounded and captured. He and his son Guan Ping were executed by General Lü Meng . Sun Quan sent Guan Yu's severed head to Cao Cao, who buried him with full honors.
progeny
See also
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Guan Yu |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | 关羽 (simplified Chinese); 關羽 (traditional Chinese) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Chinese general |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 160 |
| DATE OF DEATH | 219 |