Guan Yu

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Guan Yu : biography

Unknown – 219

In 208, Liu Bei allied with Sun Quan and they defeated Cao Cao at the decisive Battle of Red Cliffs. Cao Cao retreated north after his defeat and left Cao Ren behind to defend Jing Province. In the Battle of Jiangling (a follow-up to Red Cliffs), Guan Yu was sent to block Cao Ren’s supply lines via infiltration, so he led a special force to attack Xiangyang, which was guarded by Cao Cao’s general Yue Jin. Yue Jin defeated Guan Yu and Su Fei (蘇非) and drove them away.(後從平荊州,留屯襄陽,擊關羽、蘇非等,皆走之, …) Sanguozhi vol. 17. After seizing and pacifying the various commanderies in southern Jing Province, Liu Bei appointed Guan Yu as the Administrator (太守) of Xiangyang and "General Who Rocks Bandits" (盪寇將軍), and ordered him to garrison at the north of the Yangtze River.(孫權遣兵佐先主拒曹公,曹公引軍退歸。先主收江南諸郡,乃封拜元勳,以羽為襄陽太守、盪寇將軍,駐江北。) Sanguozhi vol. 36.

Guan Yu later engaged Yue Jin and Wen Ping at Xunkou (尋口) and lost. Wen Ping attacked Guan Yu’s equipage and supplies at Han Ford (漢津) and burnt his boats at Jingcheng (荊城).(與樂進討關羽於尋口,有功 … 又攻羽輜重於漢津,燒其船於荊城。) Sanguozhi vol. 18.

Anecdotes

Request to take Qin Yilu’s wife

During the Battle of Xiapi in late 198, when the allied forces of Cao Cao and Liu Bei fought against Lü Bu, Guan Yu made a request to Cao Cao, asking to marry Qin Yilu’s wife Lady Du (杜氏) after they had achieved victory. Cao Cao agreed, and Guan Yu repeatedly reminded Cao Cao about his promise before the battle was won. After Lü Bu’s defeat and death, Cao Cao was curious about why Guan Yu wanted Lady Du so badly and he guessed that she must be very beautiful, so he had her brought to him. Cao Cao broke his promise to Guan Yu, as he took Lady Du as his concubine and adopted her son Qin Lang (whom she had with Qin Yilu).(蜀記曰:曹公與劉備圍呂布於下邳,關羽啟公,布使秦宜祿行求救,乞娶其妻,公許之。臨破,又屢啟於公。公疑其有異色,先遣迎看,因自留之,羽心不自安。此與魏氏春秋所說無異也。) Shu Ji annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36.(初,羽隨先主從公圍呂布於濮陽,時秦宜祿為布求救於張楊。羽啟公:「妻無子,下城,乞納宜祿妻。」公許之。及至城門,復白。公疑其有色,李本作他。自納之。) Huayang Guo Zhi vol. 6.

Advice to Liu Bei

The Shu Ji recorded an incident as follows:

Pei Songzhi commented on the incident as such:

Asking Zhuge Liang about Ma Chao

In 215, Ma Chao defected from Zhang Lu’s side to Liu Bei’s forces, and he assisted Liu Bei in pressuring Liu Zhang to surrender and yield Yi Province to Liu Bei. When Guan Yu received news that Ma Chao (whom he was unfamiliar with) had recently joined them, he wrote to Zhuge Liang in Yi Province and asked the latter who could compete with Ma Chao. Zhuge Liang knew that Guan Yu was defending their border (so he should not displease the latter). As such, he replied, "Mengqi is proficient in both civil and military affairs. He is fierce and mighty, and a hero of his time. He is comparable to Qing Bu and Peng Yue. He can compete with Yide, but is not as good as the peerless beard."The "peerless beard" referred to Guan Yu because Guan was known for sporting a beard regarded as beautiful in his time. Quote from Sanguozhi vol. 36: (羽美鬚髯,故亮謂之髯。)(羽聞馬超來降,舊非故人,羽書與諸葛亮,問超人才可誰比類。亮知羽護前,乃荅之曰:「孟起兼資文武,雄烈過人,一世之傑,黥、彭之徒,當與益德並驅爭先,猶未及髯之絕倫逸羣也。」) Sanguozhi vol. 36.

Guan Yu was very pleased when he received Zhuge Liang’s reply and he welcomed Ma Chao.(羽省書大恱,以示賔客。) Sanguozhi vol. 36.

Arm injury

Guan Yu was once injured in the left arm by a stray arrow, which pierced through his arm. Although the wound had healed, he would experience pain in the bone whenever there was a heavy downpour. A physician told him, "The arrowhead had poison on it and the poison had seeped into the bone. The way to get rid of this problem is to cut open your arm and scrape away the poison in your bone." Guan Yu then stretched out his arm and asked the physician to heal him. He then invited his subordinates to dine with him while the surgery was being performed. Blood flowed from his arm into a container below. Throughout the operation, Guan Yu feasted and drank wine and chatted with his men as though nothing had happened.(羽甞為流矢所中,貫其左臂,後創雖愈,每至陰雨,骨常疼痛,醫曰:「矢鏃有毒,毒入于骨,當破臂作創,刮骨去毒,然後此患乃除耳。」羽便伸臂令醫劈之。時羽適請諸將飲食相對,臂血流離,盈於盤器,而羽割炙引酒,言笑自若。) Sanguozhi vol. 36.