Guan Yu Sanguozhi Zizhi Tongjian
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| Guan Yu Sanguozhi Zizhi Tongjian , translated by Jayden Watson-Dicesare and Rafe De Cherpingy |
| Sanguozhi author Chen Zhou, Zizhi Tongjian author Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian Translated Rafe De Cherpingy. |
[edit] Guan Yu (Yunchang)
關羽
Sanguozhi: The Guan Yu character is Cloud is Long (Yunchang), the original form of character is Long Living (Changsheng). Guan Yu was from Jie in Hedong and was a fugitive on the run and fled to Zhuojun Commandery. He met up with Zhang Fei (Yide) and Liu Bei (Yuante), they were like brothers and would often sleep in the same bed. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei always stayed with Liu Bei always in public areas and were willing to die for him. Cao Cao and Liu Bei encircle Lu Bu at Xiapi, at this time Qin Yilu was sent to get help for Lu Bu and while he was gone Guan Yu asked for his wife in marriage, he asked Cao Cao repeatedly. But Cao Cao expected her a beautiful woman and so took her for himself. Guan Yu’s heart was not at peace over this. When Liu Bei Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei raided the provincial governor Che Zhou he was killed and Guan Yu was put in charge of Xiapi. Note: It was around this time with Cao Cao that Cheng Yu an advisor of Cao Cao claimed that Guan Yu and his brother Zhang Fei were capable of fighting 10,000 men. Note: For such a comment Guan Yu and Zhang Fei must have accomplished some major of feat in battle against the forces of Lu Bu or possibly Yuan Shu. Liu Bei fought Lu Bu chances are that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei also fought when Liu Bei had battled Lu Bu. Sanguozhi: In the fifth year of Jianan, Cao Cao attacks Guan Yu at Xiapi and Guan Yu was captured and became a Lieutenant General under Cao Cao. Yuan Shao dispatched East General Yan Liang to lay siege to Liu Yan the governor of Baima and Dongjun Commandery. Cao Cao sends Zhang Liao and Guan Yu to strike for the cutting edge.Guan Yu saw the grand flag of Yan Liang, he whipped up his horse and progressed through the crowd of 10,000 soldiers to cut down Yan Liang, he brought back his head, No-one could withstand Guan Yu in battle and the siege of Baima ended. Cao Cao gave Guan Yu the title (Hanshou Ting) Han Longevity Pavilion Marquis.
Sanguozhi: Cao Cao was very pleased with Guan Yu over his deeds, but observed the behavior of Guan Yu and had the feeling he would not want to stay for long. So Cao Cao sent Zhang Liao to talk this over with Guan Yu, Zhang Liao asks “Are you distant from Cao Cao in your mind.” Guan Yu replied “I know Cao Cao has treated me very well however I am loyal to General Liu and have vowed to die with my brothers, I can not remain. But I will give some service before I leave.” To which Guan Yu killed Yan Liang and preformed well at Baima, left a letter of rejecting his gifts and title and took his leave. Cao Cao was urged by his advisors to pursue Guan Yu but Cao Cao said “To each his own.”
Sanguozhi: Liu Bei had been spending his time with Liu Biao until Cao Cao took Jing and Liu Bei was forced to escape and hoped to have an alliance with Sun Quan. Guan Yu was sent with 700 ships to go to Jiangling. Cao Cao gave chase till Changban at Dangyang. Liu Bei then crossed over to Hanjin. Liu Bei met up with Guan Yu and headed to Xiakou. Initially Liu Bei would often go on hunts with Cao Cao on public occasions, when the audience dispersed Guan Yu advised Liu Bei to kill Cao Cao, which Guan Yu prepared to do but Liu Bei did not heed. On the ship to Xiakou Guan Yu said angrily “If you had listened to my advice on that hunt we would not be in this situation.” But Liu Bei said, “At that point, it was for the country’s sake, if the Heaven’s Will aid the righteous ones, who knows whether this may turn out to be a blessing in disguise?”
Sanguozhi: Sun Quan dispatches a force with Liu Bei to resist Cao Cao, and Cao Cao’s force retreated. Guan Yu was made (Xuangyang) General who Suppresses Bandits. Liu Bei had wanted to take the west so instructed Guan Yu to supervise Jingzhou with Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun as Major at the Base Camp. Once Liu Bei had pacified Yizhou province he appointed Guan Yu to be in charge of the administration of Jingzhou province. Guan Yu sent a military message with an attached feather as a sign of urgency to Zhuge Liang regarding his skill compared to Ma Chao. The letter asked who exceeded others ability? Guan Yu asked this because of the bright knowledge he protects, Zhuge Liang replied “Ma Chao has great military and political skills, he is fierce and excellent, outshining Qing and Peng, and he strives to be the best, still not as great as Fine Beard who is truly outstanding. Guan Yu upon seeing this showed the letter to his guests and was greatly pleased.
Sanguozhi: Guan Yu once had an arrow penetrate his left arm, the bone was said to ache on certain occasions due to the poison in his arm on rainy days. The physician said “The poison must be scraped from the bone.” So surgery was applied with no medicines or drugs and the blood flowed from his arm into a basin below. Guan Yu continued to shear roast and drink liquor happily chatting with his peers calmly with no signs of pain. Sanguozhi: Liu Bei had become the king of Hanzhong, and Guan Yu was made (Qian Jiangjun) General of the Front and in that year headed towards Cao Ren at Fan. Cao Cao sent Yu Jin to help Cao Ren, but heavy rainfall continued and the Hanshui River overflowed, destroying Yu Jin’s seven armies and Yu Jin surrendered to Guan Yu. Zizhi Tongjian: Pang De was on an embankment. He wore armour and held a bow, and he hit his mark with every shot, maintaining resistance from morning past midday. Guan Yu attacked more and more fiercely, and Pang De's arrows were exhausted, but he continued the struggle hand to hand. Even as the flood continued to rise, Pang De fought on unafraid, but all his men surrendered. Then Pang De took a small boat to go back to Cao Ren's camp, but the water rose still further, and his boat overturned. Having lost his weapons, he held on to the upturned boat alone amongst the waves, and he was captured by Guan Yu. Sanguozhi:[(P)During battle with Pang De, Pang De managed to hit Guan Yu with an arrow.] Pang De was executed by Guan Yu.The bandits of Liang, Jia and Lu were called to action by Guan Yu and assisted in the battle, thus Guan Yu’s prestige spread throughout China. Cao Cao held a mass discussion on changing the capital due to Guan Yu’s power in Central China. Zizhi Tongjian: Guan Yu also sent detachments to besiege the General Lü Chang at Xiangyang Guan Yu had also sent a detachment towards Jia, and the whole area south of Xu city was disturbed The Inspector of Jing province, Hu Xiu, and the Grand Administrator of Nanxiang, Fu Fang, both surrendered to Guan Yu. Zizhi Tongjian: Guan Yu’s borders at Jiangling, and Lu Su had borders touching Guan Yu's territory. Guan Yu was constantly on guard against treachery, but Lu Su always acted in the friendliest fashion. But when Liu Bei had taken Yi, Sun Quan asked for the commanderies of Jing. Liu Bei, however, would not agree, explaining that, "I am just making plans for Liang province. When that territory is settled, I shall return you the whole of Jing province." But Sun Quan was angry and He appointed officials for the three commanderies of Changsha, Lingling and Guiyang, but Guan Yu drove them away. Sun Quan was extremely angry, and he sent Lü Meng with twenty thousand soldiers to seize the three commanderies. Zizhi Tongjian: Lu Su wished to talk to Guan Yu and discuss Jing, Liu Bei owes a great deal to our state, rights and wrongs are not yet decided, and how could Guan Yu reject our good will?" So he invited Guan Yu to a meeting. Each side halted their troops, the generals came forward a hundred paces and met alone, armed only with swords. Lu Su criticized the refusal to hand back the three commanderies. Guan Yu replied, "In the campaign at Wulin the General of the Left fought himself in the ranks, destroying the powerful and defeating the enemy. Why should he give such toil for nothing, and receive not a single clod of earth? Yet you come and want to take his territory." "Quite untrue," replied Lu Su. "When I first met Yuzhou Liu Bei at the Chang Slope, his forces were no more than a colonel's command, he was at the end of his resources and he was desperately worried. His hopes were down, his power was weak, and he was planning to creep off and go far away. He had completely lost heart. "My master had pity for Yuzhou, that he had no place to rest. He was generous with land and fighting men, and gave Liu Bei everything he needed to protect him self and to relieve his danger. "But now Yuzhou is acting selfishly. He glosses over facts, he offends virtue and he disregards good conduct. He has already put his hand on the western province, and now he wants to take Jing territory as well. Even the most ordinary fellow would be ashamed, still more so a ruler who should arrange and order men and affairs!" Guan Yu had no reply.
Sanguozhi: Sun Quan proposed a marriage with his relative to Guan Yu’s daughter, Guan Yu was upset and did not accept the mans marriage proposal, Sun Quan was angry. Guan Yu was ordered by Liu Bei to attack the three commanderies, and Guan Yu was successful in his battle and took the three commanderies. Guan Yu encircled Fan so Sun Quan sends an envoy to help for the cause of taking Fan. Guan Yu insults the envoy, “How dare you cause trouble, do you think if I took Fancheng I could not destroy you?” Sun Quan after hearing of this thought up a plan with Lu Xun, Lu Xun sent a letter of praise and gave a positive behavior towards Guan Yu in order to gain his trust and direct his defenses at his rear to strengthen the front so a successful attack would happen with Lu Meng. Sun Quan raided Guan Yu at his vital positions. Lu Meng secretly sent crack troops through Guan Yu’s land disguised as country men.
Sanguozhi: General Fu Shi Ren being in charge of the public security , grain stores and supplies, he did not like Guan Yu much and always felt that Guan Yu looked down on him and Mi Fang felt the same way so Fu Shi Ren convinced him to go over to Wu, and Mi Fang was the governor of Nanjun at Jiangling and so gave his position to Sun Quan. Fu Shi Ren was serving at Gongan. One reason they felt looked down on and threatened was because Guan Yu did not consider them of any importance and because they did not participate in battle he vowed to punish them after Fan was taken. At this time they were in charge of supplies. Cao Cao dispatched Xu Huang to help Cao Ren, Xu Huang met up with Guan Yu had an innocent conversation with Xu Huang and praised Guan Yu’s military abilities then suddenly Xu Huang said “Who ever takes Guan Yu’s head will be rewarded with 1000 catties of treasure.” Guan Yu was alarmed and said “is elder brother evil?” Then Xu Huang replied with this is a matter of state.” Guan Yu fought Xu Huang but lost due to the fact that his enemies knew that if they killed Guan Yu they will be greatly rewarded. Guan Yu directed his force to return to camp and Xu Huang followed weakening Guan Yu’s force. Sun Quan had already captured his wife and the families of his soldiers so the morale of his enemy was low and they started abandoning Guan Yu.
Sanguozhi: Realizing that he was cut off, Guan Yu went west to hold Maicheng. Sun Quan sent envoys to win him over. Guan Yu pretended to surrender, but he set pennons and flags on the wall to look like men and then fled away. All his soldiers had scattered, and he had no more than a dozen horsemen with him. Sun Quan launched a counterattack on Guan Yu and his son Guan Ping and they were captured and executed at the spot they were at. The person who was sent to attack Guan Yu was Pan Zhang and it was Ma Zhong who beheaded Guan Yu once they were captured. Sun Quan had hoped to keep Guan Yu alive so that he would serve him but his subordinates petitioned, “To rear the wolf’s cub will breed nothing but trouble in the future. Lord Cao did not kill him and resulted in bringing calamity to himself, to the point of having to decide whether to shift his capital or not. How can we let him live today?” Thus Guan Yu’s execution was ordered. The skeleton was sent to Cao Cao and he buried it with a feudal lord ritual. Before this when Guan Yu had surrounded Fan he had a dream that a boar had eaten his foot, this was an omen that meant he would die on that year although he did not seem to mind. Guan Yu had been known for his knowledge in Zuoshi Zhuan and would often recite it aloud. Sanguozhi: Guan Yu was given the posthumous title of Zhuangchou Hou (Marquis of Zhuangchou). His son Guan Xing succeeded him. Guan Xing, Styled Anguo, was one who seldom questioned commands, was very well favored by the Lieutenant Chancellor Zhuge Liang. Guan Xing was appointed as Shizhong (Palace Attendant) and Zhongjianjun (Superintendent of the Central Army) when his health failed. A few years later, he passed away. His son Guan Tong succeeded him and had a post of Huben Zhonglang Jiang (General of the Tiger Swiftness) and he died without a son. Pang De’s son, Hui, followed Zhong Hui and Deng Ai’s army to conquer Shu. Upon entering Shu, he had the Guan family annihilated.
Note: Guan Yu was deified as early as the Sui Dynasty around AD600, and was the idol of the famous warrior and Commander Yue Fei of the Southern Song Dynasty who often wished that one of these scholars would record his own deeds so he would become a peer amongst his idols. He is recorded in saying that he wished to be considered the equal of General Guan Yu and other such famous men from the Three Kingdoms period.
Sanguozhi: Chen Shou’s final thoughts on Guan Yu and Zhang Fei was that they were known to be powerful generals who could fight ten thousand men and considered them to be among the best of their times. (Another thought on Zhang Fei and Guan Yu is that they were the Tiger Generals of their time). Guan Yu repaid Lord Cao’s favor, Zhang Fei’s releasing of Yan Yan out of righteousness were deeds held in high esteem in the country. However, Guan Yu was unyielding and overly self-respect, whereas Zhang Fei was hot-tempered and without kindness. Their short-comings led to their defeats.
Note: (P) is from Pang De’s Sanguozhi biography.
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