Guan Yu

Guan Yu was a minor general in the early third century CE, who supported one of numerous claimants to the throne. He was captured and executed by enemy forces in 219. He eventually became one the most popular and influential deities of imperial China under the name Lord Guan or Emperor Guan, of the same importance as the Buddhist bodhisattva Guanyin. This is a study of his cult, but also of the tremendous power of oral culture in a world where writing became increasingly important. In this study, we follow the rise of the deity through his earliest stage as a hungry ghost, his subsequent adoption by a prominent Buddhist monastery during the Tang (617-907) as its miraculous supporter, and his recruitment by Daoist ritual specialists during the Song dynasty (960-1276) as an exorcist general. He was subsequently known as a rain god, a protector against demons and barbarians, and, eventually, a moral paragon and almost messianic saviour. Throughout his divine life, the physical prowess of the deity, more specifically Lord Guan's ability to use violent action for doing good, remained an essential dimension of his image. Most research ascribes a decisive role in the rise of his cult to the literary traditions of the Three Kingdoms, best known from the famous novel by this name. This book argues that the cult arose from oral culture and spread first and foremost as an oral practice.

An adaptation of one of China's most famous epics, now put into graphic novel form.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a classic historical novel of enormous influence, is considered to be one of the four great Chinese classic novels. Written by Luo Guanzhong, a scholar who lived in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, it chronicled the efforts of the Wei, Shu, and Wu kingdoms to reunite the empire at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. This fascinating period in Chinese history inspired many other authors, poets, artists, and playwrights, including Luo Guanzhong's novel, which is a work of enduring historical and literary impact and beauty. Guan Yu, the hero, has had a significant impact on Chinese culture and the arts. That influence has spread to Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and to all Chinese communities in the world. Guan Yu is well respected and worshiped in Taoism, Buddhism, Shintoism, and Caodaiism. He has also influenced modern entertainment and mass media as well, including television, video games, Manga, and more. The study and critical interpretation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Guan Yu has captivated scholars, artists, and writers for centuries. Now, modern-day scholar and collector Frankie KT Neo offers the best of his research. Readers are invited to a detailed tour of his extensive collection of antiques and other artifacts commemorating Three Kingdoms and its hero, Guan Yu. His collection, called the Sanfen Tang Collection, currently features more than a thousand pieces, many of which are detailed within.

An adaptation of one of China's most famous epics, now put into graphic novel form.

Guan Yu was a minor general in the third century CE, but over time, he became known as one the most popular and influential deities of imperial China under the name Lord Guan or Emperor Guan. The work explores the cult of Guan Yu by examining the tremendous power of oral culture in creating the mythology of a deity

Listening to colleagues Wang Yuliang and Li Rucai sitting beside him, Zhang Xiaobai stopped tapping on the keyboard, leaned back and turned to look at them. "It's not that I won't go, it's just .." Zhang Xiaobai seemed awkward

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a classic historical novel of enormous influence, is considered to be one of the four great Chinese classic novels. Written by Luo Guanzhong, a scholar who lived in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, it chronicled the efforts of the Wei, Shu, and Wu kingdoms to reunite the empire at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. This fascinating period in Chinese history inspired many other authors, poets, artists, and playwrights, including Luo Guanzhong's novel, which is a work of enduring historical and literary impact and beauty. Guan Yu, the hero, has had a significant impact on Chinese culture and the arts. That influence has spread to Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and to all Chinese communities in the world. Guan Yu is well respected and worshiped in Taoism, Buddhism, Shintoism, and Caodaiism. He has also influenced modern entertainment and mass media as well, including television, video games, Manga, and more. The study and critical interpretation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Guan Yu has captivated scholars, artists, and writers for centuries. Now, modern-day scholar and collector Frankie KT Neo offers the best of his research. Readers are invited to a detailed tour of his extensive collection of antiques and other artifacts commemorating Three Kingdoms and its hero, Guan Yu. His collection, called the Sanfen Tang Collection, currently features more than a thousand pieces, many of which are detailed within.

The book provides highlights on the key concepts and trends of evolution in History of Fiction in China, as one of the series of books of “China Classified Histories”.