![]() And so, as demanded by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the 1,200-metric-ton “waste of money” is now being carefully dismantled-the warrior-god’s ginormous head was the first to go-and relocated to a less conspicuous, more tourist-friendly location several miles away in the suburban city of Dianjiangtai. Neither was the central Chinese government, which declared that the monolithic Lord Yu had “ruined Jingzhou’s historical appearance and culture” after complaints from residents continued to roll in. Locals in Jingzhou, an ancient city in the south of the Hubei province, however, were apparently never taken with the majestic epic-ness of the skyline-dominating monument within Guanyi Park. “Incredibly Epic Statue of Ancient Chinese Warrior God Unveiled,” read a Popular Mechanics headline published at the time. The most revered version of him is said to be the one in a commanding posture holding his trademark weapon and 9 dragons embossed on his body, and 5 dragon flags attached on his back.Costing an estimated $26 million and taking three years to construct, Jingzhou’s colossal Guan Yu statue, which until very recently, stood atop a 30-foot-tall base that doubled as a museum and shrine, rendered many (Western) internet users completely smitten when it was completed in 2016. The more menacing he is depicted to be, the more powerful he is. Thus, statues, figurines and paintings of Guan Gong are a favorite among businesses to display in the office to ward off bad luck and guard the company profits from unknowingly flowing out. There’s really no other god with a better resume than Guan Yu to protect you and your wealth. The symbolism that his image carries is that of protection and wealth. But originate from what he represented to the people and how much people held him in high regards. The worship of him did not originate from Taoism or any other religion. He grew up to become Guan Yu.Īs mentioned earlier, Guan Yu was a real person who lived during the period of the 3 kingdoms. The dragon head seemingly disappeared on the ninth day and at that moment a baby was born. He was beheaded and sent to the mortal world where a priest came across the dragon head and performed a 9-day ritual with it. One was about Guan Yu being a reincarnation of a dragon king who sent rain to the farmers who were facing a severe drought… without the permission of the Jade Emperor. There are however, other legends in a more spiritual nature that some might not have heard of. ![]() ![]() Many of which are tied to his relationship with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei who make up the infamous trio of sworn brothers. Most of his legends are associated with loyalty, courage and righteousness. There are a lot of folklore and stories about Guan Yu that has been written about in various publications.Īnd many of them are so well-known that repeating them here is not meaningful. At one point, it was said that there were more temples in China erected for him than any other single god. So adulated was he that countless temples were built in China to worship him as a deity. This is without mentioning the various titles bestowed on him for his accomplishments on the battlefields.ĭistinctively recognizable with his long beard and crescent blade weapon, this is someone you would not want to be on the wrong side of in a conflict. He also goes by several other names including the courtesy name Yun Chang (雲長), the honorific name Guan Gong (關公), the godly name Guan Di (關帝), etc. And his reputation throughout ancient China led to him being deified after his death. Guan Yu is a real prominent historical figure during the period of the 3 kingdoms. So many that they can be categorized primary, secondary, and even legendary.īut probably none of them are as revered and recognizable as Guan Yu (關羽), the military god of wealth. The are various gods of wealth in Chinese culture. ![]()
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