Guan Yu was deified as early as the
Sui dynasty (581–618), and is still worshipped today as a
bodhisattva in
Buddhist tradition and as a guardian deity in Chinese folk religion and
Taoism. He is also held in high esteem in
Confucianism and in new religious movements such as
Yiguandao.
In Chinese religion depicting martyred generals , now preserved at the
Edo-Tokyo Museum. In
Chinese folk religion, Guan Yu is widely referred to as "Emperor Guan" (;
dì implies deified status) and "Lord Guan" (), while his Taoist title is "Holy Emperor Lord Guan" ().
Martial temples and shrines dedicated exclusively to Guan Yu can be found across mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and other places with Chinese influence such as Vietnam, South Korea and Japan. Some of these temples, such as the
Haizhou Guandi Temple in
Shanxi, were built exactly in the layout of an imperial residence, befitting his status as a "ruler". Other examples of Guan Yu temples in China include the
Guandi Temple of
Jinan and the Guanlin Temple of
Luoyang.
Historical veneration The apotheosis of Guan Yu occurred in stages, as he was given ever higher
posthumous titles.
Liu Shan, the second emperor of
Shu, gave Guan Yu the posthumous title of "Marquis Zhuàngmóu" () four decades after his death. During the
Song dynasty,
Emperor Huizong bestowed upon Guan Yu the title "Duke Zhōnghùi" (), and later the title of a prince. In 1187,
Emperor Xiaozong honoured Guan Yu as "Prince Zhuàngmóu Yìyǒng Wǔ'ān Yīngjì" (). During the
Yuan dynasty,
Emperor Wenzong changed Guan Yu's title to "Prince of Xìanlíng Yìyǒng Wǔ'ān Yīngjì" (). In 1614, the
Wanli Emperor bestowed on Guan Yu the title "Holy Emperor Guan, the Great God Who Subdues Demons in the Three Worlds and Whose Awe Spreads Far and Moves Heaven" (). During the
Qing dynasty, the
Shunzhi Emperor gave Guan Yu the title of "Guan, the Loyal and Righteous God of War, the Holy Great Emperor" () in 1644. This title was expanded to "Guan the Holy Great Emperor; God of War Manifesting Benevolence, Bravery and Prestige; Protector of the Country and Defender of the People; Proud and Honest Supporter of Peace and Reconciliation; Promoter of Morality, Loyalty and Righteousness" (), a total of 24
Chinese characters, by the mid-19th century. It is often shortened to "Saint of War" (), which is of the same rank as
Confucius, who is honoured the "Saint of Culture" (). The Qing dynasty promoted the worship of Guan Yu among the Mongol tribes, making him one of their most revered religious figures, second only to their
lamas. . Throughout history, Guan Yu has also been credited with many military successes. In the 14th century, his spirit was said to have aided
Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the
Ming dynasty, at the
Battle of Lake Poyang. In 1402, when
Zhu Di launched a coup d'état and successfully deposed his nephew, the
Jianwen Emperor, Zhu Di claimed that he was blessed by the spirit of Guan Yu. During the last decade of the 16th century, Guan Yu was also credited with the repulse of
Japanese invasion of Korea by
Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The
Manchu imperial clan of the
Qing dynasty was also associated with Guan Yu's martial qualities. During the 20th century, Guan Yu was worshipped by the warlord
Yuan Shikai, president and later a short-lived emperor of China. Guan Yu's messages were received by mediums through
spirit writing, later called
Fújī (planchette writing) (), since the late 17th century. "By the mid-Qianlong period (1736–96) the number of 'sacred edicts' issued by Guandi ordering people to do good and help those in need became increasingly frequent." In the 19th century, Guandi's messages received through spirit writing assumed a millennialist character. Dates were announced for the end of the world, followed by messages indicating that Guandi had "prevented the apocalypse" and was indeed "the savior of endtimes." In 1866, the Ten Completions Society (Shíquánhùi 十全會) was established to propagate the messages of Guandi and promote the charitable work his spirit had ordered to perform. The tradition of Guandi spirit writing continued in Chinese folk Religion well into the 20th century.
Contemporary veneration . Today, Guan Yu is still widely worshipped by the Chinese; he may be worshipped in
Martial temples and
Wen Wu temples, and small shrines devoted to him are also found in homes, businesses and fraternal organisations. In Hong Kong, a shrine to Guan Yu can be found in every police station. Though by no means mandatory, Chinese police officers worship and pay respect to him. Although seemingly ironic, members of the
triads and
Heaven and Earth Society worship Guan Yu as well. Statues used by triads tend to hold the halberd in the left hand, and statues in police stations tend to hold the halberd in the right hand. This signifies which side Guan Yu is worshipped, by the righteous people or vice versa. The appearance of Guan Yu's face for the triads is usually more stern and threatening than the usual statue. In Hong Kong, Guan Yu is often referred to as "Yi Gor" (; Cantonese for "second elder brother") for he was second to
Liu Bei in their fictional sworn brotherhood. Among
Chinese Filipinos in the
Philippines, Guan Yu is also sometimes called
"Santo Santiago" or "
Te Ya Kong" (
Hokkien ) or "
Kuan Kong" (
Hokkien ). This is due to his
syncretisation with
Hispano-Filipino Catholic devotions to the
apostle James the Great, particularly his martial
matamoros aspect. Among the
Cantonese people who emigrated to California during the mid-19th century, the worship of Guan Yu was an important element. Statues and tapestry images of the god can be found in a number of historical California joss houses (a local term for
Chinese folk religion temples), where his name may be given with various Anglicised spellings, including:
Kwan Dai,
Kwan Tai or
Kuan Ti for
Guandi (Emperor Guan);
Kuan Kung for
Guan Gong (Lord Guan),
Wu Ti or
Mo Dai for
Wu Di (War Deity),
Kuan Yu,
Kwan Yu, or
Quan Yu for Guan Yu. The
Mendocino Joss House, a historical landmark also known as Mo Dai Miu (
Wudimiao, i.e. the Temple of the Deity of War), or Temple of Kwan Tai, built in 1852, is a typical example of the small shrines erected to Guan Yu in the United States. Guan Yu is also worshipped as a
door god in
Chinese and
Taoist temples, with portraits of him being pasted on doors to ward off evil spirits, usually in pairings with
Zhang Fei,
Guan Ping,
Guan Sheng or
Zhou Cang. Apart from general worship, Guan Yu is also commemorated in China with colossal statues such as the 1,320-tonne sculpture in
Jingzhou City,
Hubei Province, standing at 58 metres.
Wealth and protective deity in commercial settings Beyond his roles as a martial deity and
bodhisattva, Guan Yu is venerated by Chinese businessmen in Shanxi, Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia as a deity of wealth, since he is perceived to bless the upright and protect them from the wicked. A reason often given for this association is the
Romance of the Three Kingdoms episode of the Huarong Trail, in which Guan Yu allowed Cao Cao and his men to pass through safely; for that, he was perceived to be able to extend the lifespan of people in need. The historical basis of Guan Yu's identification as a wealth deity is comparatively recent. Barend J. ter Haar, in his monograph
Guan Yu: The Religious Afterlife of a Failed Hero (Oxford University Press, 2017), notes that the earliest documented references to Guan Yu in this role date only to the eighteenth century, considerably later than his establishment as a martial, exorcist, and rain deity, and that the wealth-deity function does not appear in the older narrative traditions preserved in temple stelae. Among Cantonese,
Hokkien,
Teochew, and
Hakka diaspora business communities — including those of
Hong Kong,
Singapore,
Malaysia,
Indonesia, the
Philippines and the
United States — Guan Yu shrines are conventionally placed at the entrance of shops and offices, with daily incense offered at the opening and closing of business.
In Taoism . Guan Yu is revered as "Holy Ruler Deity Guan" () and a leading subduer of demons in Taoism. Taoist worship of Guan Yu began during the
Song dynasty. Legend has it that during the second decade of the 12th century, the saltwater lake in Xiezhou gradually ceased to yield salt.
Emperor Huizong then summoned Zhang Jixian (), a 30th-generation descendant of
Zhang Daoling, to investigate the cause. The emperor was told that the disruption was the work of
Chi You, a deity of war. Zhang Jixian then recruited the help of Guan Yu, who battled Chi You over the lake and triumphed, whereupon the lake resumed salt production. Emperor Huizong then bestowed upon Guan Yu the title "Immortal of Chongning" (), formally introducing the latter as a deity into Taoism. In the early
Ming dynasty, the 42nd Celestial Master, Zhang Zhengchang (), recorded the incident in his book
Lineage of the Han Celestial Masters (), the first Taoist classic to affirm the legend. Today, Taoist practices are predominant in Guan Yu worship. Many temples dedicated to Guan Yu, including the Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou County, show heavy Taoist influence. Every year, on the 24th day of the sixth month on the
lunar calendar (Guan Yu's birthday in legend), a street parade in Guan Yu's honour would also be held.
In Buddhism of the
Qianlong period (1736–95) depicting Guan Yu as Sangharama Bodhisattva. In
Chinese Buddhism, Guan Yu is revered by most Chinese Mahayana Buddhists as Sangharama
Bodhisattva () a heavenly protector of the Buddhist
dharma.
Sangharama in
Sanskrit means 'community garden' (
sangha, community +
arama, garden) and thus 'monastery'. The term
Sangharama also refer to the
dharmapala class of devas and spirits assigned to guard the Buddhist monastery, the dharma, and the faith itself. Over time and as an act of syncreticism, Guan Yu was seen as the representative guardian of the temple and the garden in which it stands. His statue traditionally is situated in the far left of the main altar, opposite his counterpart
Weituo. According to Buddhist legends, in 592, Guan Yu manifested himself one night before the
Chan master
Zhiyi, the founder of the
Tiantai school of Buddhism, along with a retinue of spiritual beings. Zhiyi was then in deep meditation on
Jade Spring Hill () when he was distracted by Guan Yu's presence. Guan Yu then requested the master to teach him about the dharma. After receiving Buddhist teachings from the master, Guan Yu took refuge in the triple gems and also requested the
Five Precepts. Henceforth, it is said that Guan Yu made a vow to become a guardian of temples and the dharma. Legends also claim that Guan Yu assisted Zhiyi in the construction of the
Yuquan Temple, which still stands today.
Notable Guandi temples worldwide (outside mainland China) •
Dongmyo (東關王廟) in Seoul, South Korea (built in 1601) •
Miếu Quan Công in Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam (built in 1653) •
State Temple of the Martial God (祀典武廟) in Tainan, Taiwan (built in 1663) •
Old Chinese Temple of Seven Prefectures (七府古廟) in Bien Hoa, Vietnam (built in 1684) •
Kuan Tai Temple (Sam Kai Vui Kun) in Macau (built in 1750) •
Gong Wu Shrine, in Bangkok, Thailand • •
Hội quán Nghĩa An in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (built in 1819) •
Chùa Ông Quan Đế Miếu in Bac Lieu, Vietnam (built in 1835) •
Temple of Kwan Tai in
Mendocino, California, United States (built in 1854) •
See Yup temple in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (built in 1866 on site of earlier 1856 temple) •
Guandi Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (built in 1887) •
Sam Sing Kung Temple in Sabah, Malaysia (built in 1887) •
Sze Yup Kwan Ti Temple in Glebe, New South Wales, Australia (built in 1898) •
Yiu Ming Temple in Alexandria, New South Wales, Australia (built in 1907) •
Yuqing Temple in Miaoli, Taiwan (built in 1906) •
Chinese Temple of Dili in East Timor (built in 1928) •
Xingtian Temple in Taipei, Taiwan (built in 1967) •
Kwan Kung Pavilion in Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong (built in 1973) •
Setia Budi Temple at Jalan Irian Barat Medan, Indonesia (built in 1908) •
Santiago Chinese Temple in Santiago, Isabela, Philippines •
Kwan Ti Temple in Serian Sarawak Borneo (direct lineage from China) ==In
Romance of the Three Kingdoms==