Jiang Shi

Daoji , commonly known as Ji Gong or , was a Buddhist monk during the Southern Song Dynasty in China. He was born with the name of Li Xiuyuan. Dao Ji was also called ''Hu Yin'' and Elder ''Fang Yuan'' . Dao Ji was a monastic in the Chán school.

History

Born Li Xiuyuan to a former military advisor, Li Maochun, Daoji was born after his parents, who could not have children, entered a temple. Upon reaching the Hall of the Five Hundred Arhats, the statue of Mahakasyapa was knocked off its lotus throne, a sign that the arhat had descended to earth.

After his parents' death, he went to Hangzhou and became a monastic at the famous near Hangzhou. Even though his eccentric behavior broke the rules of the vinaya , it is said that Daoji was kind hearted and was always ready to lend a helping hand to ordinary people. Unlike a traditional Buddhist monk, he ate meat and drank wine. The monks, bewildered and fed up with his behavior, expelled Daoji from the monastery. From then on, Daoji roamed the streets and helped people whenever he could.

According to legends, while cultivating in the Buddha's teaching, Daoji was said to attain magical powers. Many who noticed his eccentric yet benevolent and compassionate nature began to think that he was an incarnate of a bodhisattva, or as a reincarnate of an arhat. He was recognized by the public as the incarnate of the , one of the eighteen legendary arhats.

When Daoji died at the Jing Ci monastery on the 14th day of 5th Lunar month , Taoism began to revere Daoji as a god from heaven and later adopted him as a deity. Not long after that, even Buddhism began to respect his benign and compassionate nature and is involved in many classic koans from Chán Buddhists.

The I Kuan Tao has also adopted him into their pantheon of deities.

Depiction

Daoji can usually be seen smiling in his tattered monastic robes, and usually carries a bottle of wine in his right hand, and a fan in his left hand. He wears a hat with the Chinese character ''Fo''（佛）, meaning "Buddha". He can also be seen holding his shoes in his right hand.

Daoji in popular culture

*The life of Daoji has also been popularized in a TV series which aired in 1993 called "Legends of Ji Gong."
*Comedic actor and director Stephen Chow portrayed Ji Gong in his 1993 movie ''The Mad Monk''.

Huli jing

Huli jing in Chinese mythology are fox spirits that are akin to European faeries. Huli jing can be either good spirits or bad spirits.

In mythology

In Chinese mythology, it is believed that all things are capable of acquiring , magical powers, and immortality, provided that they receive sufficient energy, in such forms as human breath or essence from the moon and the sun.

The fox spirits encountered in tales and legends are usually females and appear as young, beautiful women. One of the most infamous fox spirits in Chinese mythology was Daji , who is portrayed in the Ming novel ''Fengshen Yanyi''. A beautiful daughter of a general, she was married forcibly to the cruel tyrant Zhou Xin . A nine-tailed fox spirit who served Nüwa, whom Zhou Xin had offended, entered into and possessed her body, expelling the true Daji's soul. The spirit, as Daji, and her new husband schemed cruelly and invented many devices of torture, such as forcing righteous officials to hug red-hot metal pillars. Because of such cruelties, many people, including Zhou Xin's own former generals, revolted and fought against Zhou Xin's dynasty, Shang. Finally, King Wen of Zhou, one of the vassals of Shang, founded a new dynasty named after his country. The fox spirit in Daji's body was later driven out by Jiang Ziya , the first Prime Minister of the Zhou Dynasty and her spirit condemned by Nüwa herself for excessive cruelty.

Typically fox spirits were seen as dangerous, but some of the stories in Pu Songling's ''Liaozhai Zhiyi'' are love stories between a fox appearing as a beautiful girl and a young human male.

In modern and Cantonese profanity, the term ''huli jing'' is a derogatory expression describing a woman who seduces a man .

The fox spirit has also been used as an explanatory factor in the incidence of attacks of '''', an psychosis found in Southern China and Malaysia in particular.

In popular culture

*The main character of Victor Pelevin's novel "The Sacred Book of Werewolf" is inspired by the Chinese fox spirit.
*In Pokemon, the creature Ninetales is a fox with nine tails.
*In the anime Naruto, the lead character has the spirit of the nine tailed fox trapped within him.
* In DC Comics, "Ghost Fox Killer" is a member of the Great Ten, a team of Chinese superheroes.
* In the video game Okami a beautiful young woman has been possessed by a fox with nine tails.

Houyi

Houyi , also simply called Yi, was a mythological Chinese archer and the leader of Dongyi. He is sometimes portrayed as a god of archery descended from heaven to aid mankind, and sometimes as the chief of the Youqiong Tribe during the reign of King of Xia Dynasty. His wife, , became a lunar deity.

The Time of the Ten Suns

In Chinese mythology, the sun is in the form of a Three-legged bird. It is believed that there were ten of them, all of whom are the offspring of Dijun, God of the Eastern Heaven. The ten sun birds resided in a mulberry tree in the eastern sea; each day one of the sun birds would be rostered to travel around the world on a carriage, driven by Xihe the 'mother' of the suns.

Folklore also held that, at around 2170 BC, the Sun-birds grew tired of the routine and decided that all of them were to rise at once. The heat on earth became intense. At a result, crops shrivelled in the fields. Lakes and ponds dried up; humans and animals cowered in shelters or collapsed from exhaustion. Time passed and the suffering continued. , the Emperor of China, decided to plead for divine intervention and ask Dijun for aid.

Dijun was well aware of his sons' misdeeds, and sent for Houyi, the God of Archery, to teach his sons a lesson. Dijun wanted Houyi to simply frighten them so that they would not dare to cause mischief again. Houyi, too, wanted to settle this crisis peacefully, but a single glance at the scorched land was enough to convince him that desperate measures were needed. Angered by the suffering of the people caused by the Sun-birds' misconduct, Houyi lifted up his bow and shot them down one by one. Upon killing the ninth, Emperor Yao hurried to halt him as killing the last one would leave the world in total darkness. Houyi agreed and was hailed as a hero for mankind. Yet, later, Houyi's actions caused him to make enemies in Heaven and as a result he was punished with divine wrath.

Banishment from the heavens

Although Yao was pleased with Houyi, Dijun was anything but happy. Yi had killed nine of the Sun-birds, nine of his errant children, instead of merely bringing them to heel as he wished. As a father, Dijun could not forgive him, so he banished the hero from the heavens and stripped him of his immortality. He thought that if Houyi cared so much for the mortals, he could live as one.

Houyi cared little about the banishment as he saw no difference between living on earth and in the heavens. In fact, Houyi continued to serve humanity selflessly after his banishment. As he was well aware, the land remained beset by chaos and it seemed as though the world was returning to its primal state of chaos. Neither the deities in Heaven or the mortal rulers could solve these problems. Yet, little did they know, Houyi's great ability would be the solution.

Houyi's heroic missions

Houyi set off on a series of epic adventures to save China. First he had to deal with Fei Lian, Count of the Winds, who created storms that swept across the Middle Kingdom, uprooting crops and tearing down houses. Fei Lian is a fearsome spirit who generally took the form of a one-eyed bull with the tail of a serpent; he resides in . Using his power to travel on the wind, he tracked the gales back to the Demon's habitat. Noticing the Divine Archer is to come and get him, Fei Lian hid in a sack. When Houyi entered the monster's cave, he saw through the Demon's lame trick and fired an arrow at it which burst the sack right open. Fei Lian attempted to run but Houyi quickly struck the Demon on his knee. Wounded, Fei Lian surrendered and promised to not stir up trouble again.

During his crusade, Houyi happened to come upon a river that had burst its banks. Houyi knew that this must be the doings of a turbulent water god, so he shot an arrow at random into the water. Soon the flood receded and a white-garbed figure on a white horse with several attendants surfaced upon the water. Instantly, Houyi attacked him, wounding him in the eye. The god then fled, leaving his companions behind. Next, Houyi took aim at the nearest figure but when he was about to fire, he noticed his target was a harmless girl. He swung his bow so that the arrow whistled harmlessly through her hair. The girl was Chang'e, the daughter of the water god that had fled. Houyi, stunned by her unearthly beauty, asked her on the spot to be his wife. Chang'e, with great respect for the hero, accepted the prosposal.

The next threat Houyi had to face was a plague of monsters marauding through the world. Among them was Chilseltooth, a fearsome giant with a single huge incisor protruding from the top of his mouth which he used to rend his victims' flesh. In addition, a monstrous water serpent was disrupting the calm of Lake Dongting, and the giant Windbird caused storms merely by flapping its wings. Houyi managed to fend off these menaces one after the other. For Houyi's service for the human realm, Emperor Yao bestowed on him the title of Marquis Pacifier of the Country.

The search for immortality

Although Houyi cared little about being banished from Heaven, he couldn't bear the fact that he would one day die
and become nothing. Searching for a way to regain his immortality, he traveled to the palace of Xi Wang Mu, the Queen Mother of the West, on Kunlun Mountain, seeking her elixir of immortality. The stories of the great hero Houyi were known to the goddess and she took pity on him and agreed to give him the elixir, but with one condition: knowing that Houyi was a skilled architect, she asked him to build her a summer palace in exchange for the immortality drug. He agreed and for many months he laboured and earned it. Before departing, Xi Wang Mu warned Houyi that these two elixir she gave him were the last of their kinds. Houyi planned to spend them on himself and his wife.

Chang'e's ascent to the Moon

When Houyi returned to his home, he found that Emperor Yao had urgent requests for him, and he made haste to respond. Houyi made a vital mistake by not taking the elixir immediately, and leaving them unguarded. While Houyi was hunting monstrous wild boars and dragons terrorizing the land, his wife stayed at home, and for months, he had no news of home.

In her boredom, Chang'e found the elixirs that her husband had left behind, and out of curiosity drank them both. At this momment, Houyi returned and to his surprise found his wife ascending to the moon. Houyi heard his wife's cry for help, tried to seize her but she was already beyond his reach. Chang'e would gain immortality and forever live alone on the moon with only white hares accompanying her.

The death of Houyi

The grief of the loss of his wife changed Houyi completely. He became violent and changed from a hero welcomed by the mortals to being hated as a tyrant.

Houyi had taught mortals the ways of using the bow and had a prized student called Feng Meng. Feng Meng's skills of archery had blossomed under Houyi's tutelage and soon he saw himself as worthy of comparison with Houyi. One day, Feng Meng challenged him in a shooting contest. Houyi easily beat him and convinced Feng Meng there was no way he could catch up to his master. Blinded by jealousy, Feng Meng decided to murder his teacher. To him, it was entirely justified as Houyi was no longer an honorable hero but a tyrant. One day during a hunt, he attacked him on the back with a club. Along with others that were angry at Houyi, he beat him to death. Although these men were to be brought to justice, the epic of Houyi finally came to a bitter end.

Variations

There are variations of the story of Houyi.

One of them involves Houyi being the chief of the Youqiong Tribe , saving the world from drought by shooting down the ten suns and slaying various beasts.

In popular culture

The tale was depicted in the music video of Australian rock band Powderfinger's 2003 hit, ''"Sunsets".''

Haetae

In and Korean mythology, the haetae is a legendary creature which resembles a lion but is, in fact, a fire-eating dog. It is believed as a guardian against disaster and prejudice. Furthermore, they are said to guard against all forms of disruptive or violent change. It has the body of a lion, and occasionally is depicted with a unicorn-like horn.

According to Stephen Roney ACA, in an article for the Korea Herald, “All follows from the haetae's vocation to root out violent change. The large nose sniffs for hidden iniquity or distant smoke. The big, luminous eyes stare alert into the middle distance, concerned not with what is but with what will be. The cavernous mouth with overshot lower jaw fastens like a bulldog on the past, not letting it go. The well-bred haetae is a thoughtful, even intuitive creature. Enemy of change, it is no fan of newborn things; it will eat a child who gets too close. It can challenge time itself, bite the sun or moon, and create an eclipse.” The haetae is also to be a symbol of water, due to their fire-eating qualities, and a symbol of justice.

Haetae sculpt in architecture was widely used in China and other Asian countries. In old Chinese dynasties, emperors always preferred to utilize this sacred animal to denote their justice. In other Asian countries, this sacred animal sculpt may have different meanings. For example, In Korean, the haetae sculpture was used in architecture earliest in Joseon Dynasty which was trusted to be able to protect Hanyang.

Guan Yu

Three Kingdoms infobox
|Name=Guan Yu
|Image=GuanYuStatue.jpg
|imagesize=
|Caption=A statue of Guan Yu on an altar.
|Title=General
|Kingdom=Shu Han
|Born=Unknown
|Died=219
|Simp=关羽
|Trad=關羽
|Pinyin=Guān Yǔ
|WG=Kuan Yu
|Zi=Yunchang
Changsheng
|Post=Marquis Zhuangmou
|Buddhism=Sangharama Bodhisattva
Qíelán Púsà Saintly Emperor Guan
|Other=
*Guān Gōng
Lord Guan
*Guān èr Yé
Lord Guan the Second
*Měi Rán Gōng
Lord of Magnificent Beard
*Guān Dì
Emperor Guan
|Notes=
1. See for more posthumous titles.



Guan Yu was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the , of which Liu Bei was the first emperor.

One of the best known Chinese historical figures throughout East Asia, Guan Yu's true life stories have largely given way to fictionalized ones, mostly found in the historical novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' or passed down the generations, in which his deeds and moral qualities have been much exaggerated.

Guan Yu had been deified as early as the Sui Dynasty and is still being worshiped by Chinese people today, especially in Hong Kong. While being seen as the epitome of loyalty and righteousness, Guan Yu had been criticized by historians for being arrogant and vain, qualities that eventually led to his downfall in the hands of Sun Quan, lord of Eastern Wu.

Physical appearance

Guan Yu is traditionally portrayed as a red-faced warrior with a long lush beard. While his beard was indeed mentioned in the '''', the idea of his red face probably derived from a later description of him in , where the following passage appears:



Alternatively, the idea of his red face could have been borrowed from opera representation, where red faces depict loyalty and righteousness. Supposedly, Guan Yu's weapon was a named Green Dragon Crescent Blade, which resembled a halberd and was said to weigh 82 ''''. During the Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms eras, one catty was approximately 220 grams, so 82 catties would have been approximately 18.04 kilograms . A wooden replica can be found today in the Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou County, China. He traditionally dons a green robe over his body armour, as depicted in the ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''.

The historical Guan Yu

Early life

Guan Yu was born in the county of Xie . The year of his birth is not found in historical records.

Guan Yu fled his hometown at the age of twenty-three after slaying a local bully named Lü Xiong . Five years later, he arrived in Zhuo Commandery , where Liu Bei was recruiting a force to heed the government's call to resist the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Together with , Guan Yu joined Liu Bei and fought against the rebel forces in northern China. For his efforts Liu Bei was appointed governor of Pingyuan County . Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were also made commanders and given their own divisions of troops. According to the ''Records of Three Kingdoms'', the three men slept on the same bed and treated one another like brothers. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei also followed Liu Bei wherever he went, and protected him from danger however perilous the situation.

In 199 Liu Bei attacked and killed Che Zhou , the governor of who was appointed by the rising warlord Cao Cao, and placed Guan Yu in control of the regional capital Xiapi, while he returned to Xiaopei. Cao Cao soon retaliated, personally leading a campaign east to reclaim Xuzhou. Liu Bei fled to seek refuge under Yuan Shao, a powerful warlord further north, but Xiapi was captured and Guan Yu surrendered to Cao Cao. Cao Cao treated Guan Yu with respect and even made him a deputy general.

Short service under Cao Cao

In 200, Yuan Shao mustered an army boasting 100,000 in strength and marched on Xuchang, the new capital and base city of Cao Cao. To ensure a safe crossing of the Yellow River, Yuan Shao sent his trusted general Yan Liang to attack as a diversionary tactic. In a counter-tactic, Cao Cao moved his main force westwards along the Yellow River, diverting Yuan Shao's army in the same direction, but sent Guan Yu and Zhang Liao east to relieve the attack on Baima. Upon reaching Baima, Guan Yu speared Yan amid the enemy troops, and brought back his severed head. Thus Yuan Shao lost an important lieutenant and the siege of Baima was unraveled. Guan Yu was then enfeoffed as Marquis of Han Shou. After doing Cao Cao this favor, Guan Yu left for Liu Bei, his former lord who was still in the camp of Yuan Shao, leaving behind a farewell letter and all of Cao Cao's rewards. When some of his subordinates wanted to pursue Guan Yu, Cao Cao stopped them, saying, "To each his own."

Capture of Jingzhou

After Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at the decisive Battle of Guandu, Liu Bei went south to seek shelter under governor Liu Biao, who soon died of sickness. Cao Cao took the opportunity to expand his control south and seized a great part of Jingzhou north of the Yangtze River, but Liu Bei escaped south and formed a coalition with Sun Quan, a powerful warlord controlling most of southeastern China. The coalition defeated Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs and Jingzhou was reclaimed. During the campaign against the city of Jiangling Guan Yu was sent to attack from a northern route. Li Tong ambushed him and destroyed his equipment. As a result of Guan Yu's withdrawal, Li Tong was able to reinforce Jiangling. Guan Yu was promoted to General Who Purges Rebels and made governor of Xiangyang , in charge of the defense of northern Jingzhou.

In 213, Liu Bei left for and took over the region two years later, staying there ever since. In 219, Liu Bei proclaimed himself King of Hanzhong and promoted Guan Yu to General of the Front , The popular ranking of the Five Tiger Generals, was however a work of fiction.

Downfall

In the same year, Guan Yu attacked Fancheng , a city near Xiangyang which was defended by Cao Ren, a trusted general and cousin of Cao Cao. A long spell of rainfall as autumn came around flooded the next to the city, which greatly aided Guan Yu. The flood drowned the majority of the relief troops Cao Cao sent, while their commanders, Yu Jin and Pang De, were both captured by Guan Yu. However, a further relief force under Xu Huang successfully repelled the invaders.

Further, at this time, it became known that Sun Quan attacked Guan's of Jiangling, and that the two commanders that Guan had left in charge of the home base -- Mi Fang and Fu Shiren had surrendered to Sun Quan. Instead of immediately sealing off the report of this, Guan Yu allowed this news be known to his army. The families of the soldiers accompanying Guan Yu fell under Wu control. In secret soldiers began to sneak off to rejoin their families.

With many of his troops deserting, Guan Yu attempted to retreat west to reunite with Liu Bei. However, he was encircled by Sun Quan's forces west of Maicheng . As Guan Yu attempt to escape, he and his surviving followers including his son Guan Ping, his Inspector General Zhao Lei were captured in Zhang Township . All three were executed. Sun Quan sent Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao in an attempt to lay all the blame on Cao Cao, who buried the body with the honors befitting a marquis. Guan Yu was given the posthumous title of Marquis Zhuangmou .

In 223, Liu Bei attempted a campaign to recapture Jingzhou and avenge Guan Yu, which culminated in his decisive defeat at the Battle of Yiling. Guan Yu's son Guan Xing and grandson Guan Tong both served as military commanders for Shu Han.

Guan Yu in ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''

''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' is a historical novel based on the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. Written by Luo Guanzhong more than a millennium after the Three Kingdoms period, the novel incorporates many popular tales and opera scripts into the character of Guan Yu, making him one of the most altered and aggrandized in the book. Significant incidents that deviate from true history include:

Brotherhood sworn in the garden of peach blossoms

One of the most well-known story from the novel, found in the first chapter, it speaks of Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei who, having met by chance in the county of Zhuo in 184, found that all three shared the same desire to serve the country in the tumultuous times. They swore to be brothers the next day in Zhang Fei's backyard, which was a garden full of peach blossoms. Liu Bei was ranked the eldest, Guan Yu the second, and Zhang Fei the youngest. Having done this, they recruited more than 300 local men and joined the resistance against the Yellow Turban rebels.

The Oath of the Peach Garden inspired the present day secret societies in Chinese communities, such as the , to use a similar ritual when swearing in new members. "Though not born on the same day of the same month in the same year, we hope to die so" — the phrase the three brothers made during the oath — had also become popular among the present day secret society members.

Slaying Hua Xiong

In Chapter 5, warlords around the country formed against Dong Zhuo, the tyrannical warlord and minister who held the puppet hostage in the capital Luoyang. Guan Yu and his sworn brothers were then serving in the camp of Gongsun Zan, a warlord from northern China who was also in the coalition.

Dong Zhuo placed Hua Xiong at the to ward off the attack. Having singlehandedly slain four generals of the coalition – Zu Mao, Pan Feng, Bao Zhong, and Yu She – Hua Xiong seemed indomitable. Despite mistrust from many warlords of the coalition, most notably a commander named Yuan Shu, Guan Yu, who was a mere mounted archer then, volunteered to duel Hua Xiong. To convince them to give him the opportunity, he told them that if he failed against Hua Xiong, the coalition could take his head as punishment. Cao Cao, one of the eighteen coalition leaders, poured Guan Yu a cup of hot wine but the latter declined, claiming he would soon return. Within moments Guan Yu returned with Hua Xiong's head in hand, while the wine was still warm.

In true history Hua Xiong was executed after his force was defeated by Sun Jian at Yangren .

Repelling Lü Bu

In one of the more dramatic duels of the novel, Guan Yu's oath brother Zhang Fei attacked the infamous Lü Bu during the campaign against Dong Zhuo. Guan Yu came to his aid after the unyielding pair had fought savagely for 50 bouts, and he and Zhang Fei fought together against Lü Bu for a further 30 bouts. Still unable to gain an advantage, they were soon joined by Liu Bei. Lü Bu still managed to fend off all their attacks and they could not gain an advantage until 20 bouts later, when Lü Bu began to tire and retreated. This spectacle is one of the most consistently recreated in the ''Dynasty Warriors'' video game series.

Short service under Cao Cao

In Chapter 25, Cao Cao attacked Liu Bei's position in Xuzhou . The defeated Liu Bei escaped to seek refuge in the camp of Yuan Shao, a powerful warlord in the north. Guan Yu, along with two wives of Liu Bei, was besieged in the city of Xiapi. Taunting outside the city walls, Cao Cao's general Xiahou Dun managed to draw Guan Yu out. As he pursued his enemy far from the city gate, Guan Yu found his retreat cut off by the invading troops. He then made a stand on top of a nearby knoll, but the city was already taken.



Zhang Liao, another general under Cao Cao who was an old friend of Guan Yu, then came unarmed up the knoll. He tried to persuade Guan Yu to surrender using reason. Guan Yu agreed, but with three conditions: that the surrender was to the Han emperor and not Cao Cao; that the two wives of Liu Bei were to be suitably provided for and protected; and that all three would leave to seek Liu Bei once they found out his whereabouts. These conditions were agreed to and Guan Yu finally surrendered without breaking the code of loyalty. Cao Cao was very pleased and showered Guan Yu with many gifts, including Red Hare, a top-grade steed previously owned by the mighty warrior Lü Bu.

Slaying Yan Liang

Also in Chapter 25, Cao Cao confronted Yuan Shao on the shores of the Yellow River. To ensure a safe crossing south, Yuan Shao sent a diversionary force east under his trusted general Yan Liang to attack Baima . Cao Cao drew a 50,000-strong army and came personally to defend Baima. As the two armies made their stands across the plain, Cao Cao sent out Song Xian and Wei Xu to duel with Yan Liang, but both were slain within bouts. As suggested by advisor Cheng Yu, Cao Cao then sent for Guan Yu.

The next day, as Yan Liang's army lined up on the battlefield, Guan Yu sat with Cao Cao on a hillock and looked down. From afar he saw Yan Liang sitting on a chariot under the army standard. Leaping onto the Red Hare, Guan Yu galloped straight into the enemy ranks, which broke before him like waves before a swift vessel. Before Yan Liang could react, he was struck down by his nemesis. Guan Yu severed Yan Liang's head, tied it to the neck of his steed and rode back unhindered.

Slaying Wen Chou

In Chapter 26, following the death of Yan Liang in Guan Yu's hands, Wen Chou, another trusted general of Yuan Shao, volunteered to avenge his close friend. Leading 100,000 troops, Wen Chou crossed the Yellow River and came for Cao Cao's camp. In an unusual move, Cao Cao turned his entire formation around, placing the supplies in front. While Wen Chou's soldiers made an easy task robbing the supplies, Cao Cao directed his men south onto a knoll, from where they allowed their horses to graze. Wen Chou's soldiers pounced upon the horses as they approached the knoll and became disorganized. Cao Cao then gave the order for a counterattack, forcing the enemies to retreat.

Zhang Liao and Xu Huang immediately gave chase. Wen Chou fired two arrows from atop his horse, one of which cut off the feather on Zhang Liao's helmet and the other hit Zhang Liao's horse in the face. With his poleaxe, Xu Huang came for Wen Chou but had to retreat when a band of enemy soldiers came to their commander's rescue. Leading a dozen riders, Guan Yu cut off Wen Chou's escape and engaged in a duel with the enemy. Within three bouts, Wen Chou withdrew and attempted to evade. However, Guan Yu's Red Hare was of a superior breed and soon caught up. Guan Yu then slew Wen Chou from behind.

Crossing five passes and slaying six warriors

Another of the most popular stories surrounding Guan Yu, this tale speaks of the loyal man's hazardous journey to reunite with his lord and sworn brother Liu Bei, who was residing in Yuan Shao's camp. The five passes mentioned in fact only consist of two bona fide passes – Dongling and Sishui – while the rest were two cities and a guarded ferry point.

The story began late in Chapter 26 where, having found out the whereabouts of Liu Bei some time after the slaying of Wen Chou, Guan Yu prepared to leave Xuchang along with Liu Bei's two wives. Unable to keep the determined general, Cao Cao forbade his subjects from pursuing Guan Yu.

Riding beside the horse carriage carrying his sisters-in-law, Guan Yu set off for Luoyang. However, he was stopped at Dongling Pass by the pass defender Kong Xiu, who refused passage for the former without a document from Cao Cao. Guan Yu had no choice but to slay Kong Xiu in a duel and force through the pass.

Having crossed the first pass, Guan Yu arrived outside Luoyang. The city governor drew a thousand troops and blocked the city gate. Han Fu's aide Meng Tan came forward to duel Guan Yu. Within bouts, Meng Tan retreated in an attempt to draw Guan Yu into a trap, but Guan Yu's horse was fast and Meng Tan was slashed into halves before he could escape. However, Han Fu had already taken aim and fired an arrow at Guan Yu, who was struck in the left arm. Plucking the arrow out from the bleeding wound, Guan Yu then came for Han Fu and cleaved him clean below the shoulders.

Having dressed his wound, Guan Yu was anxious to move on. The company moved through the night to arrive at Sishui Pass . The pass defender, Bian Xi, laid 200 men in ambush in a temple outside the pass, while he went out to meet Guan Yu. Having won the trust of the latter, Bian Xi then invited Guan Yu to a feast in the temple hall. One of the monks, who was also from the county of Xie, hinted the danger to his fellow townsfolk. The ambush then failed and Guan Yu slew the scheming Bian Xi and left for Xingyang.

Wang Zhi, the governor of Xingyang, attempted a similar scheme. Feigning kindness towards Guan Yu, Wang Zhi led the company to a relay station to settle for the night. He then ordered his deputy Hu Ban to draw a thousand troops to surround the station and burn it. Curious about how the famed Guan Yu looked like, Hu Ban decided to go into the station to take a peek. Guan Yu heard him and asked who he was, whereupon he learned that Hu Ban was the son of Hu Hua , an old villager who had given Guan Yu's company lodging early in the journey. Guan Yu then passed Hu Ban a letter from his father, which told of the loyal and upright man Guan Yu was, whereupon Hu Ban divulged Wang Zhi's plot, and opened the city gate for Guan Yu to escape. However, Wang Zhi soon caught up and came for Guan Yu with his spear poised. Guan Yu spun around and cleaved him in half.

Trudging along, the company finally arrived at the ferry point on the southern shore of the Yellow River. Qin Qi, the defender of the crossing, met a similar fate as his colleagues who dared challenge Guan Yu. Within a bout, Guan Yu severed Qin Qi's head with a sweep of his saber. Thus the company finally crossed the Yellow River and came to Yuan Shao's territory, though, unknown to them, Liu Bei had by then already moved to .

After slaying Qin Qi, he encounters Xiahou Dun who seeks to battle Guan Yu in revenge for the death of his subordinate. However, the battle is averted as Zhang Liao arrives with a message from Cao Cao that Guan Yu is to be allowed to leave peacefully despite his slaying of the gate guardians.

At the end of his departure, Guan was to meet Zhang Fei, who, against the advice of others, was infuriated with Guan for having defected and picked up his spear to engage him. Guan was unprepared for this but after beheading Cai Yang , a commander loyal to Cao Cao , Guan managed to convince Zhang that he was still true to their brotherhood.

Releasing Cao Cao at Huarong Trail

In Chapter 50, after the fire started burning his ships at the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao gathered all the men he could and escaped towards the city of Jiangling. Under instruction from adviser Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu led 500 foot soldiers and lay in wait along the Huarong Trail, a narrow shortcut in the woods leading to Jiangling. Prior to leaving, Guan Yu had duly sworn an oath not to allow Cao Cao passage over past favors from the warlord.

On the other hand, Cao Cao had come to a fork in the road during his perilous escape. Columns of smoke were seen rising from the narrower path. Cao Cao judged that the smoke was a trick of the enemy to divert him to the main road, where an ambush must have been laid. He then led his men towards the narrow path – the Huarong Trail.

The smoke was indeed a trick by Zhuge Liang. Grasping Cao Cao's psychology exactly, Zhuge Liang had meant to direct him to the Huarong Trail, where Guan Yu with his men were waiting. Upon being cut off, Cao Cao rode forward and appealed to Guan Yu to remember his kindness in former days. Seeing the plight of the defeated men and recalling the former favors he received from Cao Cao, Guan Yu eventually allowed the enemy to pass through without challenge, despite his previous oath. Upon returning, Guan Yu pleaded guilty but under the beseeching of Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang fully understood the compassion and mercy of General Guan Yu and forgave him.

Treatment of a poisoned arm

In Chapter 75, during a siege on Fancheng , Guan Yu had been struck in the right arm by a bolt fired by crossbowers from the city walls. The arrow was promptly removed but poison smeared on the arrowhead had already seeped deep to the bone. As he was unwilling to abandon the offensive campaign, his subjects had to send for physicians to the camp to treat the poisoned arm.

One day, the famed physician Hua Tuo came by a boat from the east and went to see Guan Yu, who was playing a game of with adviser . After examining the wound, Hua Tuo told Guan Yu he had to cut open the flesh and scrape off the residual poison on the surface of the bones. He also suggested that the patient place the injured arm through a ring fixed to a pillar to prevent movement in the absence of anesthesia, and that blindfold be applied. However, Guan Yu requested that the primitive surgery be performed on the spot, while he continued the game. Those around him cringed at the sound of the knife scraping the bone, but Guan Yu ate and drank, talked and laughed as if he did not feel any pain, presumably not to affect the morale of his army.

Within moments, the treatment was completed. Hua Tuo applied some medications to the wound and sewed it up. Guan Yu laughed and praised the skills of the physician, for the arm felt no more pain. Hua Tuo then left without accepting any reward.

''Records of Three Kingdoms'' did record a similar incident, though the physician was not named. Also, the injury was sustained on the left arm instead of the right at an unspecified time. Hua Tuo was not alive at that time of treatment. He was credited to have died in 208 AD, 12 years before the scraping of the bones story happened, making this event an anachronism.

Enlightenment on Yuqian Hill

In Chapter 77, after Guan Yu was beheaded by Sun Quan, lord of the Kingdom of Wu, his spirit roamed the land, crying, "Give me back my head!" Thus he came to outside Dangyang County , where he met the same monk who saved his life at the temple outside Sishui Pass many years ago during his journey to reunite with Liu Bei. The monk said to Guan Yu's spirit, "Now you ask for your head, but from whom should Yan Liang, Wen Chou, the guardians of the five passes and many others ask for theirs?" The spirit was enlightened and dissipated, though it henceforth often manifested itself around the hill and protected the locals. A temple was then built by the people on the hill to worship him.

The monk mentioned in the novel, named Pujing in his faith, was said to have built a grass hut for himself at the southeastern foot of Yuquan Hill during the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. At the location of the hut was later built the Yuquan Temple , the oldest temple in the Dangyang region from where Guan Yu worship originated, completed within the last decade of the 6th century, during the Sui Dynasty. Accordingly, it was to the first reverend of the Yuquan Temple Guan Yu's spirit manifested itself and requested entrance into Buddhism. One of the temple halls, named Sangharama Hall, is dedicated to Guan Yu .

Revenge on Lü Meng

Also in Chapter 77, after executing Guan Yu and reclaiming , Sun Quan threw a feast to celebrate and commend Lü Meng, chief planner and commander of the maneuver to capture Jingzhou and Guan Yu. On the feast, however, Lü Meng was possessed by Guan Yu's spirit and seized Sun Quan. As others rushed forward to save their lord, the possessed Lü Meng swore revenge. In moments, Lü Meng collapsed onto the floor and died. The frightened Sun Quan then sent Guan Yu's severed head in a wooden box to Cao Cao, meaning to sow a discord between the Kingdom of Shu and Kingdom of Wei.

When Cao Cao opened the box, he saw that Guan Yu looked as he did alive. Cao Cao smiled and said to Guan Yu's head, "I hope you are well since we last parted." To his horror, Guan Yu opened his mouth, and the long beard and hairs stood on their ends. Cao Cao fell to the floor and did not regain consciousness for a long time. When he did, he exclaimed, "General Guan is truly a god from heaven!" He then ordered the head be buried with honors accorded to a noble.

Historically, Lü Meng died of illness some time after Guan Yu's death, naming as his successor. In what can be seen as a case of irony, Lü Meng's death gave the brilliant young strategist his chance to inflict a far more devastating defeat on Liu Bei at Yiling, all but destroying Shu's war making capability.

Miscellaneous information

In the novel, Guan Yu was said to have had three sons: Guan Ping, Guan Xing and Guan Suo; and a daughter who was not named. His sworn brothers were Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. Guan Yu was also often flanked by two generals, Zhou Cang and Liao Hua, who were both former Yellow Turbans who came to join Guan Yu.

Worship of Guan Yu

Guan Yu has been deified as early as the Sui Dynasty and is still popularly worshipped today among the Chinese people variedly as an indigenous Chinese deity, a bodhisattva in Buddhism and a guardian deity in Taoism. He is also held in high esteem in Confucianism. These are not necessarily contradictory or even distinguished in these Chinese religious systems, which merge multiple ancient philosophies and religions.

In the Western world, Guan Yu is sometimes called the Taoist ''God of War'', probably because he is one of the most well-known military generals in . This is misconceived as, unlike or Tyr, Guan Yu as a god does not necessarily bless those who go to battle but rather people who observe the code of brotherhood and righteousness.

General worship

In general worship, Guan Yu is widely referred to as Emperor Guan , short for his Daoist title Saintly Emperor Guan , and as Guan Gong, literally "Lord Guan." Temples and shrines dedicated exclusively to Guan Yu can be found in parts of 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 Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou , Shanxi, were built exactly in the layout of a palace, befitting his status as an "".

The apotheosis of Guan Yu occurred in stages, as he was given ever larger posthumous titles. Liu Shan, the second emperor of Shu Han, gave Guan Yu the posthumous title of Marquis Zhuangmou four decades after his death. During the Song Dynasty, bestowed upon Guan Yu the title of Duke Zhonghui , and later even the title of a prince. In 1187, during the reign of Guan Yu was established as ''Prince Zhuangmou Yiyong Wu'an Yingji'' . After Song was annihilated by Mongols, who established the Yuan Dynasty in China, Guan Yu was renamed ''Prince of Xianling Yiyong Wu'an Yingji'' by .

The escalation of Guan Yu's status to that of an emperor took place during the Ming Dynasty. In 1614, the Wanli Emperor bestowed on Guan Yu the title of ''Saintly Emperor Guan the Great God Who Subdues Demons of the Three Worlds and Whose Awe Spreads Far and Moves Heaven'' . During the Qing Dynasty, the Shunzhi Emperor gave Guan Yu the title of Zhongyi Shenwu Great Saintly Emperor Guan in 1644. This title was expanded to ''The Grand Emperor Zhongyi Shenwu Lingyou Renyong Weixian Huguo Baomin Jingcheng Suijing Yizan Xuande Guan Sheng Dadi'' , a total of 24 , by mid-19th century.

Throughout history Guan Yu had also been credited with many military successes. During the Ming dynasty his spirit was said to have aided the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang's fleet at the Battle of Lake Poyang. In 1402, launched a coup d'état and successfully deposed his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor. Zhu Di claimed that he had been 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 ruling Manchu house of the Qing dynasty 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.

Today Guan Yu is still widely worshiped by common folks, with many shrines to him are found in homes or businesses. In Hong Kong, a shrine for Guan Yu is located in each . Though by no means mandatory, most Chinese worship and pay respect to him. Seemingly ironic, members of the Triad gangs and the Hung clan worship Guan Yu as well.There's difference between statue used by triad gangs and police station for the shrine, indicated by which arm held his weapon, right for the police whether left for triads. This explain in which side Guan Yu is worshipped, by the righteous people or vice versa. Guan Yu's statue face for triads usually appears more sinister than the usual one or right hand armed statue.
This exemplifies the Chinese belief that a code of honor, epitomized by Guan Yu, exists even in the underworld. In Hong Kong, Guan Yu is often referred to as "Yi Gor" for he was second to Liu Bei in their legendary sworn brotherhood. Guan Yu is also worshipped by Chinese businessmen in Shanxi Province, Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia as an alternative wealth god, since he is perceived to bless the upright and protect them from the crooked. Another reason being related to the release of Cao Cao during the Huarong Pass incident where he let Cao Cao and his general passed through safely. As for that, he was perceived to be able to give a lifeline to those that needed it.

Among the Cantonese Chinese who emigrated to California during the mid-19th century, 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 , where his name may be given with various Anglicized spellings, including Kwan Dai, Kwan Tai, Kuan Ti, Kuan Kung, Wu Ti, Mo Dai, Guan Di, Kuan Yu, Kwan Yu, or Quan Yu. The Joss House, a historical landmark also known as Mo Dai Miu, The Military God-King's Temple, or Temple of Kwan Tai, built in 1852, is a typical example of the small shrines erected to Guan Yu in America.

Worship in Taoism

Guan Yu is revered as Saintly Emperor 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 the present day Xiezhou County gradually ceased to yield salt. then summoned Celestial Master Zhang Jixian , thirtieth descendant of Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, to investigate the cause. The emperor was told that the disruption was the work of Chi You, a deity of war. The Master then recruited the help of Guan Yu, who did battle with Chi You over the lake and triumphed, whereupon the lake resumed salt production. Emperor Huizong then bestowed upon Guan Yu the title of Immortal of Chongning , formally introducing the latter as a deity into Taoism.

In early Ming Dynasty, the forty-second 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 Taoism 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 twenty fourth day of the sixth month on the , a street parade in the honor of Emperor Guan would also be held.

Worship in Buddhism

In Chinese Buddhism, Guan Yu is revered by most practicing Buddhists as Sangharama Bodhisattva a protector of the Buddhist dharma. ''Sangharama'' in Sanskrit means 'community garden' and thus 'monastery'. The sangharama refer to a group of devas and spirits who guard Buddhist monasteries, the dharma, and the faith itself. Over time, Guan Yu was seen as a representative ''sangharama'' guardian of the temple and the garden in which it stands. His statue is usually located on the far left of the main shrine, opposite his counterpart, .

According to Buddhist legends, in 592, Guan Yu manifested himself one night before Ch'an Master Zhiyi, the founder of the Tientai school of Buddhism, along with a retinue of spiritual beings. Zhiyi was then in deep meditation on 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.

In the historical novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', Luo Guanzhong wrote that Guan Yu manifested himself to a monk named Pujing on Yuquan Hill on the night of his death, with his spirit shouting "Return my head!" From Pujing, Guan Yu sought the Buddhist teachings and entered the faith after being told by Pujing "Where will Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and the guardians of the five passes whom you have slain should seek their heads?" While this being a modification of the "true" account, Pujing did exist in history. The location at which Pujing built a grass hut for himself was where the Yuquan Temple was later built on.

In popular culture

Film

*In Zhang Yimou's 2005 film ''Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles'', a ''nuo'' opera performance of ''Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles'' forms a major part of the film's narrative.

*In 's 1994 comedy ''From Beijing with Love'', Chow plays an absentminded spy named "Ling Ling Chai" who is shot by a double agent during a mission. When it is discovered the bullet has lodged deep into his thigh bone, he watches an film to divert his attention from the wound while the bullet is retrieved. When asked why, he calls upon Guan's example of playing Chess while Hua Tuo performed surgery on .
*In the 2008 horror-comedy ''My Name is Bruce'', Guan Yu's vengeful spirit is accidentally set free by a group of teenagers and he begins to terrorize their town. The town then enlists the aid of B-movie actor Bruce Campbell to combat Guan Yu because of his experience with dispatching monsters in his previous films. Campbell accepts the job, believing it to be some impromptu movie production, but later discovers the threat is real.
*In the 2008 historical epic "Red Cliff", Guan Yu is played by Ba Sen Zha Bu and is featured primarily in the Battle of Changban and later in a semi-fictional land battle near Chibi, which preceded the major naval battle.

Manga

In the manga'' Ikki Tousen'', all the warriors from ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' are reborn as Japanese high school students whose lives have to replay the entire story. His reincarnation is schoolgirl , who carries the Blue Dragon Crescent Blade with her.
In the manga ''BB Senshi Sangokuden Fuuun Gouketsu Hen'', ZZ Gundam portrayed as ''Guan Yu Gundam'', similar to the ''Three Kingdoms'', his personality same as the story, except some words, including his weapon, are different.

Video games

*Guan Yu is a playable character in Koei's ''Dynasty Warriors'' video game series. In the first title, he is depicted as a tall, red-skinned man dressed in a green robe, alluding to his legendary portrayal. In all subsequent releases, Guan's depiction is much more realistic, with his red skin becoming a more natural colour. Guan is portrayed as a man who places great emphasis on honor, dedication and duty. He often displays respect for his enemies and fulfills debts to friend and foe alike. His weapon is an elaborate guan dao called the "Blue Moon Dragon", and is of the exact same design as Zhang Liao's polearm, the "Gold Wyvern". Guan often appears atop Red Hare in combat and during cinematic sequences. In the latest release, ''Dynasty Warriors 6'', Guan still uses the "Blue Moon Dragon", although its appearance has been significantly revamped. His appearance appears to be a throwback of his ''Dynasty Warriors 3'' design.

*Guan Yu is also an officer in the video game series ''''. He often possesses one of the highest "War" and "Leadership" statistics, making him one of the best overall characters in the series.

*Guan Yu also appears in ''Sango Fighter''. Like ''Dynasty Warriors'', in ''Sango Fighter'', Guan Yu is also depicted as a tall, red-skinned man dressed in a green robe.

*''MapleStory'', a MMORPG from Wizet, has recently added a Guan Yu costume. It includes a turban hat, green battle gown, shoes, beard and his well known Green Dragon crescent-moon blade weapon.

*In ''Destiny of an Emperor'' from the original Nintendo Entertainment System, he is a general who becomes available to add on to the player's fighting group and is generally considered one of the strongest commanders in the game.

*In '''', Guan Yu is a Taoist hero with some knowledge of . He can fill warehouses with soybeans, lead troops into battle, and bless a military fort to fill it with weapons for training soldiers.

Card games

*In '''''s ''Portal Three Kingdoms'' game set, he is a playable rare creature card with the "Horsemanship" ability.

*In the History Channel's '''' card game, Guan Yu's cards have high initiative. His weapon is the "", his armor is "Jiang Jun Zhi Kai", his Special card is "", and his inspiration card is "Guan Di", possibly alluding to his worship in the Taoist pantheon. Artwork for the five cards was done by Rob Alexander.

Guan Yin

Guanyin is the bodhisattva of compassion as by East Asian s, usually as a female. She is also known as the Chinese Bodhisattva of Compassion. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshi'yin which means " the Sounds of the ".

It is generally accepted that Guanyin originated as the Sanskrit ''Avalokite?vara'' , which is her male form. Commonly known in the West as the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin is also revered by Taoists as an . It should be noted that in Taoist mythology, Guan Yin has other origination stories which are not directly related to Avalokite?vara.

Guanyin's origin is still debated among scholars. The official Buddhist view is that Guanyin originated with the male Avalokiteshvara. While it is certain that this is where the name "Guanshi'yin" originated, the image of the Chinese/Korean/Japanese/Vitnamese Bodhisattva may be partly derived from other sources. Indigenous to the region where Guanyin first appeared was a local Goddess: the Queen Mother of the West.

Names in East Asia

Guanshi'yin changed to Guanyin under the naming taboo of Emperor Taizong of Tang. In , Guanyin is pronounced Kannon , occasionally Kan'on, or more formally Kanzeon ; the spelling ''Kwannon'', based on a pre-modern pronunciation, is sometimes seen. In , the Bodhisattva is called ''Gwan-eum'' or ''Gwanse-eum'' , In , the name is called ''Kuan Eim'' or ''Prah Mae Kuan Eim'' , and in , the name is ''Quan ?m'' or ''Quan Th? ?m B? Tát''. In Hong Kong where there are many temples to her the name is written as ''Kwun Yum''. In , the name is ''Kwan Im'' or ''Dewi Kwan Im'' referring the word ''Dewi'' as ''Devi'' or Goddess. In the same countries, especially Japan, the variant Kanjizai is also well attested.

Depiction

Guanyin is the Chinese name for the Bodhisattva Avalokite?vara. However, folk traditions in China and other East Asian countries have added many distinctive characteristics and legends. Avalokite?vara was originally depicted as Buddha when he was still a prince, and therefore wears chest-revealing clothing and may even sport a moustache. However, in China, Guanyin is usually depicted as a woman. Additionally, some people believe that Guanyin is neither man nor woman.

In China, Guanyin is usually shown in a white flowing robe, and usually wearing necklaces of Indian/Chinese royalty. In the right hand is a water jar containing pure water, and in the left, a willow branch. The crown usually depicts the image of Amitabha Buddha, Guan Yin's spiritual teacher before she became a Bodhisattva.

In some Buddhist temples and monasteries, Guanyin images are occasionally depicted as a young man dressed in Northern Song Buddhist robes sitting gracefully. He is usually depicted looking or glancing down, symbolising that Guanyin continues to watch over the world.
There are also regional variations of Guan Yin depictions. In the Fukien region of China, for example, a popular depiction of Guan Yin is as a maiden dressed in Tang dynasty style clothing carrying a fish basket. A popular image of Guan Yin as both Guan Yin of the South Sea and Guan Yin With a Fish Basket can be seen in late 1500s Chinese encyclopedias and in prints that accompany the novel ''Golden Lotus''.

In Chinese art, Guan Yin is often depicted either alone, standing atop a dragon, accompanied by a bird, flanked by two children, or flanked by two warriors. The two children are her acolytes who came to her when she was meditating at Mount Putuo. The girl is called ''Long Nü'' and the boy . The two warriors are the historical character Guan Yu who comes from the Three Kingdoms period and the mythological character who features in the Chinese classic Canonisation of the Gods. The Buddhist tradition also displays Guan Yin, or other buddhas and bodhisattvas, flanked with the two said warriors, but as bodhisattvas who protect the temple and the faith itself.

Veneration

In Chinese Buddhist iconography, Guan Yin is often depicted as meditating or sitting alongside one of the Buddhas and usually accompanied by another bodhisattva. Which buddha or bodhisattva usually depends upon which school it represents. In the Pure Land school, for example, Guan Yin is frequently depicted as standing alongside Amitabha Buddha and bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta. Temples that revere the bodhisattva Ksitigarbha usually depict him meditating alongside the Buddha and Guan Yin.

Along with Buddhism, Guanyin's veneration was introduced into China as early as the 1st century CE, and reached Japan by way of Korea soon after Buddhism was first introduced into the country in the mid-7th century. Some Taoist records claim Guanyin was a Chinese female who became immortal during Shang Dynasty.

More recently in Europe and America, a new wave of believers have spread a devotional cult beyond Buddhism, Taoism and folk traditional beliefs. Guan Yin is not only a bodhisattva or a goddess but a focus of devotion by some Eastern New Age movements.

Guanyin's representation

Representations of the bodhisattva in China prior to the Song Dynasty were masculine in appearance. Images which later displayed attributes of both genders are believed to be in accordance with the Lotus Sutra, where Avalokitesvara has the supernatural power of assuming any form required to relieve suffering, and also has the power to grant children . Because this bodhisattva is considered the personification of compassion and kindness, a mother-goddess and patron of mothers and seamen, the representation in China was further interpreted in an all-female form around the 12th century. In the modern period, Guan Yin is most often represented as a beautiful, white-robed woman, a depiction which derives from the earlier ''Pandaravasini'' form.

Legends

Guanyin and the Thousand Arms

One Buddhist legend presents Guan Yin as vowing to never rest until she had freed all sentient beings from samsara, reincarnation. Despite strenuous effort, she realized that still many unhappy beings were yet to be saved. After struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, her head split into eleven pieces. Amitabha Buddha, seeing her plight, gave her eleven heads with which to hear the cries of the suffering. Upon hearing these cries and comprehending them, Avalokitesvara attempted to reach out to all those who needed aid, but found that her two arms shattered into pieces. Once more, Amitabha came to her aid and appointed her a thousand arms with which to aid the many. Many Himalayan versions of the tale include eight arms with which Avalokitesvara skillfully upholds the Dharma, each possessing its own particular implement, while more Chinese-specific versions give varying accounts of this number.

In China, it is said that fishermen used to pray to her to ensure safe voyages. The titles ''Guan Yin of the Southern Ocean'' and 'Guan Yin the Island' stem from this tradition.

Legend of Miao Shan

Another story describes Guan Yin as the daughter of a cruel king who wanted her to marry a wealthy but uncaring man. The story is usually ascribed to the research of the Buddhist monk Chiang Chih-ch'i in 1100 AD. The story is likely to have a Taoist origin. Chiang Chih-ch'i, when he penned the work, believed that the Guan Yin we know today was actually a Buddhist princess called Miao Shan , who had a religious following on Fragrant Mountain. Despite this, however, there are many variants of the story in Chinese mythology.

According to the story, after the king asked his daughter Miao Shan to marry the wealthy man, she told him that she would obey his command, so long as the marriage eased three misfortunes.

The king asked his daughter what were the three misfortunes that the marriage should ease. Miao Shan explained that the first misfortune the marriage should ease was the suffering people endure as they age. The second misfortune it should ease was the suffering people endure when they fall ill. The third misfortune it should ease was the suffering caused by death. If the marriage could not ease any of the above, then she would rather retire to a life of religion forever.

When her father asked who could ease all the above, Miao Shan pointed out that a doctor was able to do all these.

Her father grew angry as he wanted her to marry a person of power and wealth, not a healer. He forced her into hard labor and reduced her food and drink but this did not cause her to yield.

Every day she begged to be able to enter a temple and become a nun instead of marrying. Her father eventually allowed her to work in the temple, but asked the monks to give her very hard chores in order to discourage her. The monks forced Miao Shan to work all day and all night, while others slept, in order to finish her work. However, she was such a good person that the animals living around the temple began to help her with her chores. Her father, seeing this, became so frustrated that he attempted to burn down the temple. Miao Shan put out the fire with her bare hands and suffered no burns. Now struck with fear, her father ordered her to be put to death.

In one version of this legend, when she was executed, a supernatural tiger took Guan Yin to one of the more hell-like realms of the dead. However, instead of being punished by demons like the other inmates, Guan Yin played music and flowers blossomed around her. This completely surprised the head demon. The story says that Guan Yin, by merely being in that hell, turned it into a paradise.

A variant of the legend says that Miao Shan allowed herself to die at the hand of the executioner. According to this legend, as the executioner tried to carry out her father's orders, his axe shattered into a thousand pieces. He then tried a sword which likewise shattered. He tried to shoot Miao Shan down with arrows but they all veered off.

Finally in desperation he used his hands. Miao Shan, realising the fate the executioner would meet at her father's hand should she fail to let herself die, forgave the executioner for attempting to kill her. It is said that she voluntarily took on the massive karmic guilt the executioner generated for killing her, thus leaving him guiltless. It is because of this that she descended into the Hell-like realms. While there she witnessed firsthand the suffering and horrors beings there must endure and was overwhelmed with grief. Filled with compassion, she released all the good karma she had accumulated through her many lifetimes, thus freeing many suffering souls back into Heaven and Earth. In the process that Hell-like realm became a paradise. It is said that , King of , sent her back to Earth to prevent the utter destruction of his realm, and that upon her return she appeared on Fragrant Mountain.

Another tale says that Miao Shan never died but was in fact transported by a supernatural tiger, believed to be the Deity of the Place, to Fragrant Mountain.

The Legend of Miao Shan usually ends with Miao Chuang Yen, Miao Shan's father, falling ill with jaundice. No physician was able to cure him. Then a monk appeared saying that the jaundice could be cured by making a medicine out of the arm and eye of one without anger. The monk further suggested that such a person could be found on Fragrant Mountain. When asked, Miao Shan willingly offered up her eyes and arms. Miao Chuang Yen was cured of his illness and went to the Fragrant Mountain to give thanks to the person. When he discovered that his own daughter had made the sacrifice, he begged for forgiveness. The story concludes with Miao Shan being transformed into the Thousand Armed Guan Yin, and the king, queen and her two sisters building a temple on the mountain for her. She began her journey to heaven and was about to cross over into heaven when she heard a cry of suffering from the world below. She turned around and saw the massive suffering endured by the people of the world. Filled with compassion, she returned to earth, vowing never to leave till such time as all suffering has ended.

After her return to Earth, Guan Yin was said to have stayed for a few years on the island of Mount Putuo where she practised meditation and helped the sailors and fishermen who got stranded. Guan Yin is frequently worshipped as patron of sailors and fishermen due to this. She is said to frequently becalm the sea when boats are threatened with rocks. After some decades Guan Yin returned to Fragrant Mountain to continue her meditation.

Guanyin and Shan Tsai

Legend has it that was a disabled boy from India who was very interested in studying the Buddha Dharma. When he heard that there was a Buddhist teacher on the rocky island of Putuo he quickly journeyed there to learn. Upon arriving the island, he managed to find Bodhisattva Guan Yin despite his severe disability.

Guan Yin, after having a discussion with Shan Tsai, decided to test the boy's resolve to fully study the Buddhist teachings. She conjured the illusion of three sword-wielding pirates running up the hill to attack her. Guan Yin took off and dashed off to the edge of a cliff, the three illusions still chasing her.

Shan Tsai, seeing that his teacher was in danger, hobbled uphill. Guan Yin then jumped over the edge of the cliff, and soon after this the three bandits followed. Shan Tsai, still wanting to save his teacher, managed to crawl his way over the cliff edge.

Shan Tsai fell down the cliff but was halted in midair by Guan Yin, who now asked him to walk. Shan Tsai found that he could walk normally and that he was no longer crippled. When he looked into a pool of water he also discovered that he now had a very handsome face. From that day forth, Guan Yin taught Shan Tsai the entire Buddha Dharma.

Guanyin and Lung Nü

Many years after Shan Tsai became a disciple of Guan Yin, a distressing event happened in the South Sea. The sons of one of the Dragon Kings was caught by a fisherman while taking the form of a fish. Being stuck on land, he was unable to transform back into his dragon form. His father, despite being a mighty Dragon King, was unable to do anything while his son was on land. Distressed, the son called out to all of Heaven and Earth.

Hearing this cry, Guan Yin quickly sent Shan Tsai to recover the fish and gave him all the money she had. The fish at this point was about to be sold in the market. It was causing quite a stir as it was alive hours after being caught. This drew a much larger crowd than usual at the market. Many people decided that this prodigious situation meant that eating the fish would grant them immortality, and so all present wanted to buy the fish. Soon a bidding war started, and Shan Tsai was easily outbid.

Shan Tsai begged the fish seller to spare the life of the fish. The crowd, now angry at someone so daring, was about to prise him away from the fish when Guan Yin projected her voice from far away, saying "A life should definitely belong to one who tries to save it, not one who tries to take it."

The crowd realising their shameful actions and desire, dispersed. Shan Tsai brought the fish back to Guan Yin, who promptly returned it to the sea. There the fish transformed back to a dragon and returned home. Paintings of Guan Yin today sometimes portray her holding a fish basket, which represents the aforementioned tale.

But the story does not end here. As a reward for Guan Yin saving his son, the Dragon King sent his granddaughter, a girl called Lung Nü , to present to Guan Yin with the Pearl of Light. The Pearl of Light was a precious jewel owned by the Dragon King that constantly shone. Lung Nü, overwhelmed by the presence of Guan Yin, asked to be her disciple so that she might study the Buddha Dharma. Guan Yin accepted her offer with just one request: that Lung Nü be the new owner of the Pearl of Light.

In popular iconography, Lung Nü and Shan Tsai are often seen alongside Guan Yin as two children. Lung Nü is seen either holding a bowl or an ingot, which represents the Pearl of Light, whereas Shan Tsai is seen with palms joined and knees slightly bent to show that he was once crippled.

Guanyin and Vegetarianism

Due to her symbolising compassion, in East Asia Guan Yin is associated with vegetarianism. are generally decorated with her image, and she appears in most Buddhist vegetarian pamphlets and magazines.

Guanyin in Chinese Buddhism

In Chinese Buddhism, Guanyin/Kuan Yin/Kannon/Kwannon is synonymous with the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the pinnacle of mercy and compassion. Among the Chinese, Avalokitesvara is almost exclusively called ''Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa'' . The Chinese translation of many Buddhist sutras has in fact replaced the Chinese transliteration of Avalokitesvara with ''Guan Shi Yin'' Some Taoist scriptures give her the title of ''Guan Yin Da Shi'', and sometimes informally as ''Guan Yin Fo Zu''.

In Chinese Buddhism, the popular myth and worship of Guan Yin as a goddess by the populace is generally not viewed to be in conflict with the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara's nature. In fact the widespread worship of Guan Yin as a "Goddess of Mercy and Compassion" is seen as the boundless salvific nature of bodhisattva Avalokitesvara at work. The Buddhist canon states that bodhisattvas can assume whatsoever gender and form is needed to liberate beings from ignorance and dukkha. With specific reference to Avalokitesvara, he is stated both in the Lotus Sutra and the Surangama Sutra to have appeared before as a woman or a goddess to save beings from suffering and ignorance. Some Buddhist schools refer to Guan Yin both as male and female interchangeably.

Also in Mahayana Buddhism, to which Chinese Buddhism belongs, gender is no obstacle to Enlightenment. The Buddhist concept of non-duality applies here. The Vimalakirti Sutra in the Goddess chapter clearly illustrates an Enlightened being who is also a female and deity. In the Lotus Sutra a maiden became Enlightened in a very short time span. That bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is also the goddess Guan Yin is not seen as contradictory.

Given that bodhisattvas are known to incarnate at will as living people according to the sutras, the princess Miao Shan is generally viewed as an incarnation of Avalokitesvara.

Guanyin is immensely popular among Chinese Buddhists, especially those from devotional schools. She is generally seen as a source of unconditional love and more importantly as a savior. In her bodhisattva vows, Guan Yin promises to answer the cries and pleas of all beings and to liberate all beings from their own karmic woes. Based upon the Lotus Sutra and the Shurangama sutra, Avalokitesvara is generally seen as a savior, both spiritually and physically. The sutras state that through his saving grace even those who have no chance of being Enlightened can be Enlightened, and those deep in negative karma can still find salvation through his compassion.

In Pure Land Buddhism, Guan Yin is described as the "Bark of Salvation". Along with Amitabha Buddha and the bodhisattva Mahastamaprata, She temporarily liberates beings out of the Wheel of Samsara into the Pure Land, where they will have the chance to accrue the necessary merit so as to be a Buddha in one lifetime.

Even among Chinese Buddhist schools that are non-devotional, Guan Yin is still highly venerated. Instead of being seen as an active external force of unconditional love and salvation, the personage of Guan Yin is highly revered as the principle of compassion, mercy and love. The act, thought and feeling of compassion and love is viewed as Guan Yin. A merciful, compassionate, loving individual is said to be Guan Yin. A meditative or contemplative state of being at peace with oneself and others is seen as Guan Yin.

In the Mahayana canon, the Heart Sutra is ascribed entirely to the bodhisattva Kuan Yin/Kwannon. This is unique, as most Mahayana Sutras are usually ascribed to Shakyamuni Buddha and the teachings, deeds or vows of the bodhisattvas are described by Shakyamuni Buddha. In the Heart Sutra, Guan Yin/Avalokitesvara describes to the Arhat Sariputra the nature of reality and the essence of the Buddhist teachings. The famous Buddhist saying "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form" comes from this sutra.

Guanyin and Chinese Folk Belief

Guan Yin is an extremely popular Goddess in Chinese folk belief and is worshiped in Chinese communities throughout East and South East Asia. Guan Yin is revered in the general Chinese population due to her unconditional love, compassion and mercy. She is generally regarded by many as the protector of women and children. By this association she is also seen as a fertility goddess capable of granting children. She is also seen as the champion of the unfortunate, the sick, the disabled, the poor, and those in trouble. Some coastal and river areas of China regard her as the protector of fishermen, sailors, and generally people who are out at sea, thus many also come to believe that , the Taoist goddess of the sea, is a manifestation of Guan Yin. Due to her association with the legend of the Great Flood where she sent down a dog filled with rice grains in its tail after the flood, she is worshiped as a rice goddess. In some quarters, especially among business people and traders, she is looked upon as a Goddess of Luck and Fortune. In recent years there have been claims of her being the protector of air travelers.

Guanyin and the Virgin Mary

Some Christian observers have commented on the similarity between Guan Yin and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Christianity, the mother of Jesus Christ. The Tzu-Chi Foundation, a Taiwanese Buddhist organization, also noticing the similarity, commissioned a portrait of Guan Yin and a baby that resembles the typical Roman Catholic Madonna and Child painting.

Some Chinese of the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Philippines, in an act of syncretism, have identified Guan Yin with the Virgin Mary.

During the Edo Period in Japan, when Christianity was banned and punishable by death, some underground Christian groups venerated the Virgin Mary disguised as a statue of Kannon; such statues are known as ''''. Many had a cross hidden in an inconspicuous location.

Guanyin in popular culture

* Guan Yin plays a central role in the plot of the classic Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''.

* A space probe called ''Kuan-Yin'' features in the 1982 science fiction novel ''Voyage from Yesteryear'' by .

* The name of the Japanese company Canon Inc. derives from the Japanese name of the deity.

* Her birthday, the 19th day of 2nd lunar month , based on Chinese calendar is a .

* She is played by Gloria Yip in the 2005 television miniseries, ''Magic Sword of Heaven and Earth''.

* In the Japanese anime Gensoumaden Saiyuki, Guan Yin appears as Kanzeon Bosatsu, the Goddess of Mercy, who watches over the four on their Journey to the West.

Gong Gong

Gong Gong is a Chinese water god who is responsible for the great floods, together with his associate, Xiang Yao , who has nine heads and the body of a snake. In Chinese mythology, Gong Gong was ashamed that he lost the fight to claim the throne of Heaven and in a fit of rage he smashed his head against Mount Buzhou , a pillar holding up the sky. The pillar suffered great damage and caused the sky to tilt towards the northwest and the earth to shift to the southeast. This caused great floods and suffering to the people. Nüwa , an important and benevolent goddess, cut off the legs of a giant tortoise and used them to supplant the fallen pillar and alleviate the situation, but she was unable to fully correct the tilted sky. This explains the phenomenon that sun, moon, and stars move towards the northwest, and that rivers in China flow southeast into the Pacific Ocean.