Treasure
Lvjin Zhanpao 綠錦戰袍
About this item
The Lvjin Zhanpao (Green Brocade Battle Robe) is, in the Romance, the green brocade battle robe worn by Guan Yu. In Chapter 25 of the Romance, Guan Yu says this robe was given to him by Liu Bei, and when Cao Cao has a new robe made for him, he wears that one underneath and puts this old robe on over it. At Guan Yu's words that wearing it is like seeing his elder brother's face, Cao Cao sighs that he is truly a righteous man, but at heart he is in fact displeased. Romance, Ch. 25 §25–26
The Lvjin Zhanpao does not appear in Chen Shou's text or in Pei Songzhi's commentary. The Biographies of Guan, Zhang, Ma, Huang and Zhao in Records of Shu 6 record only that Cao Cao treated Guan Yu with great courtesy and that, when Guan Yu left, he sealed up everything he had received. In the Romance the name Lvjin Zhanpao appears in a single passage of Chapter 25. Records, Shu 6 §4 · 6Romance, Ch. 25 §25
In the Romance
In Chapter 25 of the Romance, Guan Yu, staying with Cao Cao, lodges his two sisters-in-law behind the inner gate and once every three days bows outside the gate to ask after their well-being. One day Cao Cao, seeing that the green brocade battle robe Guan Yu is wearing has grown old, has his measurements taken and has a battle robe made for him from rare brocade. Guan Yu accepts it and wears it underneath his clothes, but over it he still wears the old robe. Romance, Ch. 25 §24–25
When Cao Cao laughs and asks why Yunchang is so frugal, Guan Yu answers that it is not frugality: the old robe was given to him by Imperial Uncle Liu, and wearing it is like seeing his elder brother's face; he wears it on top because he cannot let the Chancellor's new gift make him forget what his elder brother gave him long ago. Cao Cao sighs, "Truly a righteous man!", but he praises him only with his mouth and is displeased at heart. Later as well, the Romance depicts Guan Yu in Chapter 66, coming by boat to meet Lu Su, in a blue headcloth and a green robe, and in Chapter 74, before the north gate of Fancheng, in a breastplate with his green robe slipped off one shoulder. Romance, Ch. 25 §25–26Romance, Ch. 66 §21Romance, Ch. 74 §42
Where the Romance differs
Cao Cao's gift: In Chapter 25 of the Romance, Guan Yu wears the new robe Cao Cao had made for him underneath and the old robe Liu Bei gave him on top, saying that he does not forget his elder brother's past kindness. In the Biographies of Guan, Zhang, Ma, Huang and Zhao in the Records, Cao Cao made Guan Yu Lieutenant General and treated him with great courtesy, and Guan Yu told Zhang Liao that he had received General Liu's deep kindness and had sworn to die with him. After Guan Yu beheaded Yan Liang, Cao Cao heaped rewards on him, but Guan Yu sealed up everything he had received and left with a letter of farewell; nothing passes between them concerning a battle robe. Romance, Ch. 25 §25Records, Shu 6 §4–6
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Ownership history
| Owner | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Guan Yu | Romance 「操見關公所穿綠錦戰袍已舊」 · 「舊袍乃劉皇叔所賜」 |
Ownership is checked against the source texts (3KDEX) — each entry rests on the passage where the item changes hands. Owners not in the People index are not shown.