Guan Yu 關羽

His original courtesy name was Changsheng. He fled his home district for Zhuo Commandery, and when Liu Bei gathered followers in his home village, he and Zhang Fei served as his guards. When Liu Bei became Chancellor of Pingyuan, the two were made Majors of Separate Command (biebu sima), each leading a share of the troops. Liu Bei treated them like brothers, even sharing a bed with them, and in crowded gatherings Guan Yu stood in attendance at Liu Bei's side all day long. Records, Shu 6 §2

After Liu Bei killed Che Zhou, Inspector of Xu Province, he had Guan Yu hold the city of Xiapi and act as its Administrator. In the 5th year of Jian'an (200), when Cao Cao marched east and Liu Bei fled to Yuan Shao, Cao Cao captured Guan Yu, made him Lieutenant General (pian jiangjun), and treated him generously. When Yuan Shao's general Yan Liang attacked Baima, Guan Yu went out in the vanguard with Zhang Liao, stabbed Yan Liang in the midst of his vast army, and came back with his head. Cao Cao promptly memorialized the throne to enfeoff him as Marquis of Hanshou Precinct. Records, Shu 6 §3–5

Cao Cao, sensing that Guan Yu had no intention of staying long, had Zhang Liao sound out his true feelings. Guan Yu replied that he knew well how generously Cao Cao treated him, but that he had sworn to die together with General Liu and could not betray him; he would leave only after repaying that kindness with a deed of merit. After slaying Yan Liang, Guan Yu sealed up all the gifts he had received, submitted a letter of farewell, and went to Liu Bei in Yuan Shao's camp. Cao Cao stopped those around him who wanted to give chase, saying, "Each serves his own master." Records, Shu 6 §5–6

He followed Liu Bei to take refuge with Liu Biao. When Liu Biao died and Cao Cao pacified Jing Province, Liu Bei, about to cross the river southward from Fan, sent Guan Yu separately with several hundred boats to meet him at Jiangling. Pursued by Cao Cao at Changban, Liu Bei veered off toward Hanjin, met Guan Yu's boats, and reached Xiakou with him. Later, when Liu Bei took the commanderies south of the Yangtze, Guan Yu became Administrator of Xiangyang and General Who Sweeps Away Bandits (dangkou jiangjun), stationed north of the river, and after Liu Bei pacified Yi Province he was put in overall charge of the affairs of Jing Province. Records, Shu 6 §7–8

When Ma Chao came over and surrendered, Guan Yu wrote to Zhuge Liang asking whom Ma Chao could be compared with. Knowing that Guan Yu hated to be outdone, Zhuge Liang replied that Ma Chao could race Zhang Fei for the lead but still fell short of the peerless excellence of "the Bearded One." Guan Yu, who had a fine beard, was delighted and showed the letter to his guests. An old wound where an arrow had pierced his left arm also ached whenever the weather turned gloomy, and a physician said the arm had to be cut open and the bone scraped to draw out the poison. Guan Yu held out his arm for the operation at a meal he was sharing with his generals, and though blood filled the platters and bowls, he carved his meat, drank his wine, and laughed and talked as calmly as ever. The Records gave neither the physician's name nor when this took place. Records, Shu 6 §8–9

In the 24th year of Jian'an (219), when Liu Bei became King of Hanzhong, Guan Yu was made General of the Front (qian jiangjun) and granted the tally and axe. That year he attacked Cao Ren at Fancheng; the autumn rains made the Han River overflow, and all seven armies under Yu Jin, who had come to the rescue, were submerged. Yu Jin surrendered and Guan Yu beheaded Pang De. Even distant bands of brigands accepted Guan Yu's seals, and his might shook the Central Plains so that Cao Cao went as far as to discuss moving the capital from Xu. At this point Sima Yi and Jiang Ji argued that Sun Quan would not want Guan Yu to succeed, and proposed promising Sun Quan a fief carved from the land south of the Yangtze so that he would strike Guan Yu from behind; Cao Cao followed this advice. Records, Shu 6 §10–11

Earlier, when Sun Quan had asked for Guan Yu's daughter as a bride for his son, Guan Yu had insulted the envoy and refused. Moreover, Mi Fang, Administrator of Nan Commandery at Jiangling, and Shi Ren, the general at Gong'an, had long felt that Guan Yu looked down on them; when Guan Yu took the field they supplied his army but did not do their utmost to help. When Guan Yu said he would deal with them on his return, the two grew afraid, and when Sun Quan secretly enticed them, they sent men to welcome Sun Quan in. When Xu Huang came to relieve Cao Ren, Guan Yu, unable to prevail, withdrew; meanwhile Sun Quan had taken Jiangling and captured the wives and children of his soldiers, and Guan Yu's army scattered. Records, Shu 6 §11–12

Guan Yu fell back to Maicheng, feigned surrender, and slipped away, leaving banners and dummies standing on the walls, but his troops scattered until only ten-odd horsemen remained. In the 12th month, Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang, sent ahead by Sun Quan, had cut off the roads, and Pan Zhang's major Ma Zhong captured Guan Yu at Zhangxiang together with his son Guan Ping and the commander (dudu) Zhao Lei. Guan Yu was beheaded at Linju along with Guan Ping. He was posthumously titled Marquis Zhuangmiu, and his son Guan Xing succeeded him. Records, Wu 2 §27–28Records, Shu 6 §12–13

In his assessment, Chen Shou called Guan Yu and Zhang Fei both a match for ten thousand men and tiger-like servants of their age. He held that Guan Yu's repaying Cao Cao with a deed of merit showed the bearing of a man of national distinction, but wrote that his failing through his shortcomings, being unbending and self-important, was only in the natural order of things. Records, Shu 6 §44