Guan Yu
Guan Yu (? – 220) was a Chinese general. He helped Liu Bei to fight the dynasty of Wei, which had seized the throne from the last Han emperor. He was also the best friend of Zhang Fei, another warrior of Liu Bei.
They conquered the Southwest of China and founded a Dynasty named Shu Han because Liu Bei claimed to be the rightful heir of the Han Dynasty. They also battled with Eastern Wu, another Chinese dynasty at the time, and during one of the battles, Guan Yu was captured by the Wu general Lü Meng and executed by Sun Quan, along with his son Guan Ping.
In later centuries, Guan Yu became a Chinese deity and was given the name Guan Gong, meaning "Lord Guan."
Guan Yu Media
A mural of Guan Yu's "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles" (千里走單騎) in the Summer Palace, Beijing.
Guan Yu captures Pang De, as depicted in a Ming dynasty painting by Shang Xi, c. 1430.
Wooden statue of Guan Yu in mountain pattern armour, 16th c. Ming dynasty
Bronze statue of Guan Yu in mountain pattern armour, Ming dynasty
Baling Qiao, mural illustration of Guan Yu Studying Spring and Autumn Annals of Confucius
illustration of Guan Yu by Yashima Gakutei in the Chester Beatty Library
Multi-story-high statue of Guan Yu at Jinguashi
Guan Yu (lower left) as a subject in a Shuilu ritual painting depicting martyred generals