Guan Xing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese: | 关兴 |
| Traditional Chinese: | 關興 |
| Pinyin: | Guān Xìng |
| Wade-Giles: | Kuan Hsing |
| Zi: | Anguo (安國) |
Guan Xing (circa. 199 - 220) was the second son of the 3rd century Chinese military general Guan Yu and the younger brother of Guan Ping. He succeeded his father when both Guan Yu and Guan Ping were captured and executed by forces of the Kingdom of Wu in 219. Since young, Guan Xing had been favored by Zhuge Liang, chancellor of the Kingdom of Shu. When he turned nineteen, he was given a military post but he died within years, due to an undocumented cause.
[edit] Guan Xing in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a 14th century historical novel by Luo Guanzhong, was a romanticization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms period. Incorporating Chinese folklore, the author gave Guan Xing's character much more significance.
In Chapter 81, Guan Xing was said to have competed with Zhang Bao, son of Zhang Fei, over the commandership of the vanguard force to attack the Kingdom of Wu to avenge their fathers. Liu Bei, emperor of the Kingdom of Shu, then bade them to swear to be brothers just as he did with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei many years ago. The newly sworn brothers, Zhang Bao a year elder, were then ordered to jointly aid Wu Ban (吴班), who would lead the vanguard. Henceforth the brothers rarely appeared without each other.
In Chapter 83, Guan Xing successfully slew Pan Zhang (潘璋), commander of the division that previously captured Guan Yu. It was written that Guan Yu's ghost had made Pan Zhang freeze in fear, allowing Guan Xing to slay him. In doing so, he retrieved his father's weapon, the Green Dragon Crescent Moon Sabre. Later, when Mi Fang and Fu Shiren, two former Kingdom of Shu officers who defected to the Kingdom of Wu and directly caused the death of Guan Yu, surrendered to Liu Bei again, Liu Bei refused to forgive them and ordered Guan Xing to execute the pair before an altar dedicated to Guan Yu.
In Chapter 91, Guan Xing was appointed Commander of the Left Guard (帳前左護衛使) and titled Soaring Dragon General (龍驤將軍). He then followed Prime Minister Zhuge Liang on the Northern Expeditions against the Kingdom of Wei. He eventually died of sickness in Chapter 102.
[edit] References
- Chen Shou (2002). San Guo Zhi. Yue Lu Shu She. ISBN 7-80665-198-5.
- Luo Guanzhong (1986). San Guo Yan Yi. Yue Lu Shu She. ISBN 7-80520-013-0.
- Lo Kuan-chung; tr. C.H. Brewitt-Taylor (2002). Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3467-9.
