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A Chinese Biographical Dictionary

of Lin Pel. The three were sent off to the capital; and while on the journey thither, Ts'ao Ts'ao is said to have put Knan Yfl*8 fidelity to the test by allotting to his prisoners only one sleeping- apartment. Thereupon Knan Y^ remained standing all night at the door of the room with a lighted candle in his hand. In order to secure his services, Ts'ao Ts'ao loaded him with honours. He ennobled him as Marquis, and gave him many valuable presents. In spite of all this, Kuan YH remained faithful to Liu Pei and took an early opportunity of returning to his old chief. Before he left, he had an opportunity of showing that he was not ungrateful. When Yaan Shao's forces attacked Ts'ao Ts'ao, Kuan Yfl slew 顔良 Yen Liang, their foremost warrior; and from the soldiers' description of the terrible red-faced man with a long beard, Lin Pei, who was then with Yüan Shao, recognised the features of his sworn brother. From that time he fought steadily under the baaner of Liu Pei in the numerous campaigns which the latter was forced to carry on before his position as ruler of Shu was definitely secure; but at length after many battles and sieges, he was captured by Sun Ch'uan and put to death. Long celebrated as the most renowned of China's military heroes, he was ennobled early in the 12th century as Duke; in 1128 he was raised to the rank of Prince; and in 1594 he was made a 帝 God. Since that date he has received regular worship as 關帝 or 武帝 the God of War, and as 神武關漢?帝 and temples have been built all over the empire in his honour. He has also been highly honoured in Korea ever since the 16th century, when he is supposed to have frightened away the Japanese invaders. He is popularly known as 關老爺 or 關公, and as 美髯公. His present official title is 關聖帝君, and he is sometimes styled 協天大帝.

1010 Kuang Hsü Born A.D. 1871. The title of the reign of