Guandi Temple

This shrine enshrines the spirit of Guan Yu, a hero of the Shu Han Dynasty in China. These shrines can be found throughout China, including his birthplace of Xie County, Shanxi Province, as well as in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Japan and other areas where overseas Chinese live. Guan Yu was a brave general who was loyal and fond of classic Chinese texts. He met an untimely end without fulfilling his pact with Liu Bei, so people built a shrine to appease his vengeful spirit. The royal families of the Tang and Song dynasties praised Guan Yu's bravery, gradually giving him titles such as Marquis of Guan Souting, Duke of Zhong Hui, Righteous and Brave King of Yingji of Zhuangmiao, and Great Emperor of the Three Realms, Divine Power, Far-Reaching Heavenly Venerable, Guandi, Sacred Lord. Guan Yu was also called the Master of Shanxi and the Great Emperor Co-Existing with Heaven. He was later deified as a god of war, a god of subjugating demons, a god of wealth (god of commerce), and the patron deity of societies and halls. In Yuquan Mountain, Dangyang County, Hubei Province, he is the temple deity who protects Buddhism. Belief in Guandi is also popular among the common people, and the "Sankai Hikuma Guandi Sacred Lord, Loyalty, Filial Piety, and Righteousness True Classic" in the "Dao-zang Jiyao," "Guandi Joshi True Classic" and "Guandi Ming Sheng True Classic" are famous as good books (recommended good books) that record Guandi's prophecies. In the Guandi Temple, there is a statue of Guandi with red face and beautiful beard, accompanied by Guan Ping and Zhou Cang, and some places have his beloved horse, Red Hare, placed there.

[Masami Harada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、蜀漢(しょくかん)の英雄関羽(かんう)の神霊を祀(まつ)る廟。出生地の山西省解県はもとより、中国全地にあり、また台湾、東南アジア、日本その他の華僑(かきょう)の居住地にもこの廟が存する。関羽は勇将で、信義に厚く、また経書を好んだとされ、劉備(りゅうび)との盟約を達成しないまま非業(ひごう)の最期を遂げたので、人々はその怨霊(おんりょう)を鎮めるために廟を建てた。唐・宋(そう)以後の王室は関羽の義勇をたたえ、関寿亭侯(かんじゅていこう)、忠恵公、壮繆義勇武安英済王(そうびゅうぎゆうぶあんえいせいおう)、三界伏魔大帝神威遠鎮天尊関帝聖君(さんがいふくまたいていしんいえんちんてんそんかんていせいくん)としだいに称号が加わった。また、関羽は山西夫子(さんせいふし)とも協天(きょうてん)大帝ともよばれる。のちに神格化され武神、伏魔神、財神（商業神）となり、結社、会館の守護神ともなった。湖北省当陽県玉泉山では仏法を守る伽藍(がらん)神となっている。民衆の間でも関帝信仰は盛んで、『道蔵輯要』中の『三界伏魔関帝聖君忠孝忠義真経』や、『関帝覚世真経(かくせいしんきょう)』『関帝明聖真経』など関帝のお告げを記す善書(ぜんしょ)（勧善書）も有名である。関帝廟には、関平と周倉とを従えた朱面美髯(びぜん)の関帝像があり、愛馬の赤兎(せきと)を置く所もある。

［原田正己］

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