Guan Sheng
Encyclopedia
Guan Sheng is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 5th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Great Blade".
. He bears a resemblance in appearance to his ancestor, standing at eight chi
and five or six cun, with a long beard, long eyebrows and eyes like those of a phoenix's. He brandishes a Blue Dragon Crescent Moon Blade similar to the one used by his ancestor and has a reputation for being versed in military strategy. He serves the imperial court as a general in Pudong District.
When the Liangshan
outlaws attack Daming Prefecture
(in present-day Handan
) to rescue Lu Junyi
and Shi Xiu
, Cai Jing
recommends Guan Sheng to lead the imperial army to attack the outlaws. Guan Sheng employs the tactic of "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao", by attacking the outlaws' base at Liangshan, forcing them to lift the siege on Daming Prefecture. He is flanked by his deputies Xuan Zan
and Hao Siwen. Zhang Heng
, one of the leaders of the Liangshan navy, attempts to ambush Guan Sheng by sneaking into his camp at night but is quickly detected by the vigilant general and captured.
is impressed with Guan Sheng's might and is eager to have him join the Liangshan cause of "delivering justice on Heaven's behalf". He sends Huyan Zhuo to pretend to be a turncoat and lure Guan Sheng into an ambush. Guan Sheng falls for the ruse and brings only a few men with him to meet Huyan Zhuo, armed with only a bow and arrows. He is captured in the ambush and decides to join Liangshan after being persuaded by Song Jiang. He becomes one of Liangshan's Five Tiger Generals
later.
Emperor Huizong sends Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo to eliminate the outlaws after Guan Sheng's defection. Eager to prove his loyalty, Guan Sheng volunteers to lead the attack on the imperial army, along with Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen, who have also joined Liangshan. Unexpectedly, the first battle ends in disaster when both Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen are captured by the enemy. Guan Sheng confronts Shan Tinggui outside Lingzhou
, where the two engage in man-to-man combat. Guan Sheng feigns defeat and retreats with Shan Tinggui following closely behind him, then he suddenly turns around and knocks Shan off his horse, capturing him. Shan Tinggui is later persuaded into joining Liangshan and he in turn successfully persuades Wei Dingguo to join Liangshan as well.
invaders and rebel forces after the Liangshan outlaws have been granted amnesty by the emperor. He is one of the few survivors after the campaigns and returns to be reinstated as an imperial general in recognition of his contributions. One day after training his cavalry, Guan Sheng becomes drunk and falls off his horse. He becomes ill and dies not long later.
Water Margin
Water Margin , also known as Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes, or The Marshes of Mount Liang, is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.Attributed to Shi Nai'an and written in vernacular Chinese, the story, set in the Song Dynasty,...
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
Four Great Classical Novels
The Four Great Classical Novels, or the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly regarded by scholars to be the greatest and most influential of pre-modern Chinese fiction. Dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, they are well known to most Chinese readers...
of Chinese literature
Chinese literature
Chinese literature extends thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novels that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese...
. He ranks 5th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Great Blade".
Background
Guan Sheng is a direct descendant of Guan YuGuan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
. He bears a resemblance in appearance to his ancestor, standing at eight chi
Chi (unit)
The chi is a traditional Chinese unit of length, approximately equal to one foot. Its length is derived from the length of human forearm and has first appeared during the Shang Dynasty approximately 3000 years ago. Since then it has spread to and adopted by other East Asian cultures, such as...
and five or six cun, with a long beard, long eyebrows and eyes like those of a phoenix's. He brandishes a Blue Dragon Crescent Moon Blade similar to the one used by his ancestor and has a reputation for being versed in military strategy. He serves the imperial court as a general in Pudong District.
When the Liangshan
Mount Liang
Mount Liang is a mountain in Liangshan County, Shandong province, China which rises to 197.9 m above sea level. It is well known as the stronghold of the 108 legendary Song Dynasty heroes of the classic Chinese novel Water Margin...
outlaws attack Daming Prefecture
Daming County
Daming County is a county of Hebei, China. It is under the administration of Handan city.-Administrative Divisions:Daming County has 6 towns and 14 townships.Towns:...
(in present-day Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
) to rescue Lu Junyi
Lu Junyi
Lu Junyi is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 2nd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Jade Unicorn"...
and Shi Xiu
Shi Xiu
Shi Xiu is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 33rd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Daredevil Third Brother".-Background:...
, Cai Jing
Cai Jing
Cai Jing , style name Yuanchang , was a government official and calligrapher who lived during the Northern Song Dynasty. Cai Jing is also featured as one of the antagonists and nemesis of the 108 Liangshan heroes in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese...
recommends Guan Sheng to lead the imperial army to attack the outlaws. Guan Sheng employs the tactic of "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao", by attacking the outlaws' base at Liangshan, forcing them to lift the siege on Daming Prefecture. He is flanked by his deputies Xuan Zan
Xuan Zan
Xuan Zan is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 40th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 4th of the 72 Earthly Fiends...
and Hao Siwen. Zhang Heng
Zhang Heng (Water Margin)
Zhang Heng is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 28th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Boatman".-Background:...
, one of the leaders of the Liangshan navy, attempts to ambush Guan Sheng by sneaking into his camp at night but is quickly detected by the vigilant general and captured.
Becoming an outlaw
Song JiangSong Jiang
Song Jiang was the leader of a group of outlaws who lived during the Song Dynasty. The outlaws were active in the present-day provinces of Shandong and Henan before their eventual surrender to the government. Song Jiang is also featured as a character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great...
is impressed with Guan Sheng's might and is eager to have him join the Liangshan cause of "delivering justice on Heaven's behalf". He sends Huyan Zhuo to pretend to be a turncoat and lure Guan Sheng into an ambush. Guan Sheng falls for the ruse and brings only a few men with him to meet Huyan Zhuo, armed with only a bow and arrows. He is captured in the ambush and decides to join Liangshan after being persuaded by Song Jiang. He becomes one of Liangshan's Five Tiger Generals
Five Tiger Generals
The Five Tiger Generals is a popular appellation in Chinese culture for any five military generals serving under a ruler. This term is used in literature texts, plays and popular culture. In the historical context, "Five Tiger Generals" usually refers to the five best military generals serving...
later.
Emperor Huizong sends Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo to eliminate the outlaws after Guan Sheng's defection. Eager to prove his loyalty, Guan Sheng volunteers to lead the attack on the imperial army, along with Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen, who have also joined Liangshan. Unexpectedly, the first battle ends in disaster when both Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen are captured by the enemy. Guan Sheng confronts Shan Tinggui outside Lingzhou
Lingzhou
Lingzhou may refer to:*菱洲 - a famous park in Nanjing *灵洲山 - a mountain in Guangdong, China*灵州 - the old name of Lingwu, China...
, where the two engage in man-to-man combat. Guan Sheng feigns defeat and retreats with Shan Tinggui following closely behind him, then he suddenly turns around and knocks Shan off his horse, capturing him. Shan Tinggui is later persuaded into joining Liangshan and he in turn successfully persuades Wei Dingguo to join Liangshan as well.
Death
Guan Sheng participates in the campaigns against the LiaoLiao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
invaders and rebel forces after the Liangshan outlaws have been granted amnesty by the emperor. He is one of the few survivors after the campaigns and returns to be reinstated as an imperial general in recognition of his contributions. One day after training his cavalry, Guan Sheng becomes drunk and falls off his horse. He becomes ill and dies not long later.