book of the _Story of the Three Kingdoms_, a romance in which every
Chinese who can read takes keen delight. Kuan Yü remained faithful to
his oath, even though tempted with a marquisate by the great Ts'ao
Ts'ao, but he was at length captured by Sun Ch'üan and put to death
(A.D. 219). Long celebrated as the most renowned of China's military
heroes, he was ennobled in A.D. 1120 as Faithful and Loyal Duke. Eight
years later he had conferred on him by letters patent the still more
glorious title of Magnificent Prince and Pacificator. The Emperor Wên
(A.D. 1330-3) of the Yüan dynasty added the appellation Warrior Prince
and Civilizer, and, finally, the Emperor Wan Li of the Ming dynasty,
in 1594, conferred on him the title of Faithful and Loyal Great _Ti_,
Supporter of Heaven and Protector of the Kingdom. He thus became a god,
a _ti_, and has ever since received worship as Kuan Ti or Wu Ti, the
God of War. Temples (1600 State temples and thousands of smaller ones)
erected in his honour are to be seen in all parts of the country. He
is one of the most popular gods of China. During the last half-century
of the Manchu Period his fame greatly increased. In 1856 he is said
to have appeared in the heavens and successfully turned the tide of
battle in favour of the Imperialists. His portrait hangs in every tent,
but his worship is not confined to the officials and the army, for
many trades and professions have elected him as a patron saint. The
sword of the public executioner used to be kept within the precincts
of his temple, and after an execution the presiding magistrate would
stop there to worship for fear the ghost of the criminal might follow
him home. He knew that the spirit would not dare to enter Kuan Ti's
presence.

Thus the Chinese have no fewer than three gods of literature--perhaps
not too many for so literary a people. A fourth, a Taoist god, will
be mentioned later.