Records of the Three Kingdoms
Guan Yu, courtesy name Yunchang, was from Xie in Hedong. He came to Zhuo as a fugitive and then followed Liu Bei. Chen Shou says he and Zhang Fei were each a match for ten thousand, and that Guan Yu was hard and proud: good to the soldiers, arrogant toward the officers and gentlemen.
In 200, while Liu Bei was with Yuan Shao, Guan Yu served for a time under Cao Cao. At Baima he saw Yan Liang’s standard, rode in, and killed him in the middle of the host. Cao Cao memorialized him as Marquis of Hanshou precinct. Guan Yu sealed up the gifts, left a letter, and went to Liu Bei. Cao Cao forbade pursuit.
After Liu Bei took Yi, Guan Yu held Jing. In 219 he attacked Cao Ren at Fan. The Han rose, drowned Yu Jin’s seven armies, and Guan Yu captured Yu Jin and killed Pang De. Lü Meng pleaded illness, had Lu Xun lull Guan Yu, and then took Jiangling. Guan Yu fell back on Maicheng, was captured, and was killed. Sun Quan sent the head to Cao Cao. The lunar winter of Jian’an 24 is already 220 in the Common Era.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Killing Hua Xiong while the wine is warm, the ride of a thousand li, the five passes and six officers, the release of Cao Cao on Huarong Road, and the scraping of the bone are scenes of the novel. On Huarong Road he lets Cao Cao go, so that the book can complete the word “duty.”
The flood of the seven armies and the retreat to Maicheng remain. The novel adds his pride beforehand: he refuses a marriage with Sun Quan and slights Lu Xun’s letter. The apparition at Jade Spring Mountain belongs to the cult that came later. The imperial titles of the Ming and Qing are later canonization, not offices of the Jian’an years.
Reference: Wikipedia · Guan Yu