Loyal warrior still admired to this day

An opera performer plays Guan Gong during a cultural festival at the Xiezhou Temple of Emperor Guan. HU XUGUANG / FOR CHINA DAILY

The Xiezhou Temple of Emperor Guan is the largest temple for Guan Gong in China. LI CHENGJIN / FOR CHINA DAILY

The worship of the ancient general Guan Yu is so prevalent throughout the country that a Chinese saying goes: "Every village has a temple of Guan Gong."

Guan Gong is a reverent term of address for Guan Yu, a general in the period spanning the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and the Three Kingdoms (220-280).