Guan Gong spirit resonates with youth worldwide

Yuncheng, China (ANTARA/PRNewswire)- A news report from chinadaily.com.cn:

While delving into the essence of traditional Chinese medicine on the Chinese mainland, Lo Chin-Ying, a 24-year-old student from Taiwan, continually reflects on the enduring spirit of loyalty and righteousness embodied by Guan Gong.

For many Taiwan compatriots, the belief in Guan Gong carries a profound emotional connection.

"In Taiwan, Guan Gong culture has long been integrated into everyday life," Lo, a master's student at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, said at the International Youth Dialogue on Loyalty and Honor Without Borders. "Many people visit Guandi temples to pray for blessings when opening businesses, taking exams or moving homes."

Guan Gong, also known as Guandi, or Emperor Guan, is the honorific title of Guan Yu, a general of the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) who is revered as a symbol of loyalty and righteousness.

Zhang Xuanjie, a 34-year-old native of Yuncheng who was the champion of the 2011 Miss Tourism World China Finals and International Communication Ambassador for Yuncheng, is deeply involved in the innovative promotion of Guan Gong culture, striving to adapt the ancient culture of loyalty and righteousness to appeal to young people's aesthetics and integrate it into modern life.

"My team is dedicated to developing Guan Gong-themed cultural and creative products, embedding the traditional virtues of loyalty, filial piety, propriety and righteousness into various cultural and creative mediums and daily social interactions," she said.

"Guan Gong is the spiritual core deeply rooted in Yuncheng's bloodline, and it is also our cultural confidence as we reach out to the world," she added.

The influence of Guan Gong belief has extended to the whole world, becoming a spiritual bond that unites Chinese people globally.

Currently, there are over 30,000 Guandi temples and Guan Gong halls in at least 168 countries and regions worldwide.

In Chinese communities in countries like the United States, Singapore, and Thailand, Guandi temples and shrines are commonly seen.

Dylan Austin Walker, a US youth representative based in China, noted that Guan Gong is a highly inclusive cultural symbol in the Chinese communities in the US.

"Despite generational differences, diverse origins, and varying lifestyles, overseas Chinese feel a sense of shared roots and genuine reverence when standing before a statue of Guan Gong," he said.

Leveraging digital means, Guan Gong culture is continually bursting with new vitality.