“Highlights” of over 690 Guan Gong Works from 17 Countries and Regions

China News Agency August 14 (reporter Ai Qiping): in order to pass down the spirit of “Loyalty and Humanity, Braveness and Honesty” of China Guan Gong culture, Hong Kong World Guan Gong Culture Association, USA New York Council of Guandi Temples, World Guan Clan Federation, World Guan Gong Culture Website have begun to collect Guandi image works from the world since March this year. So far, the sponsor has received over 690 Guan Gong works from 17 countries and regions as well as 22 provinces from Chinese Mainland.

As a Chinese “Wusheng”, the images of Guan Gong are radiant splendid all over the world. The Guan Gong works collected this time include Guan Gong statues at home and from overseas casted with gold, silver and bronze, art treasures of Chinese painting master Fan Zeng, member of the national committee of CPPCC Wang Guoxin, oil painter Wang Kewei, sculptor She Guoping, Guandi icons consecrated at Guandi Temples all over the world, as well as various precious woodcarvings, bamboo carvings, jade carvings, paper-cuts, etc. 
Mr. Zhu Zhengming, vice secretary-general of Hubei Overseas Friendship Association and secretary-general of World Guan Gong Culture Association, introduced that the sponsor currently had received Guan Gong works from 17 countries and regions, such as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, America, Canada, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Mauritius, Mozambique, etc. and 22 provinces of Chinese Mainland, and more than 220 excellent works had been issued on World Guan Gong Culture Web www.guangong.hk. 
As an expert on Guandi Culture, Mr. Zhu Zhengming spent many years in travelling the world and has taken a large number of Guandi pictures. He said，“People are supported by the land where they live ”，and each people over the world had a Guandi image that he was familiar with and identified. For example, Guan Gong in Guandi Temple of Jingzhou, Hubei has slender waist and is thin, which embodies the connotation of Chu culture “People of state Chu prefer slender waist”, etc. However, the ancient capital of nine dynasties Luoyang regards plumpness as beauty. Although Guandi images are ever-changing, the spirit of Guandi culture is eternal.  
The sponsor has engaged 25 experts and scholars for this collection of Guan Gong images to discuss and elect gold, silver and bronze medals respectively, and the gold medal winner will get the award such as Guan Gong gold bar. The sponsor will publish overseas the large-scale album Excellent Works of World Guandi Icons, and also will introduce excellent works and authors on World Guan Gong Culture Web. On September 25 of this year, the Guandi Ancestral Temple of Yuncheng, Shanxi Province will hold international pilgrimage ceremony, and will award Guan Gong gold bar to the gold medal winner on the ceremony.  

Chinese painting work of Wang Guoxin, member of National Committee of the Chinese People's   Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC): Oath of the Peach Garden

Work of Wang Kewei, a famous oil painter: Wusheng Guan Gong

Fine woodcarving of She Guoping, a famous expert of Fujian: Lay down Sword and Fasten Horse

Guandi icon of Hong Kong World Guan Gong Culture Association 

 Guan Gong statue of Ming Dynasty at Guandi Ancestral Temple of Yuncheng, Shanxi Province: Resounded in All Ages (reproduction)

Guandi consecrated at Guandi Temple in Lhasa, Tibet

Guan Gong consecrated at Guandi Temple in New York, USA

 Guan Gong consecrated at Guandi Temple in Yokohama, Japan