Guo Chang

Historical Record

Concerning Guo Chang, there is no clear record in surviving official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms. His life, family background, and any intersection with historical figures of the Three Kingdoms period are nowhere to be found in the annals. Thus, from a historiographical standpoint, Guo Chang is not a verifiable historical figure.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Guo Chang is a fictional figure, his image appearing mainly in chapter twenty-eight as the estate master with whom Guan Yu lodged on his solitary thousand-li journey. He appears as an aged village elder, courteous and respectful in his dealings with others.^[1] Through Guo Chang's words, the novel obliquely displays the living conditions and moral outlook of ordinary people in a chaotic age. Guo Chang showed great respect at Guan Yu's arrival, not only entertaining him warmly, slaughtering a sheep and setting out wine, but also carefully arranging lodging for the two ladies and properly tending to Guan Yu's baggage and horse.^[1]

Guo Chang's character is shaped in the novel as "cautious, generous, and self-reproaching." He had an unworthy son who did not attend to honest work, being devoted solely to roaming and hunting, and even drawing in vagabonds and rogues.^[2] Guo Chang felt deep worry and self-reproach over this, repeatedly mentioning his son's waywardness before Guan Yu with tears, regarding it as a misfortune of the household.^[2] He felt helpless at his failure to educate his son, but because his old wife doted on the boy, he asked Guan Yu to pardon his son's offense.^[3] This contradictory state of mind makes Guo Chang's image all the more lifelike and sympathetic. Through Guo Chang's worry over his son, the novel also indirectly expresses the author's reflection on the social mores and human relations of the time. Although Guan Yu tried to console him, holding that "if one's martial skill is well honed, one may yet win merit and fame," Guo Chang insisted that his son "is devoted solely to dissipation and stops at nothing," and was not minded to apply himself to martial study.^[2]

Key Relationships

* Guo Chang and Guan Yu: Guo Chang was Guan Yu's benefactor and host on the solitary thousand-li journey. He warmly entertained Guan Yu and his household, providing food and lodging, and expressed admiration for Guan Yu's fame.^[1] (novel only) Guan Yu, for his part, showed respect for Guo Chang's character and, at Guo Chang's pleading, pardoned his son's offense.^[3] (novel only)
* Guo Chang and Sun Qian: Sun Qian, as Guan Yu's attendant, was entertained by Guo Chang together with Guan Yu.^[1] (novel only)
* Guo Chang and his unworthy son: Between Guo Chang and his son there existed a typical father-son relationship, but one filled with worry and contradiction because the son did not attend to honest work. Guo Chang felt both the pain of one who longs in vain for his son to do well, and the affection and protectiveness of a father.^[2],^[3] (novel only)
* Guo Chang and his wife: Guo Chang's wife showed great doting affection for their son, which to some degree influenced Guo Chang's manner of disciplining him and prompted him to plead with Guan Yu when his son erred.^[3] (novel only)

Iconic Scenes

* Lodging at the estate and warm hospitality: Guan Yu and his party, in a downpour of rain, took lodging at Guo Chang's estate. Guo Chang came out in person to receive them, and after they explained their purpose, he not only slaughtered a sheep and set out wine to entertain Guan Yu and Sun Qian, but also properly arranged for the two ladies to rest in the rear hall, and carefully dried the baggage and fed the horses—displaying his simple, hospitable character.^[1] (novel only)
* Bitterly lamenting his son's unworthiness: At dusk, Guo Chang's son brought several men into the estate. Before Guan Yu, Guo Chang wept and bitterly lamented that his son did not attend to his proper calling, being devoted solely to roaming and hunting—a misfortune of the household—and expressed deep worry over his son's dissipation and reckless conduct.^[2] (novel only)
* Pleading for his son: When it was discovered that Guo Chang's son intended to steal Guan Yu's Red Hare horse, Guo Chang rushed before Guan Yu, confessing the fault and pleading for his son, saying, "This unworthy son has done such a wicked deed; his crime deserves ten thousand deaths! But my old wife dotes most on this boy—I beg the general in his benevolence to pardon him!" Out of regard for Guo Chang, Guan Yu in the end pardoned his son.^[3] (novel only)
* The son leaves home again: The next day, Guo Chang and his wife thanked Guan Yu, and Guan Yu wished to summon out the son to correct him with right teaching, only to learn that at the fourth watch the son had again led several rogues off to parts unknown—once more highlighting Guo Chang's helplessness and powerlessness over his son.^[3] (novel only)