Who is the Guan Sheng Di Jun 关圣帝君 Dang Mo Zhen Jun

Guan Sheng Di Jun, also known as "Dang Mo Zhen Jun" and "Fu Mo Da Di", is referred to as "Guan Di" or "Guan Gong" for short. He is Guan Yu, a general of the Shu State during the Three Kingdoms period, who is revered by both the Chinese people and Taoism.

Guan Yu, styled Yunchang, was from Xie in Hedong (present-day Yuncheng, Shanxi Province). It is said that Guan Yu was the reincarnation of a green dragon, with vertical eyes, knitted eyebrows, an exceptionally long face. He was nine feet and five inches tall, with a beard one foot and eight inches long. His face was as red as a ripe date, his lips as red as cinnabar, with phoenix eyes and silkworm-shaped eyebrows, and he had the strength to defeat ten thousand men.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Guan Yu, Liu Bei, and Zhang Fei swore an oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden, treating each other like brothers and planning to raise troops together. Initially, he guarded Xiapi, but was defeated and captured by Cao Cao, who treated him with special courtesy and appointed him as a "partial general". Later, Guan Yu repaid Cao Cao by beheading Yan Liang, a brave general of Yuan Shao, to relieve Cao Cao from danger. Cao Cao then petitioned to grant Guan Yu the title of "Hanjun Ting Hou" and bestowed him with many rewards. When Guan Yu learned of Liu Bei's whereabouts, he returned the seal and gold, left all the gifts from Cao Cao, and went to rejoin his sworn brother Liu Bei.

After Liu Bei established the Shu State, he appointed Guan Yu to guard Xiangyang and manage the affairs of Jingzhou. Guan Yu achieved a great victory over Cao Ren in Fancheng, beheading Pang De and capturing Yu Jin, defeating seven armies, and his fame shook the Central Plains. Later, due to his underestimation of the enemy and falling into a trap, Guan Yu was defeated and fled to Maicheng, where he was eventually killed. It is said that his head was buried in Guanlin, Luoyang, Henan, and his body was buried in Yuquan Mountain, Dangyang, Hubei.

Later generations, moved by his loyalty and righteousness, began to worship him regularly. According to Taoist books, Guan Yu once manifested his spirit on Yuquan Mountain. During the Song Dynasty, in response to the call of Xu Jingzhen, the 30th Celestial Master of Xihe, Guan Yu appeared before the emperor and subdued a flood dragon and beheaded monsters. Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty praised his merit in protecting the country and the people. In the first year of Chongning (1102) of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, Guan Yu was granted the title of "Zhonghui Gong", and in the fifth year of Xuanhe (1123), he was further granted the title of "Yiyong Wu'an Wang". In the first year of Tianli (1328) of the Yuan Dynasty, he was granted the title of "Xianling Yiyong Wu'an Yingji Wang".

In the early Ming Dynasty, he was worshipped as "Guan Zhuangmou Gong" and was worshipped together with Yue Fei, and the martial temples in various places were called "Guan-Yue Temples". In the 33rd year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1602), he was granted the titles of "Sanjie Fu Mo Da Di", "Shenwei Yuanzhen Tianzun", and "Guan Sheng Di Jun". In the first year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1644), he was granted the title of "Zhongyi Shenwu Guan Sheng Da Di".

Since the Northern Song Dynasty, Taoism has revered Guan Di as one of the protective gods of the faith. There are two sayings about Guan Di's birthday: one is the 13th day of the fifth lunar month, and the other is the 13th day of the first lunar month.