Guan Ping

Guan Ping (関平, onyomi: Kan Pei) is one of Guan Yu's biological sons and is thought to be Guan Xing's elder brother. He is given a minor mention in historical texts, but Romance of the Three Kingdoms identifies him as Guan Yu's adopted son who helped Liu Bei's conquests throughout Hanzhong. He is also Guan Suo's and Guan Yinping's older brother in various fictional media.

Before his playable Dynasty Warriors appearance, he was a generic NPC since its second installment. Gamecity's Dynasty Warriors 7 character popularity poll has him at thirty-ninth place with fans and forty-third in the Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends poll. According to Famitsu's character survey, he is the second most popular character fans would want as their brother.

His character's height in Kessen II is 180 cm (5'11").

Role in Games

 * "Lend me your courage, if only for a moment."
 * Liu Chan; Dynasty Warriors 5

Dynasty Warriors
Guan Ping begins his story trying to prove that he is a worthy heir to his adopted father, Guan Yu. He fights in his father's stead at Chang Ban and actively pursues Cao Cao when he tries to escape from Chi Bi. Becoming a trusted general for Shu, he meets Xing Cai for the first time at Mt. Ding Jun and they begin to trust one another. Shortly after, he is ordered by Zhuge Liang to accompany his father at Fan Castle. Although the youth and Shu's men bravely drive back the combined Wu and Wei armies, Guan Yu is wounded by Lu Xun's group and dies shortly after the battle. To avenge him, Guan Ping aids the assault at Yi Ling. In his ending, Wu falls and Guan Ping swears with Xing Cai to continue working for his father's dream: a world ruled by Shu.

He shares his Legend Mode in Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends with his father and Xing Cai. Stationed within Mai Castle, they are heavily surrounded by Lu Meng's forces. Guan Yu orders his men to hold out until reinforcements arrive. However, their allies' entry points are blocked by Wu. The father orders his son to head through the north-eastern road and cut open a path for the coming Shu soldiers, resting the fate of the battle on Guan Ping's shoulders. If all three entry points are opened, the three oath brothers reunite with Xing Cai and Zhang Bao assisting them. Together, they counter Cao Ren and Lu Meng's pincer attack and cause the elder strategist's death. After the battle, he still believes in hope for the future.

In Dynasty Warriors 6, Guan Ping, though with no personal Musou mode, has special in-battle dialogue with his father. This time his father orders him to his side at Fan Castle. Guan Ping triggers the flood attack on Cao Ren's men and storms the castle. Though it is possible to ensure his survival during the battle, he will not appear at any time afterwards. He is also one of the generals who reinforces Jing Province.

Guan Ping appears in Dynasty Warriors 7 during the Battle of Fan Castle in Shu's story, being the general who oversees preparations for the water attack. During the first half of the battle, he is the one to report and direct his father for the success of their battle strategy. Their tactic works and they take the castle, but since they are betrayed by their allies at Gongan and Jiangling, their efforts are rendered for naught. Finding themselves surrounded at the castle, Guan Ping tells Guan Suo to protect their father's life. He volunteers to stay behind at Fan Castle to face the Wei and Wu armies, trying to bide time for their escape. Although not shown explicitly, the game's narrative states that he dies in battle. He may die alongside his father in other Story Modes.

His first Legendary Mode in Conquest Mode entails his participation in the Battle of Xinye. Personally ordered by Zhuge Liang, Guan Ping guards the castle from a continuous flood of Cao Cao's invading army. Guan Ping's second Legendary Mode reenacts his previous side story of defending his father from Lu Meng's army at Mai Castle. Xing Cai and others arrive as reinforcements to drive the Wu army back.

The Xtreme Legends expansion adds a Hero Scenario centered on Guan Ping's efforts. Hou Yin, a vassal of Wei, rebelled against the ruling governor of Wan Castle. His actions cause insufferable damage to the residents in Jing Province, an injustice that the nearby Guan Yu won't stand to allow. Guan Ping volunteers to drive out the menace, as the Shu forces surround Hou Yin at Wan Castle. Though they easily dispatch the usurper, their activities are noticed by Cao Ren, the nearby governor of Gong Castle. They attempt to overwhelm the Shu army with their forces.

Once Cao Ren is forced to withdraw, Guan Yu praises his son's accomplishments. Both Liu Shan and Xing Cai -although she is a bit reluctant- agree with his father's assessments. Guan Yu is impressed that his son has matured into a mighty warrior worthy of his name, complements which greatly pleases Guan Ping.

Dynasty Warriors 8 reprises Guan Ping's final act at Fan Castle except his demise is witnessed by Guan Yu. He can survive the battle through the player's intervention and fight beside his younger siblings in the Nanman Campaign for Shu's hypothetical route. He is also present in the final battle at Xuchang guarding the main camp.

Warriors Orochi
Guan Ping, wanting to avenge his lost comrades from Shu, reinforces Huang Zhong at Jing Province in Warriors Orochi. Their army is being attacked by one of Orochi's men, Cao Pi. Exhausted from defeating several enemies at once, Nobunaga saves him and rides away. Later in the same battle, Guan Ping is ambushed within a garrison and is saved a second time by Nobunaga. After they cause Cao Pi's retreat, the Shu generals join Nobunaga's army in gratitude.

Unlike Huang Zhong, Guan Ping serves Nobunaga throughout the Samurai storyline with utmost respect and admiration. Despite being one of his closest generals, Nobunaga later reveals his opinion that Guan Ping is a follower, asking him his desires while at Koshi Castle. Guan Ping angrily rebuttals the claim and is challenged by Nobunaga to prove it to him.

He continues to serve Nobunaga in Warriors Orochi 2 and is one of the starting characters of the Samurai faction. The young warrior volunteers to support Sakon's desire to rescue Zhang Jiao from Dong Zhuo. When Sakon hurries to meet Nobunaga's reinforcements, Guan Ping serves as the guardian for the ally main camp and vows to stop any who come his way.

In one of the game's dream stages, he teams up with Cao Pi and Gracia to prove themselves worthy successors to their fathers. Guan Yu challenges his son to defend Liu Chan from their assault and personally defeat several enemies. When they face each other for a duel, Guan Yu encourages his son to attack without restraint. If he succeeded in the previous mission, his father will state that he's proud of him.

Honoring his ties and debt to Nobunaga over his loyalties to Shu, Guan Ping chooses to stay with the general after the second title. He stays true to his decision despite Xingcai's vocal protests. When the Oda army is later scattered within the original timeline, the young warrior's whereabouts remain unknown to the Coalition in the future. When a future Xingcai and company return to Jieting in the past, Guan Ping thinks she followed him soon after he left Shu. Since words had failed to convince him, she issues a duel with him once she finds him. Impressed by her will that he felt during their shared blows, Guan Ping concedes defeat and joins the Coalition.

In Ultimate, Guan Ping is one of the officers deployed by the Shu army to Honnōji where Jiang Wei tells them that Da Ji and the Oda have formed an alliance. He becomes conflicted by this report due to his past experiences working under Nobunaga. Regardless, Guan Ping does his duty and is relieved to clear up the misunderstanding once the real Jiang Wei arrives.

Kessen
Guan Ping appears as Guan Yu's adopted son in Kessen II. His father introduces him early in the game as a promising youth. In the Japanese script, he addresses his father in an informal way (oyaji, オヤジ) and their relationship is seen on a more brotherly level. He is in Guan Yu's army at all times and leads his own cavalry unit. Guan Ping starts as a relatively weak general, but, with enough patience, he can be just as fearsome as his father. His maximized statistics can be seen when he is an enemy in Wei's story.

Personality
In the Dynasty Warriors series, Guan Ping is a stalwart and brave general. He idolizes his father, striving to live up to his father's image. He is humble to his peers and acts in a chivalrous manner. Due to his youth, however, he can be quite naive and reckless on the field. Though it's rarely mentioned, he also has a slight inferiority complex with being single, which is emphasized for humorous effect in the series's spin-off titles. He speaks in a formal, archaic warrior's tongue in the Japanese script.

For his newest appearance, he matures to act as a steadfast general in spite of his age. According to the soldiers at Fan Castle, he is a popular example for the male soldiers in Shu due to his unshakable integrity. Although closer to his father's character than previous titles, Guan Ping feels he still has a long way to go before he even matches his father. With his new warrior image, he acts as a wise, serious older brother for Guan Suo. Their father is proud to see Guan Ping interact with his younger brother since it reminds him of his own brotherhood.

His relationship with Xingcai can be interpreted as either friendly comradeship or a romance. Both warriors are the same age, act very respectful to one another, and share similar responsibilities to their country. In the all women's dream mode in Musou OROCHI Z, the participants fight against their loved ones from the opposite gender. Jokingly, he faces her to prove the power of men. Likewise, some games depict that though initially hesitant, Guan Ping does not oppose facing a woman in battle. The seventh title and Warriors Orochi 3 has several clues implying that while he may harbor intimate feelings for Xingcai, the feelings appear to be unrequited due to her admiration for Liu Shan.

Guan Ping has special praise for Kenshin, Masamune, Mitsunari, Nene, Gracia, and Nobunaga throughout the Warriors Orochi series. His growing bond with the Demon King becomes a focal point in the first Samurai storyline as the youth strives to prove that he has what it takes to be a leader rather than just a vassal.

Character Symbolism
Guan Ping's Dynasty Warriors weaponry are named in memory of Guan Yu. His third and fourth weapons specifically address the idea of a dragon ripping through the heavens with the latter has divine connotations. His fifth weapon in Dynasty Warriors: Online is named after Tianlong, one of the eight guardian dragons of heaven in East Asian Buddhism. Tianlong is said to be charged with defending the divine dwelling of the gods. Guan Ping's Standard spear is named in honor of Qinglong, a being that has ties to his father in the series. As a dominant ruler in Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires, he calls his five greatest warriors the "Five Dragons", a moniker also used by Zhuge Liang.

His Skill weapon is named after Bailong, one of the five heavenly dragons said to guard the Five Elements. Thought to have existed since the 8th century BC, Bailong is famed for its marvelous speed whilst in flight. No other dragon may catch it while it soars through the sky. It is said to be a guardian of the west, which opposes the Azure Dragon of the east. The Heilong, or his Strength spear, is described as White Dragon's conflicting opposite and is a malevolent entity. It guards the east and, since it is said to be weak to light, it is associated with the sea or darkness. Both dragons are lords of the heavens whom serve under Shangdi and Huanglong.

For his Dynasty Warriors 7 original costume, Guan Ping dresses with the stereotypical attire of a bancho, a supposed male leader of juvenile delinquents during the early 1920s in Japan. Bancho were said to be distinguished by their rugged attire, wooden sandal footware, and by the long cloth tied around their arms and shoulders. Strong and thought to be highly disciplined in martial arts, they ordered their group to follow a strict code of honor and ethics. Due to a violent attack by a gang in the 1980s, however, bancho also have a negative media reputation for being muscled thugs. While they aren't seen in schools today, they continue to appear in fictional stories as either heroes, villains or comical characters. They are sometimes called "male cheerleaders" since they are known to loudly howl and cheer for something that they support. As a side note, Guan Suo's outfit suggests he is Guan Ping's second in command (uracho).

Voice Actors

 * Bryce Papenbrook - Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (English-uncredited)
 * Seo Yun Seon - Dynasty Warriors 5 (Korean)
 * Ryohei Nakao - Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Daisuke Sakaguchi - Kessen II (Japanese)
 * Nobutoshi Canna - Romance of the Three Kingdoms drama CD series

Quotes

 * See also: Guan Ping/Quotes


 * "This is where I show you my true strength!"
 * "Don't give in! Our bravery shall overwhelm the enemy!"
 * "Fight a woman? I can't... no, in war there is no man or woman. To battle!"
 * "Father, preparations are complete."
 * "Mmm. If we time this right, the water will devastate them."
 * "Father. When the battle is over, could you please teach me to play Go?"
 * "Sure... that sounds like it would be very enjoyable indeed."
 * Guan Ping and Guan Yu; Dynasty Warriors 5


 * "You need to advance yourself more! Or else you'll never match your father as a warrior!"
 * "I know that! So, will you spar with me everyday?"
 * "You're going to try to beat me first? I warn you, I won't hold back."
 * Xing Cai and Guan Ping; Dynasty Warriors 7


 * "Lady Nō, you are safe!"
 * "Oh, you came to meet me? How adorable..."
 * "Adorable? I-er-no-well... Do you really think so?"
 * Nō and Guan Ping; Warriors Orochi


 * "On my father's name... no... on my name, I will cut you down where you stand."
 * "I'll cut you down, and free you from the burden that you bear."
 * Guan Ping and Kojirō; Warriors Orochi 2


 * "Lord Nobunaga, I am still green. You and my father still seem like great men to me. But one day, I shall be great as well, and surpass both of you!"
 * "Is that so...? Hahahaha!"
 * Guan Ping and Nobunaga Oda; Warriors Orochi 3

Gameplay

 * See also: Guan Ping/Movesets

Dynasty Warriors 7
Guan Ping is affiliated with the great sword in this appearance. When he is equipped with it, he can perform a unique attack exclusive to him. Upon performing his Musou techniques, he will automatically use the weapon in his attacks.


 * EX Attack:, , , , undefined, undefined: Charges forwards and slashes upward to create a whirlwind.
 * Musou - Grand Slash (断空撃): : Does a powerful forward slash which clears nearby opponents around Guan Ping. Used in Warriors Orochi 3.
 * Alternate Musou - Launching Slice (飛翔斬): R1 + : Does a slash which knocks a few opponents up into the air. Classified as a Blast Musou in Next.


 * Dynasty Warriors Next
 * Speed Musou - Scythe: Tap both sides of screen: Swings widely from left to right at a steady pace before emitting a radial shockwave to repel nearby foes.


 * Warriors Orochi 3
 * undefined: An overhead smash.
 * , undefined: Swings sword upward.
 * ,, undefined: Swings sword left and right a few times, then drives it unto the ground.
 * ,, , undefined: Crushes the ground with enough force to cause a strong impact.
 * ,, , , , undefined: An overhead smash done while leaping.


 * , undefined: Does an aerial flip before driving sword into the ground, causing a strong tremor in the process.
 * R1: Drives weapon powerfully into the earth.
 * , R1 (Ultimate only): Performs a vertical spinning slash before sending out a wide slash mark downward.

Dynasty Warriors 8
Guan Ping keeps the same moveset from the previous title with the following additions.


 * EX Attack 2 (Xtreme Legends only):, , , undefined, undefined: Unleashes a turbulent beam traveling forward, knocking away any foe caught within its path.
 * Aerial Musou - Titanic Strike (隕星断海斬):, : Slams weapon into the earth to produce a shockwave traveling at a considerable distance.
 * Awakening Musou: Does short vertical slices on the ground several times in a row. The attack ends with a forceful slash that releases a fierce energy burst outward. While performing the extended version, he does a series of thrusts and upward strikes before spinning around to produce a small electric tornado.

Weapons

 * See also: Guan Ping/Weapons

Dynasty Warriors 8
Guan Ping still uses the great sword as his default weapon in this title.

Historical Information
Guan Ping was Guan Yu's biological son. Little information was recorded for him and his only mention was that he was with his father at Maicheng after their defeat from Cao Ren and Lu Meng's forces. In 219, both he and his father were captured by Eastern Wu and were executed by Sun Quan soon after. A few tales say that he was a good older brother to Guan Xing but the claims lack evidence to support them.

In the Sui Dynasty of China, Guan Yu received a deification as the God of Loyalty and Righteousness. Guan Ping has been paired with Liao Hua or Zhou Cang, appearing in temples of worship with their leader. The trio would appear together at times in portraits as well. In a contrast of colors, Guan Ping's face is painted white in tradition, Zhou Cang in black, and Guan Yu in shades of red.

Years of Service

 * "This man is named Guan too, and these are his sons, Guan Ning, a student of letters, and Guan Ping, the junior, a student of martial arts."
 * "I wish my second son could enter General Guan’s service. I wonder if it would be possible."
 * ―Negotiations of Guan Ping's entering of Liu Bei's service.

Guan Ping was the son of Guan Ding, a farmer who lived north of the Yellow River. He was the younger of two brothers, yet was not content with living as a farmer. Instead, he took a liking to the martial arts and strategies in warfare. Guan Yu made a visit to the farm in 200 AD, and Guan Ping's family greet the general and offer their home for the night. Liu Bei soon arrived to reunite with his sworn brother. Guan Yu mentioned Guan Ding having the same surname as him, and, in response, Guan Ding asked if Guan Ping could enter the service of Guan Yu. Guan Yu accepted the offer and Guan Ping honored him as his father, and Liu Bei as his uncle.

Around 201 AD, Liu Bei gathered a force of several thousands, and, at Runan, planned to attack Cao Cao's forces at Xuchang. Guan Ping was chosen to join the expedition. Initially, Liu Bei defeated Cao Cao's fatigued troops before Xiahou Dun, slaughtering many at Runan, including the city's protector, Liu Pi. Liu Bei was forced to flee, but ran into a valley blocked by another Cao general, Zhang He. Here, Guan Ping, Guan Yu, and Zhou Cang led a troop of three hundred to rescue Liu Bei.

Liu Bei's army united and sought refuge under Liu Biao. While staying with him, Liu Bei acquired the services of Zhuge Liang. In 207 AD, Cao Cao led an army of one hundred thousand to attack Xinye, the city in which Liu Bei was occupying. Zhuge Liang, as the military executive, ordered Guan Ping and Liu Feng to take five hundred with flammable materials, and wait in an area beside the Bowang Slope. Xiahou Dun approached their position while pursuing Zhao Yun. Guan Ping ordered his men to set fire to the area, ensnaring Xiahou Dun's troops in a blazing inferno. The one-eyed general was able to flee with heavy losses.

In the coming years, Guan Ping was actively chosen to accompany Liu Bei in numerous expeditions. On one occasion during the campaign for Yizhou, Guan Ping inspected two surrendering Riverland generals, Gao Pei and Yang Huai, and found two concealed knives on their persons. Liu Bei had them executed. Zhang Ren, after killing Pang Tong, was in close pursuit of a fleeing Liu Bei until Guan Ping and Liu Feng repelled him. Guan Ping. He also delivered Liu Bei's letter of Pang Tong's death to Zhuge Liang.

Fan Castle
After Sun Quan gained lands in Jingzhou, he sent Lu Su to negotiate its complete return to Wu with Guan Yu. Guan Ping, as well as strategist Ma Liang, advised Guan Yu not to meet with him, as they expected it would be a trap. Despite their warnings, Guan Yu chose to go to defend his own honor. Ma Liang advised him to take precautions and Guan Yu told his adopted son to follow him with five hundred skilled marine fighters. Guan Yu would signal for his retreat if needed. Though the signal was raised by Zhou Cang, the meeting was peaceful and the two rode back to Jingzhou.

Guan Yu was ordered to attack Fan Castle after in 219 AD. Originally, he made Mi Fang and Fu Shiren vanguard for the expedition, but the two were beaten for neglecting their duties with drunken shenanigans. Guan Ping and Liao Hua replaced them. The army set off for Xiangyang and the enemy general Cao Ren met them at Fancheng, and Guan Ping and Liao Hua lead the initial assault. They were able to rout Zhai Yuan and Xiahou Cun, and Guan Ping personally cut down the former general. Cao Ren lost half of his troops in the attack. Guan Ping also clashed blades with Pang De, but could not prevail over his opponent.

When his father dueled Pang De the next day, Pang De started to beckoned his horse to flee after fifty bouts. Guan Yu pursued him and Guan Ping rode after them. Guan Ping perceived the fleeing general's intentions too late and his father suffered an arrow wound from Pang De. The father and son recover to eventually cause a great blow to Wei with Guan Yu's plan to use a water attack. With Pang De dead, the Shu army marched towards Fancheng itself but Guan Yu suffered a grievous arrow wound to his arm. Guan Ping ushered the famed surgeon, Hua Tuo, to mend his father's wound in chapter 75. Guan Ping repelled Xu Shang and faced Xu Huang. Guan Yu, still rehabilitating from his wounded state, decided to duel Xu Huang in his son's place. The two faced each other in eighty bouts, but Guan Ping sounded the gong to stop the fight out of worry for his father's wound. The army was attacked on two sides by Cao Ren and fled. On the way, they were informed of Fu Shiren and Mi Fang's surrender.

The fatigued troops fled to the city of Mai. Zhuge Jin was permitted to have a meeting with Guan Yu, but left after Guan Ping tried to attack him. With no aid coming from Shu, Guan Ping and his father bid their farewells to Zhou Cang and the other troops. He and his father fled with two hundred and suffered repeated attacks from Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang. At a place called the "Breach in the Rocks", Guan Yu was captured by Ma Zhong. Guan Ping, though left with no other men, rushed to his aid and fought bravely against his enemies. However, fatigue caught up with him, and he was captured by Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang. The father and son were brought to Sun Quan's tent, who attempted to incite them to surrender. However, the two decided to die in glory of Liu Bei's service. The two were beheaded in 220 AD.

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