The Three Sworn Brothers

Liu Bei was commonly called Liu Xuande. A larger than life figure, Liu Bei was "tall of stature. His ears long, the lobes touching his shoulders, and his hands hung down below his knees. His eyes were very prominent, so that he could see backward past his ears. His complexion was clear as jade and he had rich red lips." Despite his appearance, Liu Bei was an unassuming man who kept his own counsel and displayed little emotion.

Liu Bei was the last son of Liu Teng, the emperor of Zhong Shan Jing from the early Han Dynasty. Started his life as a shoe maker and a weaver of mats, he made his name against the Yellow Turban rebels and fought in wars all around China, finally becoming the first emperor of Shu-Han. Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei swore brotherhood at the Peach Garden to destroy the rebels and defend the Han Dynasty. He was the elder brother of the three.

At one point, Cao Cao called Liu Bei a hero of the era, overlooking others like Ma Teng and Sun Ce. Liu Bei was loved and admired by many; he was kind and sincere, an honorable man. He won the hearts of thousands through his virtuous ways.

Although he became a mighty ruler, until the age of fifty, Liu Bei was constantly in the service of others, including Gongsun Zan, Tao Qian, Lu Bu, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Biao. This was mainly because he did not have a tactician able to restrain his magnificent warriors Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun. All of this changed when Liu Bei enlisted the help of Zhuge Liang in the year 208 as his advisor. Together, Liu Bei's and Sun Quan's forces defeated Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Wall. After becoming emperor, his expedition against Wu, in revenge for Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's deaths, were failures, and ultimately died of illness.

Above paragraph courtsey of RTKweb.com

Zhang Fei

Zhang Fei swore an oath of blood brothers at Peach Garden with Liu Bei and Guan Yu. Among the three, he was the youngest one. He had large eyes, a pointed and bristling moustache. He spoke in a loud bass voice and looked irresistible as a runaway horse." His angry roar brought fear into the hearts of many brave men. Hot-tempered and impulsive, Zhang Fei usually gets in trouble. He lost a city to Lu Bu when he got drunk and flogged his officers. He fought along Liu Bei and became one of Shu's Five Tiger Generals and the commander of chariots. He was the bravest of the Tiger Generals. For Zhang Fei, action and brawn were what mattered on the battlefield. He wielded an eighteen-foot spear, the Cobra, and fought relentlessly. His arrogant tactics aided Liu Bei in securing the province of Han Zong.

Above paragraph courtsey of China.9c9c.com and image courtesy of KOEI

Guan Yu

His given name is Yun chang; his familiar name is Guan Yu but also known as Lord Kuan or Kuan the Noble. He had a huge frame, long beard, dark brown face and deep red lips. "He had eyes like a phoenix and fine bushy eyebrows like silkworms. His whole appearance was dignified . He swore an oath of blood brothers with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei in the Peach Garden and fought around China to restore the Han family to power. He was general of the Shu and the first of the Five Tiger Generals. His reputation as a skilled swordsman earned him the gift of the Red Hare, the finest steed, from Cao Cao. His unswerving loyalty and strength were crucial to Liu Bei's efforts. He was beheaded by Sun Quan in the year 219 AD. He was fifty-eight.

Above paragraph courtsey of China.9c9c.com and image courtesy of KOEI