Global campaign sheds new light on timeless Guan Gong culture

The global online outreach campaign "Loyalty and Honor Without Borders" has kicked off in Yuncheng, Shanxi province, the hometown of Guan Gong, deepening global understanding and sparking new dialogues on traditional loyalty and righteousness values with modern perspectives.

Kang Zhen, vice-president of Beijing Normal University, delivers a speech at the global online outreach campaign "Loyalty and Honor Without Borders" in Yuncheng, Shanxi province on Sept 23, 2026. (Photo: chinadaily.com.cn)

Guan Gong, also known as Guandi, or Emperor Guan, is the honorific title of Guan Yu, a general from the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) who is revered as a symbol of loyalty and righteousness.

Kang Zhen, vice-president of Beijing Normal University, delivered a keynote speech on the essence of China’s loyalty and righteousness spirit at the international youth dialogue. He pointed out that the values, embodied by historical icons including Guan Yu, Yue Fei and Wen Tianxiang, constitute a profound spiritual gene of Chinese civilization that endures through centuries.

Kang stressed that some people previously held fixed stereotypes about this traditional virtue, when in truth it has never equated to blind obedience, but embodies wisdom, courage and responsibility. He advocated that this spirit can be embodied through academic research, work and everyday life, breathing fresh, modern vitality into the time-honored values of loyalty and righteousness.

He also called on young people to embrace an open and inclusive mindset in exploring and practicing these traditional virtues in modern life. They can integrate the spirit of loyalty and righteousness into aspects of modern society, carrying forward these time-honored virtues amid technological progress, cultural exchange and global engagement.

Running from Sept 20 to 23, the four-day event brought together content creators from six countries, including France, Russia and Thailand, as well as journalists from Chinese and foreign media outlets such as China Daily Website, Voice of Vietnam and the Associated Press of Pakistan.

Hosted jointly by the Cyberspace Administration of Shanxi province, China Daily Website and the Yuncheng municipal government, the campaign featured immersive cultural experiences across Taiyuan, Pingyao and Yuncheng. Participants visited time-honored Guan Gong temples, ancient merchant culture heritage sites and intangible cultural heritage workshops, while enjoying extended reality productions and traditional opera performances themed on Guan Gong culture.