Guan Yu's Birthday is Today! What 3 Fruits Should You Avoid When Worshipping Guan Di? Experts Reveal the Taboos and Correct Worship Methods

August 6, 2026, marks the birthday of Guan Yu on the lunar calendar's 24th day of the 6th month. Guan Yu holds immense prestige in folk beliefs, not only being revered as a god of loyalty but also as a deity overseeing wealth and fame, making him an important deity frequently worshipped by various industries in Taiwanese society. According to the book "Gods of Taiwan: The First Little Encyclopedia of Getting Close to Deities" published by Persimmon Culture, the development of Guan Yu's divine status has deep historical roots intertwined with folk legends. This article delves into the faith background and sacrificial details of this deity who transcends Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, aspects that many people may not be aware of.

As Guan Yu's birthday approaches, did He become a god through novels? He was already bestowed 11 times before the Ming Dynasty's founding Long before the Ming Emperor founded the dynasty, emperors of previous dynasties had already bestowed titles upon Guan Yu 11 times. It wasn't solely through novels that He was deified. After the novels became popular, He was bestowed titles 26 more times. The Wanli Emperor even conferred upon Him the title "Great Emperor Who Subdues Demons of the Three Realms," making Him the only sage in history to be conferred the title "Heavenly Venerable."

Legend has it that Guan Yu has taken over as the Jade Emperor? Originating from the Enzu Kong belief of the Qing Dynasty According to the folk legends of the Qing Dynasty's Enzu Kong, due to the prevalence of evil in the world, the Jade Emperor intended to bring calamity but was spared through Guan Yu's pleading, thus taking on the responsibility of saving the world. Hence, Guan Yu is revered as "Enzu Kong." According to the Enzu Kong legends, after the 17th Jade Emperor retired, Guan Yu took over as the 18th Jade Emperor in the third year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, with the title "Emperor Xuanling Gaodi."

Why do merchants and examinees also worship Guan Yu? He is simultaneously known as the God of Wealth and the God of Literature Historically, the "Jin merchants" (merchants from Shanxi) were highly united. As Guan Yu was a native of Shanxi, they established temples everywhere as a spiritual anchor. Seeing the success of the Jin merchants in business, others began to worship Guan Yu as the God of Wealth. Additionally, Guan Yu upheld rituals and was revered as "Master Guan of Shanxi" by Confucianism. In folk beliefs, among the "Five Gods of Literature," He is known as the "Holy Emperor Wenheng," specifically protecting students in exams and those seeking fame. Due to Guan Yu's righteousness, He is also called the "Righteous God of Wealth." Moreover, as He is regarded as a martial god, He is generally referred to as the "Martial God of Wealth."

What are the taboos regarding offerings when worshipping Guan Yu? Folk traditions suggest avoiding these fruits Folk beliefs consider that "peach" sounds like "escape," symbolizing desertion in battle. Therefore, when worshipping Guan Yu, who is revered as a war god, peach fruits such as lychees, nectarines, and cherries are typically avoided. However, this is a folk taboo and not a strict rule enforced by all temples.

Why don't Enzu Kong Temples burn incense and joss paper? Replacing formal offerings with good deeds and self-cultivation Many Enzu Kong temples and halls in Taiwan advocate vegetarian sacrifices and do not burn joss paper, emphasizing "respecting gods with sincerity." Taking Xingtian Gong in Taipei as an example, since its establishment in 1968, it has not burned joss paper. On August 26, 2014, it further removed the large incense burner and offering table, canceling offerings and instead using "moral incense" to worship deities. They hope that devotees will replace formal offerings with good deeds, self-cultivation, and sincerity, becoming a unique feature of Taiwanese religious culture. As for offering tobacco, alcohol, and betel nuts, these are more commonly seen in some gangs or special industries and are not general practices among ordinary devotees. Those who wish to worship Guan Yu can visit the Cidian Wu Temple in Tainan or the Guan Di Temple in Kaohsiung. For worshipping Enzu Kong, the Xingtian Gong in Taipei is the most representative. For worshipping Wenheng, the Wenchang Gong in Taipei, in addition to the main deity Wenchang Emperor, also enshrines Wenheng Emperor. Some Guan Di Temples have Wenheng Holy Emperor as their main deity.

Author Introduction | Lin Jinlang, Persimmon Culture Lin Jinlang has served as the president of the Taiwan Literature Creators Association, an honorary advisor to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and one of the four great masters on the cover of "Good Fortune Encyclopedia." He has been a columnist for the United Daily News, Liberty Times, and Shih Hsin University's Taiwan News, and has won the Central Daily News Literary Award, Taiwan Literary Award, Religious Literary Award, and Hong Xingfu Novel Award. He has published over 30 books, including "Gods of Taiwan: The First Little Encyclopedia of Getting Close to Deities," "Find Gods! Worship the Right Temple with Affinity Gods," "Learning the Yi Jing Isn't That Hard," and "Transit Monk."

This article is a rewritten version authorized for republication from Persimmon Culture's "Gods of Taiwan: The First Little Encyclopedia of Getting Close to Deities: The Micro-History of Deities That Elders Didn't Teach You But You Must Know, and Little Knowledge of Worshipping."