One thing I feel compelled to point out. Guan Yu did not historically use the weapon known as a Guan Dao. That weapon was not invented until the Song dynasty, and was designed as an anti-cavalry weapon (though there is some evidence that it was in very minor use during the Tang dynasty). But regardless, it was not in use during the time Guan Yu was alive, as he lived roughly 500 years before the weapon's invention.
Also, as another tidbit, here is Guan Yu's biography from the compilation of Chinese generals and ministers who lived during the Three Kingdoms period. The book is called the "San Guo Zhi". There is no complete translation into English, but there are a fairly large number of translated works that are hosted on the internet, and if you wish to know where to find these, I'd be happy to share links.
Guan Yu (Yunchang)
關羽 (雲長)
(AD 162-219)
Pei Songzhi in Blue, Translator Notes in Green
Translated by Jack Yuan
Sanguozhi Scroll 36 Shu 6
Guan Yu 關羽, styled Yunchang 雲長, originally had the style Changsheng 長生and was from Jie 解 in Hedong 河東. He fled for his life to Zhuojun commandery 涿郡. The Former Lord 先主 was recruiting followers in his hometown, and Yu and Zhang Fei 張飛 elected to fight for him on the battlefield. When the Former Lord became Chancellor of Pingyuan 平原相, Yu and Fei were made Majors with a Separate Command 別部司馬,
each with command of their own private troops. The Former Lord shared
the same bed with the two and they treated one other with the kindness
of brothers. At grand gatherings, however, they always stood in his
service. They followed the Former Lord everywhere, no matter how
difficult or dangerous (1). After the Former Lord made a surprise attack on Che Zhou 車冑, Inspector of Xuzhou 徐州刺史, Yu was ordered to garrison the city of Xiapi 下邳, undertaking the duties of the Grand Administrator 太守 (2), whilst Liu Bei himself returned to Xiaopei 小沛.
1: Shu ji 蜀記: Duke Cao 曹公 and Liu Bei besieged Lü Bu 呂布 at Xiapi. Guan Yu proposed to the Duke that since Bu had dispatched Qin Yilu 秦宜祿
to seek reinforcements, he requested to take Qin’s wife in marriage.
The Duke consented. Before the city fell, he repeated his proposal many
more times to the Duke. The Duke suspected that she possessed a
particular beauty. Later he sent to see her first and kept her for
himself. Yu was not at ease. This account is no different to that given
in Weishi chunqiu 魏氏春秋.
2: Wei shu 魏書: Yu was given control of Xuzhou.
In the fifth year of Jian’an 建安, Duke Cao campaigned in the east and the Former Lord fled to Yuan Shao 袁紹. The Duke captured Yu and brought him back. He made him Lieutenant-General 偏將軍, treating him with high honours. Shao sent his great general Yan Liang 顏良 to attack Liu Yan 劉延, Grand Administrator of Dongjun commandery 東郡太守, at Baima 白馬. Duke Cao sent Zhang Liao 張遼
and Yu as vanguard. Yu saw the standard on the chariot of Liang. He
urged his mount on, speared Yan Liang in the ranks of the ten-thousand,
and brought his head back. None of Shao’s generals were a match for him
and thus the siege of Baima was unravelled. Duke Cao subsequently
recommended Yu for enfeoffment as Marquis of Hanshouting 漢壽亭侯.
From the offset, Duke Cao had valued the way Yu conducted himself but
he detected that he had no thought of remaining for long, and said to
Zhang Liao: “Use your friendship to test him out.” Soon Liao questioned
Yu, Yu sighed: “I know very well that the Duke Cao has treated me well,
but I have received General Liu’s earnest benevolence, and sworn to die
by him. I cannot betray him. In the end I will not be able to stay, but I
will repay Duke Cao with meritorious service before I leave.” Zhang
Liao reported Yu’s words to Duke, and the Duke saw the justice of it (3).
After Yu had killed Yan Liang, Duke Cao knew that he would leave, and
rewarded him generously. Yu sealed all which was bestowed, left a
farewell letter, and set off for the Former Lord in the Yuan army.
Although his attendants urged pursuit, Duke Cao said: “Each vassal is
for his lord, do not give chase (4).”
3: Fuzi 傅子:
Zhang Liao wanted to report it to the Grand Progenitor, but feared that
he would kill Yu. But not reporting it was not the way a man served his
lord. So he sighed and said: “Duke, you are my lord and father whilst
Yu is my brother.” Then he submitted his report. The Grand Progenitor
said: “A man who serves his lord does not forget his origins, he is a
just gentleman of the empire. When do you think he will leave?” Zhang
Liao said: “Yu has received your benevolence. He will leave after he has
repaid you.”
4: Your subject [Pei] Songzhi [裴]松之
considers that Duke Cao knew that Yu was not going to stay, and admired
his determination. By not sending someone in pursuit when Yu left, he
confirmed his sense of righteousness. If he did not have the magnanimity
of a hegemon, how could he accomplish this? Truly, this was the virtue
of Duke Cao.
[Guan Yu] followed the Former Lord in joining Liu Biao 劉表. Biao died and Duke Cao secured Jingzhou province. The Former Lord planned to travel from Fan 樊 and cross the Jiang 江 to the south. He ordered Yu with several hundred ships to rendevous at Jiangling 江陵. Duke Cao pursued to Changban 長阪 in Dangyang 當陽. The Former Lord followed a minor road to cross the Hanjin Ford 漢津 and met up with Yu’s fleet. Together they progressed to Xiakou 夏口 (5). Sun Quan 孫權
sent troops to support the Former Lord in opposing Duke Cao. Duke Cao
led his army in retreat. The Former Lord seized the various commanderies
of Jiangnan 江南 and rewarded those who had given the greatest service. Yu was made Grand Administrator of Xiangyang 襄陽太守 and General Who Purges Criminals 蕩寇將軍, and ordered to garrison Jiangbei 江北. The Former Lord advanced west, secured Yizhou province 益州, and appointed Yu to be in charge of the administration of Jingzhou province 荊州. Yu heard that Ma Chao 馬超 had come to surrender despite the fact that he had never been an ally. Yu then wrote a letter to Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮
asking: “To whom can Ma Chao’s ability be compared?” Liang knew that Yu
was eager to stand out and shield his shortcomings, so he replied:
“Mengqi 孟起 is versed in military and civil
affairs, brave and strong beyond ordinary men. He is prominent man of
our times, the like of Ying 英 and Peng 彭. He can contest victory with Yide 益德
in combat but cannot better ‘the bearded’, who is unsurpassed among his
fellows.” Yu had a magnificent beard, hence Liang referred to him as
‘the bearded’. After reading the letter, Yu was greatly pleased and
displayed it to his retainers.
5: Shu ji:
Earlier, when Liu Bei was at Xu, he went hunting with Duke Cao. During
the chase, the hunting party dispersed and Guan Yu urged Bei to kill the
Duke, but Bei refused. Then at Xiakou, adrift on an islet in the Jiang,
in anger Yu said: “Once, during the hunt, had you followed my words, we
wouldn’t be in the predicament we’re in today.” Bei said: “That
occasion was to the deep regret of the state. But if the way of Heaven
is to support the righteous, how can you know that that was not to our
good fortune?”
Guan Yu was once struck by a stray arrow which pierced his left arm
and although the wound healed, on every occasion of rain, his bones
would be in extreme pain. The physician said: “The arrowhead was
poisoned and the poison has entered the bone. The wound needs to be
opened and the poison scraped from the bone. Only then can the pain be
eliminated.” Guan Yu promptly ordered the physician to operate on his
arm. At the time Guan Yu had invited his generals for a feast and his
blood flowed to fill a waiting pan. Yet Guan Yu carved his roast, drank
wine and relaxed with conversation and laughter.
In the twenty-fourth year [219], the Former Lord became King of Hanzhong 漢中王 and assigned Guan Yu General of the Van 前將軍, and bestowed insignia 節 and ceremonial axe 鉞. That year, Guan Yu led his followers to besiege Cao Ren 曹仁 at Fan. Duke Cao sent Yu Jin 于禁
to aid Cao Ren. In autumn, great torrential rains fell, the Han River
became swollen and broke its banks. Yu Jin’s seven armies were drowned.
Yu Jin surrendered and Guan Yu beheaded the general Pang De 龐德. The disorganised bandits of Liang 梁, Jia 郟 and Lu 陸accepted
the command of Guan Yu as his adherents. Guan Yu’s prestige was felt
throughout China. Duke Cao debated relocating his capital Xu 許 to evade the cutting edge. The Renowned King Sima 司馬宣王 and Jiang Ji 蔣濟
were of the conviction that with Guan Yu’s ambition, Sun Quan would not
be content to sit by. They suggested that an emissary could be sent to
Sun Quan to partition Jiangnan for his domains and to advise him to
assault Guan Yu’s rear. In this way, the siege of Fan would unravel of
its own accord. Duke Cao followed their suggestion. Earlier Sun Quan had
sent an emissary to request marriage between his son and Guan Yu’s
daughter. Guan Yu refused and cursed the emissary; Sun Quan was greatly
angered (6). Also Mi Fang 麋芳, Grand Administrator of Nanjun 南郡太守, and General Fushi Ren 傅士仁, stationed at Gongan 公安,
both felt that Guan Yu was indifferent to them. When Guan Yu left for
the campaign, Mi Fang and Fushi Ren were responsible for supplying the
army and did not provide relief. For this Guan Yu vowed, “You will be
disciplined when the army returns.” Mi Fang and Fushi Ren were anxious
and restless. Then Sun Quan covertly incited them and Fang and Ren sent
emissaries to acquiesce. Duke Cao sent Xu Huang 徐晃 to reinforce Cao Ren (7).
Guan Yu could not overcome them and led his troops in retreat. Sun Quan
had occupied Jiangling, taken all of Guan Yu’s retainers and family
captive. Hence Guan Yu’s army disbanded. Sun Quan sent his generals to
beset Guan Yu and beheaded Guan Yu and his son Ping 平 at Linju 臨沮 (8).
6: Dian lue 典略:
Yu besieged Fan. Sun Quan sent an emissary to request relief [or
request to help]. The emissary he sent did not advance swiftly, so he
sent his Master of Records 主溥 with his command
to Yu. Yu was angry that he was late, and had also just acquired Yu Jin
and others. So he cursed: “How dare you! If I took take Fancheng, then
see if I don’t exterminate you!’ When Quan heard of this, he knew that
Yu underestimated himself. He wrote a false letter to placate Yu and
agreed to go himself. Your subject Songzhi considers that though Jing
and Wu were allied on the outside, inside they both have suspicions and
prepare against each other. Hence Quan assaulted Yu, covertly marshalled
his army and secretly sent them out. As Lü Meng’s biography says: “He
disguised his elite troops as merchants, wearing plain clothing, and
hidden in barges.” In this manner of speaking, had Yu not requested aid
from Quan, then Quan would surely not have said to Yu that he would lead
troops to join him. Had he allowed aid to be given, then why hide the
evidence of his true feelings?
7: Shu ji: “Huang dismounted and proclaimed: ‘Whoever takes the head of Guan Yunchang will be rewarded with a thousand jin 斤
of gold.’ Yu was shocked and afraid. He said to Huang: ‘Big brother,
what words you speak!’ Huang said: ‘These are the affairs of state.’”
8: Shu ji:
“Quan sent his generals to attack Yu, they captured Yu as well as his
son Ping. Quan wanted to let Yu live to oppose Liu and Cao. His
attendants said: ‘A wolf cub should not be reared, it will surely be of
harm in the future. Duke Cao did not eliminate him, and acquired for
himself a great threat. He has discussed even moving the capital. How
can we let him live!’ Then he was beheaded.” Your subject Songzhi has
browsed Wu shu 吳書: Sun Quan sent his general Pan Zhang 潘璋 to first sever Yu’s route of retreat. When Yu reached there, he was beheaded. However, Linju was two or three hundred li
from Jiangling. How could he tolerate not killing Yu in timely fashion,
and discuss his life and death. It also says: “Quan wanted to let Yu
live to oppose Liu and Cao.” This is not so, it can be determined that
this is not what a wise man would say. Wu li 吳歷: “Quan sent Yu’s head to Duke Cao, who buried it with the honours of a noble lord.”
Guan Yu received the posthumous appellation of ‘Marquis Zhuangmou’ 壯繆侯 (9). His son Xing 興succeeded the noble title. Xing, styled Anguo 安國, was of good repute from youth. The Lieutenant-chancellor 承相 Zhuge Liang regarded him highly. When Guan Xing came of age, he became Palace Attendant 侍中, Supervisor of the Army 中監軍, and died a few years later. His son Guan Tong 統 succeeded, married a princess, and reached the rank of General of the Gentlemen of the Household as Rapid as Tigers 虎賁中郎將. He died without a son, so Guan Xing’s son by concubine, Guan Yi 彝, succeeded his noble title (10).
9: Shu ji:
“When Yu first went on campaign to besiege Fan, he dreamt that his foot
was gored by a pig. He said to his son Guan Ping: ‘Alas, I will perish
this year, and won’t be able to return here.’” Jiangbiao zhuan 江表傳: “Yu was fond of the Zuoshi zhuan 左氏傳, and could recite it all from memory. “
10: Shu ji: “[Pang] Hui 會, son of Pang De, accompanied Zhong 鍾 [Hui] and Deng 鄧 [Ai] on expedition against Shu. When Shu was defeated, he exterminated the entire household of the Guan clan.”
Appraisal: It was said that
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were the match of ten thousand men and tiger
generals of their times. Guan Yu repaid Duke Cao and Zhang Fei treated
Yan Yan with rectitude; both had the airs of statesmen. However, Guan Yu
was headstrong and Zhang Fei crude and heartless. It is the standard
moral that they fell due to these weaknesses. Ma Chao relied on the Rong
and was conceited in his valiance. For this his entire clan was
exterminated, what a ignominy! But to gain peace in such a predicament,
is this not some recompense? Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun were firm,
courageous and both were of immense service. They were probably the like
of Guan Ying and the Lord of Teng [Xiahou Ying].