Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Coolest God

Just read up on Guan Di, the Chinese god of martial arts and diplomacy. Based on a real-life general who was incorporated into the pantheon after his death, Guan Di tried to end fights before they started, often using his great size to bring an opponent to his senses (he was said to stand eight feet, ten inches tall—big, but still shy of Robert Pershing Wadlow.) Despite his prowess, he tried to talk his enemies out of fighting and used violence only when everything else failed. Guan Di was considered very wise, well-read, and a patron of scholars.

Of course, judging on Jesus's followers, people who worshipped Guan Di would be short illiterates who loved to start trouble but had no fighting skills whatsoever.

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