God Guan Gong displayed in police station is rich in meaning

This article comes from today's issue of The Liberty Times. When I was rereading the last translation post on this blog, I noticed there were a lot of awkward phrases in it, so I tried harder this time to make it sound more natural.


By Huang Lixiang and Huang Wenhuang

Idols of Guan Gong are often found in police organizations, especially in investigative units, in the hope that officers will imitate the god's dedication to integrity and justice. Many conventions have arose regarding the placement of Guan Gong, some resonable and some farfetched.

A senior police captain of an investigative unit in Taipei county states that Guan Gong idols are found in almost all of the Taipei county's 15 stations, especially in the offices of the criminal justice units. Unlike in Hong Kong movies, however, police do not burn incense or otherwise publicly worship the idols. Rather, the idols are primarily pieces of art. Although it is not an object of worship, the Guan Gong image is invested with meaning according to its placement, posture and the direction of the blade.

A senior officer states that Guan Gong idols can be classified as literary or martial. The literary Guan Gong is depicted reading the Spring and Autumn Annals, while the martial Guan Gong is depicted holding a scimitar. Police have traditionally favored the martial Guan Gong, whose display of strength and military might serves to intimidate criminals. In recent years, with the increase in popularity of higher learning among police, so the literary Guan Gong has gained popularity, as well as the literary and martial Guan Gong, in which he is depicted with the Spring and Autumn Annals in his left hand and a scimitar in his right hand.

The officer asserts that Guan Gong's expression is usually a reflection of the attitude of the owner. For example, if a new captain of an investigative unit places a Guan Gong with an austere expression on display, subordinates will be dissuaded from engaging in favoritism or corruption. If Guan Gong's blade points inward, the new officer may focus on rectification of internal practices; if the blade points outward, it might indicate preparation for a shakedown of the captain's area of jurisdiction.

The officer explains that there are many taboos dealing with Guan Gong's blade. It is important that the blade's edge not face oneself, so as to avoid inviting a bloodbath. Furthermore, it is rumored that if the blade falls, the police unit will encounter a mishap. Some even associate the dropping of Guan Gong's scimitar with cases of inappropriate conduct and discipline.