Vivid figures, shared values key to global appeal of Guan Gong culture

The global online outreach campaign "Loyalty and Honor Without Borders" unfolded in Yuncheng, hometown of Guan Gong, from Sept 20 to 23, bringing together international content creators, journalists and cultural practitioners to explore the global appeal of loyalty‑and‑righteousness values.

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.

Yang Dongsheng, producer and director at the Arts and Culture Program Center of China Media Group and three‑time chief director of the Spring Festival Gala, delivered a speech during the International Youth Dialogue on Loyalty and Honor Without Borders.

"As Chinese culture spreads across the world, what resonates most deeply with people is not abstract concepts, but rather the vivid figures and shared values that people can relate to. Guan Gong and the spirit of loyalty and righteousness he embodies are precisely such cultural symbols," Yang noted.

Drawing on decades of experience creating the Spring Festival Gala and large-scale cultural galas, Yang shared his core philosophy for presenting traditional culture in modern times: cultural works must preserve cultural roots while striking public chords.

To preserve roots means to safeguard the essence of loyalty and righteousness — devotion to the nation, faithfulness to friends and commitment to one's work. To build resonance requires adopting expressions young people understand and enjoy, alongside international communication approaches. Such efforts bring this ancient ethos into modern life and onto the global stage, he explained.

Guan Gong is long revered as a timeless icon of integrity, loyalty and benevolence across Chinese communities at home and overseas. Yang pointed out that Guan Gong's lasting global influence stems from universal human virtues embedded in his story, rather than remote theoretical ideas.

Yang highlighted that cultural communication succeeds best through relatable characters and common human values. He called for creative modern‑day interpretations of Guan Gong culture, so the spirit of loyalty and righteousness can strike chords with global audiences, especially young generations, amid growing cross‑cultural exchanges.

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.