关公, the Deity

[This entry refers to 关公, the deity, not 关羽, the historical figure.]

Because of the Hong Kong dramas I watched, the people I hang out with, the stuff I notice in Chinatown and Bras Basah Complex, I think 关公 is the perfect alpha male. The ideal man which majority of South and Overseas Chinese like to model themselves after. The core values which 关公 exemplifies are loyalty (忠) and righteousness (义).

Males & 关公
I think at the sub/un-conscious level, the popularity of 关公 reflects the psyche of his male fans. Most males wish to belong in a group where he feels that the other members will look out for him. Hence, loyalty (忠) and righteousness (义) are important, not especially because these are values good for society or afterlife, but because these values keep the group together.

At first, I was amused by the absurdity of policemen, triad members and businessmen, worshipping 关公 alike. But with the above-mentioned explanation, it all makes sense. These are males in groups. And 关公, as a deity with protective powers, is an extension of these males' hopes in their preferred masculine form.

Females & 关公
What I don't get is why females do not worship 关公.
If 关公 is the alpha male, he should be damn attractive to females.
I think again, at sub/un-conscious level, females realise that a male personality like 关公 is likely to place friends/buddies before girlfriend/family. This is against the female grain of protecting herself and her offsprings.

In addition, females do not operate/work in packs or groups in general. While they hang out in groups, these are for social purposes, and their priority is not to maintain the sustainability of these female groups.

Hence, the core values exemplified by 关公 are not relevant to females, and so females do not worship him.

关公 & Me
I like 关公, the deity, because of the values he exemplifies, and the fierce, proud and manly look he has been given by sculptors across Asia.
This definitely speaks volume of me: I have been told that I am in fact male soul, trapped by a female body.

However, it is not in my blood to worship.
If he was a real person, I would definitely fall in love with him on a personal basis coz 关公 好 MAN 啊!

And yes, we have been very tempted to buy huge statues of 关公 for our home. In fact, I am thinking of getting 2. One with him holding his halberd in his right hand (as worshiped by policeman), and the other in his left hand (as worshiped by triads). One in wood, and one in bronze. Stone is good too. Maybe one from Taiwan/China, and the other from Japan.

The Relevance of 关公 Today
I think it will be great fun to make a film/series about 关公 getting trapped in a modern man's body, i.e. a test of his values of loyalty (忠) and righteousness (义) in the contemporary context.

Best to set him amidst different social contexts, e.g. amidst a bunch of investment bankers, a bunch of politicians and civil servants, a bunch of gay men, a bunch of male academics, a bunch of hard laborers, a bunch of male cabbies. =))

Imagine 关公 hanging out at Velvet after a week of 'investment banking' with his competitive colleagues trying to outdo one another in their flashy cars, talking about wine, and scoring with the chicks with plastic faces/hair/nail extensions and wearing almost nothing.

Or 关公 getting hit on by gay men at a bar along Tanjong Pagar Road, while he attempts to explain what brotherhood is.

Or 关公 trying to convince politicians and civil servants that they represent the people, and that because we are all brothers, these leaders cannot only think of themselves, but must take good care of the lower-class brothers too.

Think 关公 will get dulan and kill everyone instead.