The Heavenly Halberd (方天畫戟 Fāngtiān Huàjǐ) is the weapon most commonly associated with Lü Bu in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and in later art and popular culture. The name combines 方天 (facing heaven, or square-heaven) with 畫戟 (decorated halberd), indicating a halberd (戟) with a distinctive or ornamented blade.
History and sources
The historical Records of the Three Kingdoms describe Lü Bu as skilled with the halberd and the bow but do not name a specific weapon. The Heavenly Halberd appears in the Romance and in later tradition, where Lü Bu is depicted wielding it at the Campaign against Dong Zhuo, at the gate when he shot the small branch to resolve the standoff, and at Xiapi. The weapon has become part of Lü Bu’s image as the mightiest warrior of his age.
In culture
The Heavenly Halberd is a standard attribute of Lü Bu in video games, film, and other media. It is often paired with Red Hare in the saying ‘Among men, Lü Bu; among horses, Red Hare’ (人中吕布，马中赤兔).
References
- Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志)
- Fan Ye, Book of the Later Han (后汉书)
- Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian (资治通鉴)
- de Crespigny, Rafe. A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms