The The Prevalence of the Guan Yu deity narratives in contemporary Thai society

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the prevalence of Guan Yu deity narratives in contemporary media. Data were collected from 25 articles and 25 video clips from 2024 to 2025. The analysis was conducted using narrative and popular-culture frameworks.

The results indicated that Guan Yu narratives were widely prevalent and categorized into five forms: (1) narratives about Guan Yu’s background and appearance, (2) narratives about beliefs related to Guan Yu, (3) narratives about rituals of Guan Yu worship, (4) narratives about Guan Yu shrines, and (5) narratives about Guan Yu amulets. These narratives not only disseminate the story of Guan Yu to the public but also create and confirm his sacredness through the experiences of believers who make pledges, perform rituals, and purchase amulets. At present, Guan Yu has become one of the deities in the Thai cultural system. Guan Yu functions as a symbol of spiritual significance that connects to and represents the roots of Thai-Chinese people, as evidenced by the fact that many Guan Yu shrines are located at the centers of Chinese communities, riding horse statues, and mediums are often Thai‑Chinese. These rituals were rooted in Chinese cultural heritage, and with these narratives were created, embellished, and evolved on the internet, resulted in the story of Guan Yu in contemporary media remains dynamic.