Guan Yu is traditionally portrayed as a red-faced warrior with a long lush beard. his eyes were like that of a phoenix, and his eyebrows resembled silkworms. He had a dignified air, and looked quite majestic. In general worship, Guan Yu is widely referred to as Emperor Guan, short for his Daoist title Saintly Emperor Guan , and as Guan Gong, literally "Lord Guan." Temples and shrines dedicated exclusively to Guan Yu can be found in parts of Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and other places with Chinese influence such as Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan.  He is respected as the epitome of loyalty and righteousness.

In Chinese Buddhism, Guan Yu is revered by most practicing Buddhists as Sangharama Bodhisattva; a protector of the Buddhist dharma. Sangharama in Sanskrit means 'community garden' (sangha, community + arama, garden) and thus 'monastery'. The sangharama refer to a group of devas and spirits who guard Buddhist monasteries, the dharma, and the faith itself. Over time, Guan Yu was seen as a representative sangharama guardian of the temple and the garden in which it stands. His statue is usually located on the far left of the main shrine, opposite his counterpart, Skanda.

Brotherhood sworn in the garden of peach blossoms

It speaks of Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei who, having met by chance in the county of Zhuo in 184, found a common desire to serve the country in such tumultuous times. They swore an oath of brotherhood the next day in Zhang Fei's backyard, which was a garden full of peach blossoms. Liu Bei was ranked the eldest, Guan Yu the second, and Zhang Fei the youngest.

The Oath of the Peach Garden inspired present day secret societies in Chinese communities, such as the Triad, to use a similar ritual when swearing in new members. The phrasing of their oath, "Though not born on the same day of the same month in the same year, we hope to die so," is popular among present day secret societies.