Kanu chouhi

The title names Kan'u (関羽, Guan Yu) and Chōhi (張飛, Zhang Fei), two of the three sworn brothers of the Chinese historical novel Sangokushi (Romance of the Three Kingdoms), alongside Ryūbi (Liu Bei). Guan Yu, recognizable by his long beard and green robe, and Zhang Fei, characterized by black armor and a fierce expression, were depicted in Edo-period [musha-e](/glossary/musha-e) by Kuniyoshi and other Utagawa-school artists, who introduced the Sangokushi cycle to Japanese audiences through illustrated translations and serial prints. A double-figure composition of these two warriors typically emphasizes their contrasting physiognomies and weapons — Guan Yu's guandao polearm and Zhang Fei's serpent spear — set against a background that may suggest a battle, an oath scene, or a banquet. The mokuhanga rendering calls for strong keyblock outlines to support the armor detail, with selective color layering for cloth and lacquer. The subject places this print within the warrior-print tradition developed in the nineteenth century and continued in modern hanga practice.