This is one of those classic “Chinese slop drama” production errors that Chinese netizens roast for years.

The scene is the Peach Garden Oath — the most famous sworn-brotherhood moment in Chinese culture. Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei (the three heroes of Romance of the Three Kingdoms) are taking the oath:
“Though we were not born on the same day, we wish to die on the same day.” The subtitle even says it: “From this day forth we become sworn brothers of different surnames.”

The problem is what they’re bowing
to.

That statue is Guan Gong — Lord Guan, the god version of Guan Yu. After he died in 219 AD, later dynasties turned him into a deity of loyalty, righteousness and war. Temples and statues of him only appear hundreds of years later.

So in this scene you have:
• Living Guan Yu (the guy in the middle, still a mortal warrior)
• Bowing and swearing brotherhood
• In front of a statue of his own future deified self

It’s the exact equivalent of a young Jesus and his disciples taking an oath in front of a crucifix and a statue of Christ the King. The man is praying to the god he will later become.

That’s why it’s funny. The drama either didn’t notice the anachronism or simply didn’t care — which is why Chinese viewers call these shows “slop.”

The props department just grabbed the most famous “righteous warrior” statue they had and put it on the altar.

No one on set thought, “Wait… this statue shouldn’t exist yet, and one of the guys bowing is that statue.”

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