The three characters portrayed in the following commercial, and the setting, are known to all Chinese: Lord Guan, the Taoist god of war, and his companions Zhang Fei and Liu Bei.All three characters, but particularly Lord Guan, embody honor, loyalty, integrity, justice, courage and strength.

When portrayed in works of art or as an object for religious veneration, Lord Guan is shown with a bright red face. His companions Zhang Fei and Liu Bei are depicted with a white face and a black face respectively.Why? The answer to this question has been lost to history – until now.