Captain Gua (simplified: 瓜管带, traditional: 瓜管帶, pinyin: Guā Guǎndài, jyutping: gwaa1 gun2 daai3) is an imperial guard who is killed by Chen Jinnan (陈近南), the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society (天地会), in The Deer and the Cauldron.
Biography
Service as imperial guard
Captain Gua serves as an imperial guard in the Qing court, holding the rank of captain (管带 — guǎndài) and responsible for palace security and the protection of the emperor and other members of the imperial family. His position gives him authority over other guards and allows him to participate in various court activities.
As a captain, Captain Gua is part of the command structure of the imperial guards, working to maintain order and security within the palace.
Death at the hands of Chen Jinnan
Captain Gua is killed by Chen Jinnan, the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society, an anti-Qing secret fraternity. His death demonstrates the dangerous nature of palace service and the various threats that imperial guards faced from anti-Qing forces.
His death represents the theme of the vulnerability of palace servants and the dangerous consequences of serving in the imperial court, where guards could become targets for various political factions, including anti-Qing resistance movements.
Significance
Captain Gua represents the theme of the vulnerability of palace servants and the dangerous nature of palace service. His death at the hands of Chen Jinnan demonstrates how imperial guards could become targets for anti-Qing forces, even when they were simply performing their duties.
His character also highlights the theme of political violence and the various threats that existed within the palace, showing how guards like Captain Gua could become victims of the conflicts between the Qing court and anti-Qing resistance movements.
Captain Gua’s character contributes to the broader theme of palace intrigue and the dangerous nature of imperial politics, showing how even guards with command authority like Captain Gua could become victims when caught between competing political factions.