Posted 2018/9/30
Not of imposing stature and unprepossessing in appearance, Guo Jie was a quiet, brave and chivalric man, willing to help others take revenge even at the cost of his own life. Philanthropic minded but never asking for return, he always returned good for evil and never bragged about his contributions when saving others’ lives. Therefore, he enjoyed high prestige among people.
Guo Jie had a nephew. When he drank with others, he threw weight around and by force poured liquor into the mouth of the one who drank with him. In a fit of rage, the fellow killed him. Guo Jie’s elder sister laid her son’s corpse on the street for the purpose of humiliating Guo Jie. The murderer later gave himself up to Guo Jie and told him the whole truth. To his great surprise, Guo Jie did not charge him, but mentioned that it was the fault of his nephew and let him go. Soon after, he buried his nephew. His impartiality and advocating for justice were deeply esteemed by others and more and more people were willing to seek shelter from him.
Modest and thrifty, Guo Jie never took carriage within the county. When asking people in adjacent counties for help on behalf of others, he only acted according to his capability and never made things difficult for them.
Sima Qian ever mentioned, “Though Guo Jie is unprepossessing in appearance and without literary talent, the wise and unwise, the intelligent and unintelligent all adore his reputation and when someone talks about knight-errant, they are talking about Guo Jie. He is probably the first Great Knight-errant in Chinese history.'
