Oath in the Peach Garden

The Oath at Peach Garden is a fictional event from the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The event follows three protagonists, Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, who become sworn brothers in the Peach Garden. The original goal of the Peach Garden Oath was to protect the Han Dynasty from the Yellow Turbans. This act bound the three key men of the future Shu Empire and is often alluded to as a symbol of fraternal loyalty.

The Oath was this (translation from Wikisource):

"When saying the names Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, although the surnames are different, yet we have come together as brothers. From this day forward, we shall join forces for a common purpose, and come to each other's aid in times of crisis. We shall avenge the nation from above, and pacify the citizenry from below. We seek not to be born on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. We merely hope to die on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. May the gods of heaven and earth attest to what is in our hearts. If we should ever do anything to betray our friendship, may the gods in heaven strike us dead."

Historically, this event never took place. It has never been mentioned in any of the historical texts. However, it is known that their relationship was "as close is brothers".