The time-honored method of presenting them in sculpture is to put Liu Bei in the center and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei in attendance on either flank, with the three figures facing the viewer straight on. But Wu dispensed with tradition by orienting the three heroes in all different directions and having them fight back to back, none outranking any of the others. Wu's emphasis was on the spirit of their pact of brotherhood.
《肝膽相照》一作，他摒除傳統採用劉備在中央，關公、張飛陪侍兩側的正面雕法，改採「多面雕刻」──三兄弟不論輩份，在戰鬥中並肩協力的姿態，以強調「結義」精神。