Li Jun (Water Margin)

Li Jun is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "River Dragon", he ranks 26th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

Background

The novel describes Li Jun as an eight chi tall man with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a reddish face, wire-like whiskers and a loud booming voice. Although he was born in Luzhou (蘆州; present-day Hefei, Anhui), he has moved to Jieyang Ridge (揭陽嶺; believed to be in present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) near the Xunyang River with his close friend Li Li. Apart from being well-trained in combat skills, he is also highly proficient in swimming and diving. Due to his prowess in the water, he earns himself the nickname "River Dragon".

Li Jun and Li Li rob unsuspecting travellers for a living. Apart from smuggling salt across the river, Li Jun disguises himself as a boatman ferrying travellers across the river and robs them when they are far from the riverbank. Li Li pretends to run an inn near the riverbank, serves his guests food and drinks spiked with drugs that will make them unconscious, and robs and kills them when they are out cold. Li Jun and Li Li are close friends with the Tong brothers (Tong Wei and Tong Meng), who also participate in Li Jun's salt smuggling activities.

Joining Liangshan

When Song Jiang is exiled to Jiangzhou (江州; present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi), he passes by Jieyang Ridge and takes a rest in Li Li's inn. Li Li uses drugged wine to knock Song Jiang out and is about to rob him when Li Jun and the Tong brothers show up and stop Li Li. After ascertaining Song Jiang's identity, Li Jun tells everyone that Song Jiang is the generous and chivalrous hero they have long heard of. Li Li immediately revives Song Jiang and apologises to him. Li Jun and his friends then introduce themselves to Song Jiang and befriend him before seeing him off.

After leaving Jieyang Ridge, Song Jiang runs into trouble with the Mu brothers (Mu Hong and Mu Chun) in the nearby Jieyang Town and is forced to flee. In desperation, he boards Zhang Heng's boat without knowing that Zhang Heng, like Li Jun, is also a pirate in disguise as a boatman. When the boat reaches the middle of the river, Zhang Heng wants to rob and kill Song Jiang. However, Li Jun, who is passing by, recognises Song Jiang and stops Zhang Heng. He then introduces Song Jiang to Zhang Heng and the Mu brothers, who are stunned to learn that the man they tried to kill is actually the hero they have been wanting to meet. They apologise to Song Jiang, treat him like an honoured guest, and then see him off on the rest of his journey to Jiangzhou.

In Jiangzhou, Song Jiang gets into trouble with the authorities after writing a seditious poem while he was drunk, and ends up being arrested and sentenced to death. However, the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh show up in Jiangzhou, storm the execution ground, and rescue him. Li Jun and his friends meet Song Jiang and the outlaws at the riverbank and ferry them safely back to the outlaw stronghold at Liangshan Marsh. Li Jun and his friends then join the Liangshan band as well.

Contributions to Liangshan

Li Jun becomes one of the leaders of the Liangshan flotilla and makes significant contributions in battles against government forces and other hostile private militias. After the outlaws received amnesty from Emperor Huizong, Li Jun and the other former outlaws go on campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces on Song territory as a form of service to the Song Empire.

During the campaign against Tian Hu's rebel forces, Li Jun suggests flooding the city of Taiyuan to trap the enemy. His plan is instrumental to the Liangshan forces' eventual victory over Tian Hu.

During the final campaign against Fang La's rebel forces, Li Jun goes behind enemy lines by diving into Lake Tai and infiltrating Fang La's battleships from underwater. He meets some local jianghu figures, such as Fei Bao, Ni Yun, Bo Qing and Di Cheng, in the area around Lake Tai and becomes sworn brothers with them. He also infiltrates Suzhou on an espionage mission and succeeds in helping the Liangshan forces capture the city. During the battle of Qingxi County (清溪縣; present-day Chun'an County, Zhejiang), he pretends to defect to Fang La's side and plays an important role in crippling enemy forces and paving the road to victory for the Liangshan forces.

Later life

When the surviving Liangshan heroes make their journey back to the imperial capital to report their victory to Emperor Huizong, they individually receive official positions as rewards for their service. Li Jun, however, does not wish to serve the government, which he perceives to be corrupt, so he feigns illness on the way back. He remains in Suzhou under the excuse of recovering from illness; the Tong brothers pretend to stay behind to take care of him. They are never seen again.

It is said that Li Jun, the Tong brothers, and their friends travelled to Taicang and sailed into the open sea from the port city. They eventually arrived in Siam, where Li Jun becomes king while his friends serve as his subjects.

See also

• List of Water Margin minor characters#Li Jun's story for a list of supporting minor characters from Li Jun's story.

References

• Buck, Pearl S. (2006). All Men are Brothers. Moyer Bell. ISBN 9781559213035.
• Ichisada, Miyazaki (1993). Suikoden: Kyoko no naka no Shijitsu (in Japanese). Chuo Koronsha. ISBN 978-4122020559.
• Keffer, David. "Outlaws of the Marsh: A Somewhat Less Than Critical Commentary". Poison Pie Publishing House. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
• Li, Mengxia (1992). 108 Heroes from the Water Margin (in Chinese). EPB Publishers. p. 53. ISBN 9971-0-0252-3.
• Miyamoto, Yoko (2011). "Water Margin: Chinese Robin Hood and His Bandits". Demystifying Confucianism. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
• Shibusawa, Kou (1989), Bandit Kings of Ancient China, Koei, pp. 82–84, 96
• Zhang, Lin Ching (2009). Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House. ISBN 978-7506344784.