Li Zhong (Water Margin)

Li Zhong is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Tiger Slaying General", he ranks 86th of the 108 Stars of Destiny and 50th of the 72 Earthly Fiends.

Background

Li Zhong is from Haozhou (濠州; around present-day Chuzhou, Anhui). He makes a living as a medicine pedlar by performing martial arts and physical feats on the streets to promote the drugs he sells. His strong and muscular physique earns him the nickname "Tiger Slaying General" because he looks like a warrior capable of single-handedly killing a ferocious tiger.

Becoming an outlaw

Li Zhong meets Shi Jin, his former martial arts apprentice, in Weizhou (渭州; around present-day Pingliang, Gansu). While having drinks in a tavern, they meet and befriend Lu Da, a local garrison officer.

After leaving Weizhou, Shi Jin passes by Mount Peach Blossom (桃花山) in Qingzhou (in present-day Shandong), where he encounters Zhou Tong and his bandit gang. Zhou Tong attacks Li Zhong and tries to rob him, but Li Zhong defeats him in a fight. Zhou Tong is so impressed with Li Zhong's skill that he invites Li Zhong to join the gang and replace him as the chief. Li Zhong accepts the offer and becomes the new chief of the gang while Zhou Tong serves as his second-in-command.

Encounter with Lu Zhishen

On one occasion, Zhou Tong tries to force the daughter of Squire Liu, a wealthy squire living near the mountain, to marry him. The squire, fearing the bandits, reluctantly agrees to let his daughter marry Zhou Tong. On their wedding night, when Zhou Tong comes to Squire Liu's house to spend the night there with his bride, he gets ambushed and beaten up in the dark by a burly monk.

Zhou Tong manages to escape, returns to his stronghold, and seeks help from Li Zhong. The two bandit chiefs then lead their men to Squire Liu's house to confront the monk, who is waiting for them. It turns out that the monk is actually Lu Da, who now goes by the name "Lu Zhishen". Li Zhong decides to give face to Lu Zhishen by urging Zhou Tong to give up on marrying Squire Liu's daughter; Zhou Tong reluctantly agrees. After the conflict is resolved, Lu Zhishen stays at Li Zhong and Zhou Tong's bandit stronghold for a few days before leaving to continue his journey to Dongjing (東京; present-day Kaifeng, Henan).

Joining Liangshan

When Huyan Zhuo is heading to Qingzhou to take shelter after his defeat by the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh, he passes by Mount Peach Blossom along the way and his horse gets stolen by Zhou Tong. An infuriated Huyan Zhuo manages to obtain permission from Qingzhou's governor, Murong Yanda, to lead Qingzhou's armed forces to attack the bandits on the mountain. Li Zhong and Zhou Tong then turn to the outlaws from the nearby Mount Twin Dragons and Mount White Tiger for help, but they are still no match for Huyan Zhuo and the Qingzhou army. The Liangshan outlaws eventually come to their aid and defeat Huyan Zhuo and the Qingzhou army in battle. After Huyan Zhuo agrees to surrender and become an outlaw too, Li Zhong, Zhou Tong and the others follow him back to Liangshan and join the outlaw band there.

Campaigns and death

Li Zhong becomes one of the leaders of the Liangshan infantry after the Grand Assembly of the 108 Stars of Destiny. He follows the Liangshan heroes on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces on Song territory after they received amnesty from Emperor Huizong.

During the campaign against Fang La's rebel forces, Li Zhong, Shi Jin and four other Liangshan heroes are assigned to attack Yuling Pass (昱嶺關; near present-day Zhupu Village, She County, Anhui). In the midst of battle, Pang Wanchun, the enemy general guarding the pass, kills Shi Jin with a single arrow shot, while his archers shoot down Li Zhong and the other four.

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. 175. 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
• Zhang, Lin Ching (2009). Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House. ISBN 978-7506344784.