Tao Zongwang
| Tao Zongwang | |
|---|---|
| Water Margin character | |
| First appearance | Chapter 41 |
| Nickname |
"Nine Tailed Turtle" 九尾龜 |
| Rank | 75th, Manage Star (地理星) of the 72 Earthly Fiends |
| Construction supervisor of Liangshan | |
| Origin | Bandit leader from Mount Yellow Gate |
| Ancestral home / Place of origin | Guangzhou (around present-day Huangchuan County, Henan) |
| Weapon | Iron shovel |
| Names | |
| Simplified Chinese | 陶宗旺 |
| Traditional Chinese | 陶宗旺 |
| Pinyin | Táo Zōngwàng |
| Wade–Giles | T'ao Tsung-wang |
Tao Zongwang is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Nine Tailed Turtle", he ranks 75th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 39th among the 72 Earthly Fiends.
Background
Tao Zongwang was born in a peasant family in Guangzhou (光州; around present-day Huangchuan County, Henan). Known for his great physical strength, he is also highly skilled in using the spear and sword. Along with Ou Peng, Ma Lin and Jiang Jing, he leads a bandit gang based at Mount Yellow Gate (黃門山).
Joining Liangshan
When the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh are on their way back to their stronghold after saving Song Jiang in Jiangzhou (江州; present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi), they pass by Mount Yellow Gate and meet the four bandit chiefs, who request to join them. After Song Jiang agrees, the four of them become part of the Liangshan outlaw band.
Campaigns and death
Tao Zongwang is placed in charge of overseeing the construction of defence infrastructure at Liangshan 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. He is killed at the battle of Runzhou (潤州; present-day Runzhou District, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu) during the campaign against Fang La's rebel forces.
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. 151. 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.