Xu Ning

Xu Ning is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Gold Lancer", he ranks 18th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

Background

The novel describes Xu Ning as a man six chi tall, with a fair face, a thin dark beard, and a wide waist. He is an expert in using the hooked lance, which looks like an ordinary Chinese spear except that it has a hook beside the spearhead. Due to his expertise, he is hired to serve as the martial arts instructor of the Gold Lancers Unit of the imperial army in Dongjing (東京; present-day Kaifeng, Henan), the imperial capital of the Song Empire. He leads a comfortable life in Dongjing and remains a highly respectable figure among his peers.

Becoming an outlaw

When the Song imperial court orders Huyan Zhuo to lead an army to eliminate the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh, the general deploys his chain-linked armoured cavalry formation and defeats the outlaws in the first battle. While the Liangshan outlaws are discussing their plans to counter Huyan Zhuo's cavalry formation, Tang Long speaks up and suggests that they recruit his cousin Xu Ning to train the Liangshan infantry in using the hooked lance in order to break the formation. Song Jiang, the field commander of the Liangshan forces, then sends Tang Long, Dai Zong, Shi Qian and Yue He to lure Xu Ning to Liangshan.

One night, Shi Qian sneaks into Xu Ning's house and steals his family heirloom – a lightweight golden armoured vest that is impenetrable by sharp objects. Just as Xu Ning is feeling upset over the loss of his armoured vest, Tang Long shows up and offers to help him track down the thief. During their "quest" to retrieve the armoured vest, Xu Ning gets tricked into consuming wine spiked with drugs that will make the drinker unconscious. When he is out cold, Tang Long and the others transport him to Liangshan.

After regaining consciousness, Xu Ning feels angry when he realises that everything he experienced over the past few days was actually a plan to lure him to Liangshan. However, when he gets his armoured vest back and sees that the outlaws have fetched his family to Liangshan, his anger subsides and he reluctantly agrees to join the outlaw band. After Song Jiang and Lin Chong speak to him, Xu Ning feels convinced that he is joining Liangshan for a good cause – to "deliver justice on Heaven's behalf" by fighting injustices and eliminating corrupt government officials.

Xu Ning trains the Liangshan infantry in using the hooked lance. They succeed in breaking Huyan Zhuo's chain-linked armoured cavalry formation and defeating the imperial army in battle. The outlaws later manage to capture Huyan Zhuo and convince him to surrender and join Liangshan as well.

Campaigns and death

Xu Ning becomes one of the Eight Tiger Cub Vanguard Generals of the Liangshan cavalry after the 108 Stars of Destiny come together in what is called the Grand Assembly. After the outlaws received amnesty from Emperor Huizong, he follows them on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces on Song territory.

During the campaign against Fang La's rebel forces, Xu Ning and Hao Siwen are assigned to attack Hangzhou, which is guarded by Fang La's son Fang Tianding. When Hao Siwen gets captured by enemy forces, Xu Ning attempts to save him but gets hit in the neck by a poisoned arrow. He dies from poisoning not long later.

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. 37. 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. 93–94
• Zhang, Lin Ching (2009). Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House. ISBN 978-7506344784.