Zhang Qing (Featherless Arrow)

For the similarly named Water Margin character, see Zhang Qing (Gardener).

Zhang Qing is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Featherless Arrow", he ranks 16th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

Background

The novel describes Zhang Qing as a handsome, energetic and agile warrior with a waist like a wolf's, arms like an ape's, and a body like a tiger's. Originally from Zhangde Prefecture (彰德府; present-day Anyang, Henan), he serves as a military general in Dongchang Prefecture (東昌府; present-day Liaocheng, Shandong) and oversees the prefecture's armed forces. He earns himself the nickname "Featherless Arrow" because he can fling stones with great accuracy – a skill that augments his combat skills. After stunning his opponents with his stones, he will then seize the opportunity to knock them down and kill or capture them.

Joining Liangshan

When the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh attack Dongchang Prefecture to obtain food supplies, the prefect orders Zhang Qing to lead the prefecture's armed forces to resist the outlaws. Zhang Qing gains the upper hand in the first battle against Liangshan forces under Lu Junyi's command after he knocks out Hao Siwen with a flying stone. Song Jiang later leads more Liangshan forces to Dongchang Prefecture to reinforce Lu Junyi. In a sequence of one-on-one duels on horseback against Liangshan's top warriors, Zhang Qing uses his stone-flinging technique to defeat and/or injure Xu Ning, Yan Shun, Han Tao, Peng Qi, Xuan Zan, Huyan Zhuo, Yang Zhi, Zhu Tong, Lei Heng and Suo Chao. He even captures Liu Tang after knocking him off horseback. Although Guan Sheng and Dong Ping manage to block or dodge Zhang Qing's flying stones, they never make it close enough to defeat him.

Song Jiang then calls for a meeting with his fellow Liangshan outlaws to discuss how to deal with Zhang Qing. At the time, as the outlaws have besieged Dongchang Prefecture for some time, the city's food supplies are running out. Wu Yong, Liangshan's chief strategist, proposes a plan to lure Zhang Qing out of the city to rob Liangshan's supply train, and then set a trap to capture him. When Zhang Qing sees Lu Zhishen escorting a supply convoy outside Dongchang Prefecture, he leads his troops to launch a surprise attack. Although he stuns Lu Zhishen with his flying stones, Wu Song intervenes and manages to save Lu Zhishen in time. As Zhang Qing moves on to attack Liangshan boats filled with supplies at the riverbank, Liangshan's sorcerer Gongsun Sheng uses his magic powers to make the sky overcast. Zhang Qing loses his way in the darkness and falls into the river, where he gets captured by Liangshan's naval forces.

When Zhang Qing is brought before the outlaw leaders, Song Jiang treats him respectfully and manages to convince him to surrender and join the Liangshan outlaw band. Zhang Qing proves his allegiance to Liangshan by tricking the prefect into opening Dongchang Prefecture's gates, thus allowing the outlaws to enter and capture the city easily. He also recommends Huangfu Duan, a famous veterinary physician, to join Liangshan as well.

Campaigns and death

Zhang Qing becomes one of the Eight Tiger Cub Vanguard Generals of the Liangshan cavalry following the Grand Assembly of the 108 Stars of Destiny. After the outlaws received amnesty from Emperor Huizong, Zhang Qing follows them on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces on Song territory.

Zhang Qing earns the top credit during the campaign against Tian Hu's rebel forces when he captures the rebel leader with the help of Qiongying, the foster daughter of one of Tian Hu's followers. They get married and have a son, Zhang Jie (張節).

During the final campaign against Fang La's rebel forces, Zhang Qing and Dong Ping are assigned to lead Liangshan forces to attack Dusong Pass (獨松關; located south of present-day Anji County, Zhejiang), where they encounter enemy forces led by Li Tianrun. Dong Ping, whose arm is already injured by shrapnel, attempts to engage Li Tianrun in a one-on-one duel on horseback but ultimately decides to retreat to nurse his wound. Zhang Qing then takes over Dong Ping's place and continues the duel against Li Tianrun. He tries to spear Li Tianrun but misses and his spear gets stuck in a tree. While Zhang Qing is struggling to pull out his spear, Li Tianrun seizes the opportunity to stab him in the abdomen and kill him. After the Liangshan forces achieve victory over Fang La's rebel forces, Zhang Qing's remains are sent back to Zhangde Prefecture and laid to rest in a proper funeral.

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. 33. 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. 89–90, 93
• Zhang, Lin Ching (2009). Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House. ISBN 978-7506344784.