Xue Yong
Xue Yong is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Sick Tiger",[lower-alpha 1] he ranks 84th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 48th among the 72 Earthly Fiends.
| Xue Yong | |
|---|---|
| Water Margin character | |
| First appearance | Chapter 36 |
| Nickname | "Sick Tiger" 病大蟲 |
| Rank | 84th, Tranquil Star (地幽星) of the 72 Earthly Fiends |
| Infantry leader of Liangshan | |
| Origin | Medicine peddler |
| Ancestral home / Place of origin | Luoyang, Henan |
| Names | |
| Simplified Chinese | 薛永 |
| Traditional Chinese | 薛永 |
| Pinyin | Xuē Yǒng |
| Wade–Giles | Hsüeh Yung |
Background
A native of Luoyang, Henan, Xue Yong is a skilled fighter who specialises in staff and spear. His grandfather was a military officer at the northwestern frontier of the Song Empire. However, after offending his colleagues, he was dismissed from the military, with his family forever refused enlistment. Xue Yong makes a living by peddling medicinal stuff with some martial stunts thrown in as crowd puller. He is nicknamed "Sick Tiger".
Meeting Song Jiang
As an itinerant vendor, Xue Yong one day arrives at Jieyang Town (揭陽鎮) near the Xunyang River. Perhaps not knowing the consequence he did not go to pay respect to the Mu brothers (Mu Hong and Mu Chun), who are the most influential family in town, before staging his roadside performance. Feeling insulted, the Mus forbid the townsfolk from patronising him. Song Jiang, who is passing by Jieyang Town in his exile to Jiangzhou (江州; present-day Jiujiang) as a mitigated sentence for killing his mistress, comes upon Xue Yong and tips him handsomely seeing that he could not make a cent despite his remarkable performance. Mu Chun, who is among the onlookers, is furious and rushes forth to beat Song. But he is floored by Xue Yong.
Xue Yong is delighted to learn that the exile is Song Jiang, whose fame for chivalry spreads afar. After parting with Song with the promise to meet him in Jiangzhou, Xue Yong returns to his inn to check out. Just then, Mu Chun appears with his men and overwhelm him with their number. After tying him up and giving him a good beating, Mu Chun goes hunt for Song Jiang, who meanwhile has been offered lodgings by the Mus' kindly father in their manor after being denied accommodation everywhere across the town. Mu Chun finds his brother Mu Hong and together they pursue Song Jiang, who has fled with his two escorts upon knowing they had landed in their house.
In desperation, Song Jiang boards the boat of Zhang Heng, who is a pirate. Midway across the Xunyang River, Zhang wants to kill the three. But his friend Li Jun, who has recently befriended Song Jiang at Jieyang Ridge, comes by in his boat and the killing is averted. Zhang is shocked to learn that the man is the chivalrous hero Song Jiang. So are the Mu brothers, who wait at the bank. The Mus release Xue Yong and the whole group treat Song as an honoured guest before seeing him off to Jiangzhou.
Joining Liangshan
Song Jiang is found to be the author of a seditious poem written on a wall in a restaurant in Jiangzhou and is sentenced to death. The chieftains of Liangshan Marsh rush to Jiangzhou and rescue him at the execution ground. After fleeing Jiangzhou, the group is stranded at a riverbank. Just then Li Jun, Xue Yong and other friends Song Jiang made recently in the Jieyang region arrive in their boats on their way to save Song Jiang. They ferry the outlaws to the Mus' manor.
Before returning to Liangshan, Song Jiang wants to take revenge on Huang Wenbing, the petty official who found and reported his seditious poem. Xue Yong recommends his martial arts student Hou Jian, who works as a tailor in Huang's house, to lead them to his home. With Hou tricking Huang's family to open the door, the outlaws break into the house and massacre everyone inside. They also capture and kill Huang. Xue Yong goes with the bunch to Liangshan.
Campaigns and death
Xue Yong is appointed as one of the leaders of the Liangshan infantry after the 108 Stars of Destiny came together in what is called the Grand Assembly. He participates in the campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces iun Song territory following amnesty from Emperor Huizong.for Liangshan.
In the attack on Yuling Pass (昱嶺關; near present-day Zhupu Village, She County, Anhui) in the campaign against Fang La, Xue Yong, along with a few other Liangshan heroes, is fatally shot by the archers of the enemy general Pang Wanchun.
Notes
- Note that 大蟲, which literally means "big bug", is used as a euphemism or literary term in place of 虎, the proper Chinese term for tiger. See the Wiktionary entry for 大蟲.
References
- Buck, Pearl S. (2006). All Men are Brothers. Moyer Bell. ISBN 9781559213035.
- Miyazaki, Ichisada (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. 169. 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.