中國 & China: Water Margin(水滸傳)

Water Margin(水滸傳)

Water Margin(水滸傳)

Alternative Names (異名):
水滸傳, 水浒传, Water Margin, Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers, The Marshes of Mount Liang

Water Margin or Outlaws of the Marsh or All Men Are Brothers or The Marshes of Mount Liang (traditional Chinese: 水滸傳; simplified Chinese: 水浒传; pinyin: Shuǐhǔ Zhuàn) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels (四大名著) of Chinese literature. Attributed to Shi Naian, whom some believe to be Luo Guanzhong, the novel details the trials and tribulations of 108 outlaws during the mid Song Dynasty (宋朝). The novel began as a series of folktales told from the Song (宋朝) to Ming (明朝) dynasties and was officially compiled and published during the 16th century.

Historical context and development

An illustration of the novelWater Margin is vaguely based upon the historical bandit Song Jiang and his 36 companions. The group was active in the Huai River region and eventually surrendered to government troops in 1121. They are recorded in the Song Shi (Chinese: 宋史 - "History of the Song Dynasty) (1345), the name of Song Jiang appearing in the chapter of Emperor Huizong, the activities of the gang in the chapter for Zhang Shuye (Chinese: 張叔夜). Folk stories about Song Jiang circulated during the Southern Song. The first text to name Song Jiang's thirty-six companions was the 13th century Guixin Zashi (Chinese: 癸辛雜識 - "Miscellaneous Observations from the Year Guixin") by Zhou Mi (Chinese: 周密) (1232 - 1298). Among the thirty-six are Lu Junyi, Guan Sheng, Ruan Xiaoer, Ruan Xiaowu, Ruan Xiaoqi, Liu Tang, Hua Rong and Wu Yong. Some of the characters to later become associated with Song Jiang also appeared around this time. They include Sun Li, Yang Zhi, Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen and Wu Song.

A direct precursor of Water Margin was the Da Song Xuanhe Yishi (Chinese: 大宋宣和遺事 - "Old incidents in Xuanhe period of the great Song Dynasty"), which appeared around the mid-13th century. The text was basically a written version of storytellers' tales, based loosely on historical events. It is divided into ten chapters, roughly covering the history of the Song Dynasty from the early 11th century to the establishment of the Southern Song regime in 1127. The fourth chapter covers the adventures of Song Jiang and his 36 companions, and their eventual defeat by Zhang Shuye (Chinese: 張叔夜). Some of the more well-known stories and characters of the Water Margin are clearly visible, including "Yang Zhi selling his sword", "Stealing the birthday present", "Song Jiang kills his slave girl", "Fighting Fang La" etc. It places Song Jiang and his bandits in the Taihang Mountains, and his band ran the gamut from fishermen to ex imperial drill instructors to inn-keepers etc.

Stories about the bandits of Mount Liang became popular as subject for Yuan Dynasty drama. During this time the material on which the Water Margin was based evolved into what it is today. Song Jiang's bandits were expanded to number one hundred and eight, and though they came from different backgrounds, all eventually come to occupy Mount Liang. There is a theory that Water Margin became popular during the Yuan Dynasty due to resentment toward the Mongol rulers. Song Jiang's rebellion was safe to promote because it criticized the Song Dynasty on the surface, but it was also a call to oppose all corrupt governments.

Authorship and early editions

There is considerable disagreement as to the author of Water Margin. Most consider the first seventy chapters to have been written by Shi Nai'an, while the last thirty chapters were written by Luo Guanzhong, also the author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Luo may have been the disciple of Shi Nai'an. It has also been suggested that Shi Nai'an did not exist but was merely a pseudonym for Luo Guanzhong himself. Clues from the text itself strongly suggest that the author was a native of Zhejiang province (as both Luo and Shi were) who had little knowledge of northern China. At a 2006 conference, the leading scholars of the work agreed that Shi and Luo were probably the same person, because the name Shi Nai'an written backwards spells "an nai shi", meaning "It is I again."

It is not clear how close the Luo's edition was to those that are known today. The earliest extant edition of Water Margin is a 100-chapter printed text dating from the mid-16th century. Another edition, with 120 chapters by Yang Dingjian (Chinese: 楊定見), has been preserved from the Wanli era (1573–1620). Yet other editions were published since this era to the early Qing Dynasty, including a 70-chapter edition by Jin Shengtan (1608-1661).

Outline of each chapter

The opening episode is the release of the 108 spirits. The next chapter describes the rise of Gao Qiu, the main antagonist of the 108. Then follow the stories of different outlaws. At first the story may seem like separate stories, which, in a sense, they were. The connections were very vague between characters. But the story eventually comes together by Chapter 40 or so, during the exile and rescue of Song Jiang, who becomes the head of 108 outlaws. Once the main characters gather on the Mount Liang on the marsh, the story goes on with the conflicts with the Song dynasty, while Song Jiang keeps showing his loyalty to the emperor. After winning battles against the imperial forces, the outlaws are offered amnesty and invited by the emperor to become an official army, which Song Jiang willingly accepts. Gao Qiu, not being happy with them, sends them out to fight against the enemies of the dynasty, and finally we will see the tragic ending.

The following outline of chapters is based on a 100-chapter edition. Yang's 120-chapter edition includes other campaigns of the outlaws on behalf of Song dynasty, while Jing's 70-chapter edition omits the chapters on the outlaws' acceptance of amnesty and following campaigns.

Chapter Event

1	Marshal Hong Releases the 108 Spirits.
2	The rise of Gao Qiu.
2–3	The story of Shi Jin.
3–7	The story of Lu Zhishen.
7–12	The story of Lin Chong.
12–13	The story of Yang Zhi.
13–20	The robbing of the birthday gifts led by Chao Gai and the "original 7".
20–22	The story of Song Jiang.
23–32	The story of Wu Song.
32–35	The story of Hua Rong.
36–43	The exile and rescue of Song Jiang.
44–47	The story of Shi Xiu and Yang Xiong.
47–50	The three assaults on the Zhu Family Village.
51–52	The story of Lei Heng and Zhu Tong.
53–55	The outlaws attack Gaotangzhou; the search for Gongsun Sheng.
55–57	The first imperial assault on Liangshan Marsh (led by Huyuan Zhuo).
57–59	The outlaws attack Qingzhou.
59–60	The outlaws attack Mount Mangdang.
60	The first assault on the Zeng Family Village; the death of Chao Gai.
60–67	The story of Lu Junyi; the outlaws attack Damingfu; the second imperial assault on Liangshan Marsh (led by Guan Sheng).
67	The third imperial assault on Liangshan Marsh (led by Shan Ting-gui and Wei Ding-guo).
68	The second assault on the Zeng Family Village.
69–70	The outlaws attack Dongpingfu and Dongchangfu.
71–74	The 108 heroes are fully assembled; the funny and lethal antics of Li Kui.
75–78	The Emperor offers amnesty the first time; the fourth imperial assault on Liangshan Marsh.
78–80	The fifth imperial assault on Liangshan Marsh (led by Gao Qiu).
81–82	The outlaws are granted complete amnesty.
83–89	The outlaws attack the Liao Tatars.
90–99	The outlaws attack the southern rebels (Fang La).
100	The tragic dissolution of the outlaws of the Marsh.

The extended version adds the Liangshan Marsh bandits' expeditions against other noted rebel leaders, Tian Hu in Hebei and Wang Qing in Szechuan, prior to the campaign against Fang La.

Modern transformations

Film and television

The Water Margin (Japanese: 水滸伝) was a successful Japanese television adaptation of the story, produced by Nippon Television and starring Atsuo Nakamura and Go Kato in the main roles. The show was filmed in 1973 on location in mainland China, as the first jointly co-produced show with a non-Communist country since 1949. The show was very successful and broadcast on TV in many other countries.

Some locations and characters were written into Mitsuteru Yokoyama's anime Giant Robo: The Animation as Yokoyama had previously published a manga version of the story of the outlaws of Mt. Liang.

A 1980s TV serial was also produced in Hong Kong by the studio TVB.

A 40 episode TV serial (Chinese: 水滸全傳) produced in Mainland China was released in 1997.

A 1972 movie of the same name was produced by the Shaw Brothers (Singapore).

A Hong Kong movie starring Tony Leung was made in the mid-1990s and it centered around Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen and Gao Qiu.

Literature

Qing Dynasty author Qian Cai intertwined the lives of Yue Fei and the bandits Lin Chong and Lu Junyi in The Story of Yue Fei by stating the latter were previous students of the general's military arts tutor, Zhou Tong. However, literary critic C.T. Hsia comments the connection was only a creation of the author. The republican era folktale “Swordplay Under the Moon”, by Wang Shaotang, further intertwines Yue Fei's history with the bandits by adding Wu Song to the list of Zhou's former students. The tale takes place during Wu's mission to Kaifeng, prior to the murder of his brother. Zhou tutors Wu in the "rolling dragon" style of swordplay during his one month stay in the capital city. It also says Zhou is sworn brothers with the “Flowery Monk” Lu Zhishen and shares a nickname with the executioner-turned-bandit Cai Fu.

Frank Chin's novel, Donald Duk, contains many references to the Water Margin. Song Jiang and Li Kui make several appearances in the protagonist's dreams.

Two characters in the popular Japanese novel series Saiunkoku Monogatari, Shi Seiran and Rou Ensei, have histories vaguely resembling those of Chai Jin and Yan Qing, and are nicknamed "Small Whirlwind" and "King of the Staff".
A Hong Kong comic series was also drawn by the popular Hong Kong comic artist, Li Zhiqing.

Video games

A character named "The Black Whirlwhind" in the RPG Jade Empire is also obviously inspired by Li Kui.

The game Water Margin Online is adapted from the story of Water Margin.

The novel inspired the Japanese console role-playing game series Gensou Suikoden, as well as an earlier military strategy game by Koei, called Bandit Kings of Ancient China.

Data East released a fighting game which was known under three different titles. Suiko Enbu in Japan, Outlaws of The Lost Dynasty in the U.S. and Dark Legend on the American Sega Saturn. The game's characters are inspired by the Water Margin story.

Nicknames of the 108 heroes:
http://homepage3.nifty.com/suikosai/dankin_dir/dankin_28.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Margin
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Water_Margin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Water_Margin

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