Hou Jian
Encyclopedia
Hou Jian is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 71st of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 35th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Long Armed Ape".
, Jiangxi
) and a martial arts student of Xue Yong
.
for treason and almost caused Song to be executed. After Song Jiang has been rescued by the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh
, he seeks vengeance on Huang Wenbing and hears from Xue Yong that Hou Jian might be able to help them. Xue Yong contacts Hou Jian and Hou agrees to secretly let the outlaws enter Huang Wenbing's residence. Hou Jian joins Liangshan after the outlaws kill Huang Wenbing and destroy his house.
invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor. During the Fang La
campaign, Hou Jian follows Ruan Xiaoqi
and the Liangshan navy to infiltrate an enemy city. The fleet encounters a storm and is swept far out into the open sea. Hou Jian's ship sinks and he drowns.
Water Margin
Water Margin , also known as Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes, or The Marshes of Mount Liang, is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.Attributed to Shi Nai'an and written in vernacular Chinese, the story, set in the Song Dynasty,...
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
Four Great Classical Novels
The Four Great Classical Novels, or the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly regarded by scholars to be the greatest and most influential of pre-modern Chinese fiction. Dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, they are well known to most Chinese readers...
of Chinese literature
Chinese literature
Chinese literature extends thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novels that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese...
. He ranks 71st of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 35th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Long Armed Ape".
Background
The Water Margin describes Hou Jian as a skinny and agile man with a dark complexion. His appearance earns him the nickname "Long Armed Ape". Hou Jian is a tailor from Hongdu (present-day NanchangNanchang
Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. It is located in the north-central portion of the province. As it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake, it is famous for its scenery, rich history and cultural sites...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
) and a martial arts student of Xue Yong
Xue Yong
Xue Yong is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 84th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 48th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Sick Tiger".-Background:...
.
Joining Liangshan
Hou Jian works as a tailor in the residence of Huang Wenbing, who framed Song JiangSong Jiang
Song Jiang was the leader of a group of outlaws who lived during the Song Dynasty. The outlaws were active in the present-day provinces of Shandong and Henan before their eventual surrender to the government. Song Jiang is also featured as a character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great...
for treason and almost caused Song to be executed. After Song Jiang has been rescued by the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh
Mount Liang
Mount Liang is a mountain in Liangshan County, Shandong province, China which rises to 197.9 m above sea level. It is well known as the stronghold of the 108 legendary Song Dynasty heroes of the classic Chinese novel Water Margin...
, he seeks vengeance on Huang Wenbing and hears from Xue Yong that Hou Jian might be able to help them. Xue Yong contacts Hou Jian and Hou agrees to secretly let the outlaws enter Huang Wenbing's residence. Hou Jian joins Liangshan after the outlaws kill Huang Wenbing and destroy his house.
Campaigns and death
Hou Jian is placed in charge of making flags, banners and clothing for Liangshan after the Grand Assembly. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the LiaoLiao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor. During the Fang La
Fang La
Fang La was a rebel leader who lived during the Song Dynasty. He is also featured as one of the antagonists and nemesis of the 108 Liangshan heroes in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.-Biography:...
campaign, Hou Jian follows Ruan Xiaoqi
Ruan Xiaoqi
Ruan Xiaoqi, also known as Ruan the Seventh, is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 31st of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Living King Yama".-Background:The Water Margin describes...
and the Liangshan navy to infiltrate an enemy city. The fleet encounters a storm and is swept far out into the open sea. Hou Jian's ship sinks and he drowns.