Li Zhong
Encyclopedia
Li Zhong is a fictional character in the Water Margin
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 86th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 50th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Tiger Slaying General".

Background

Li Zhong is from Haozhou (present-day Fengyang County
Fengyang County
Fengyang County is a county of Anhui Province, China. It is under the administration of Chuzhou prefecture-level city.-Historical sites:During the Xia, Shang and early Zhou dynasties, the Dongyi peoples inhabited this area and were collectively known as the Huaiyi after the Huai River...

, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...

). He is a martial artist and earns a living as a medicine peddler by performing martial arts and physical feats on the streets to promote the drugs he sells. He is nicknamed "Tiger Slaying General" for his strong and muscular physique. Li Zhong is also Shi Jin
Shi Jin
Shi Jin is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 23rd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Nine Tattooed Dragons".-Background:...

's first martial arts teacher.

Becoming an outlaw

Li Zhong meets Shi Jin again in Weizhou (present-day Yongshun County
Yongshun County
Yongshun County is a county of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.-References:*...

, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...

) after Shi left home. They are joined by a garrison major named Lu Da while having drinks in a tavern. Lu Da kills Butcher Zheng, a bully in Weizhou, with three mere punches to the face. He becomes a monk at a monastery on Mount Wutai later to avoid arrest and is renamed to "Lu Zhishen
Lu Zhishen
Lu Zhishen, nicknamed "Flowery Monk", or Sagacious Lu , is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He is the lead character in the first major story cycle of the novel, in which he comes to epitomize loyalty, strength, justice but...

".

Meanwhile, Li Zhong leaves Weizhou after parting ways with Shi Jin and he passes by Mount Peach Blossom on his journey. Zhou Tong, chief of a group of bandits on the mountain, attacks Li Zhong and tries to rob him. However, Li Zhong defeats Zhou Tong instead. Zhou Tong is impressed with Li Zhong's skill and decides to give up his position as chief to Li. Li Zhong joins the gang and becomes the new chief.

Encounter with Lu Zhishen

Meanwhile, Lu Zhishen is expelled from the monastery after causing havoc. He passes by Peach Blossom Manor on his way to Dongjing (present-day Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...

). Lu Zhishen is received warmly by the hospitable Squire Liu, master of the manor. Squire Liu tells Lu Zhishen that Zhou Tong is trying to force his daughter to marry him. Lu Zhishen is furious and decides to help Squire Liu. Lu Zhishen lies in ambush inside the bride's room and catches Zhou Tong off guard in the dark and gives him a good beating.

Zhou Tong flees back to the stronghold and asks Li Zhong to help him. Li Zhong leads his men to the manor to confront the monk who beat up his fellow. He is surprised to see that the monk is actually Lu Da, whom he met in Weizhou earlier. Lu Zhishen asks Li Zhong to help him persuade Zhou Tong to give up on Squire Liu's daughter and Li succeeds.

Joining Liangshan

Huyan Zhuo is defeated 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...

 and retreats to Qingzhou (in present-day Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...

). Along the way, his steed is stolen by Zhou Tong when he passes by Mount Peach Blossom. Huyan Zhuo is furious and he leads the Qingzhou army to attack the bandit stronghold. Li Zhong and Zhou Tong seek help from the outlaws on the nearby Mount Twin Dragons but they are still no match for Huyan Zhuo. Eventually, the Liangshan outlaws arrive to help them and they defeat the imperial forces in the great battle at Qingzhou. Huyan Zhuo is captured and he defects over to join Liangshan. Li Zhong follows the outlaws back to Liangshan after the victory.

Campaigns and death

Li Zhong becomes one of the leaders of the Liangshan infantry after the Grand Assembly. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the Liao
Liao 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, Li Zhong is assigned to attack the enemy territory of Yuling Pass. Shi Jin is killed by the enemy general Pang Wanchun
Pang Wanchun
Pang Wanchun is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Pang Wanchun is one of the military generals serving under the rebel leader, Fang La, one of the antagonists and enemy of the 108 Liangshan outlaws...

while Li Zhong and another four heroes are killed by dozens of enemy arrows in the battle.
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