Yue He
Encyclopedia
Yue He is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 77th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 41st of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Iron Whistle".
, Yunnan
). He has a talent for music and is able to play various types of musical instruments and sing very well, earning himself the nickname "Iron Whistle". Yue He is also highly intelligent and possesses an innate ability to foresee the outcome of events. He learnt martial arts from his distant relative Sun Li.
). The Xie brothers (Xie Zhen
and Xie Bao
) are framed and imprisoned to await execution. Yue He sympathises with their plight and decides to help them. He goes to inform their cousin Gu Dasao
and her husband Sun Xin (younger brother of Sun Li). Yue He works together with Sun Li, Sun Xin, Gu Dasao, Zou Run
and Zou Yuan
to raid the prison and rescue the Xie brothers. They travel to Liangshan Marsh
to join the outlaw band after that. At that time, the outlaws are in the midst of a war with the Zhu Family Village. Yue He joins Sun Li and the new members of Liangshan to conduct an espionage mission in the village and help the outlaws defeat the Zhus.
and capture Gao. Gao Qiu agrees to help the outlaws obtain amnesty from the emperor and is released. Yue He and Xiao Rang
follow Gao Qiu back to the capital as envoys to the emperor. Unfortunately, Gao Qiu breaks his promise and imprisons Yue He and Xiao Rang in his residence. They are rescued by Yan Qing
and Dai Zong later.
The outlaws are granted amnesty eventually with the help of Li Shishi
and other officials and the emperor allows them to go on military campaigns against the Liao
invaders and rebel forces, as a form of service to the nation. Yue He follows the heroes on these campaigns and contributes greatly to the victories. However, he does not participate in the last Fang La
campaign as he is summoned back to the capital on the eve of the campaign. A prince consort has heard of Yue He's singing talent and he wants Yue to serve him as a minstrel. Yue He leads a happy life for the rest of his days in the prince consort's residence.
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 77th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 41st of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Iron Whistle".
Background
The Water Margin describes Yue He as a handsome gentleman from Maozhou (present-day Mouding CountyMouding County
Mouding County is located in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.-External links:*...
, Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
). He has a talent for music and is able to play various types of musical instruments and sing very well, earning himself the nickname "Iron Whistle". Yue He is also highly intelligent and possesses an innate ability to foresee the outcome of events. He learnt martial arts from his distant relative Sun Li.
Becoming an outlaw
Yue He works as a prison warder in Dengzhou (in present-day ShandongShandong
' 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...
). The Xie brothers (Xie Zhen
Xie Zhen
Xie Zhen is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 34th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Double-headed Serpent".-Background:...
and Xie Bao
Xie Bao
Xie Bao is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 35th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Twin-tailed Scorpion".-Background:...
) are framed and imprisoned to await execution. Yue He sympathises with their plight and decides to help them. He goes to inform their cousin Gu Dasao
Gu Dasao
Gu Dasao is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. She ranks 101st of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 65th of the 72 Earthly Fiends...
and her husband Sun Xin (younger brother of Sun Li). Yue He works together with Sun Li, Sun Xin, Gu Dasao, Zou Run
Zou Run
Zou Run is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 91st of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 55th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Single-horned Dragon".-Background:...
and Zou Yuan
Zou Yuan
Zou Yuan is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 90th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 54th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Forest Emerging Dragon".-Background:...
to raid the prison and rescue the Xie brothers. They travel to 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...
to join the outlaw band after that. At that time, the outlaws are in the midst of a war with the Zhu Family Village. Yue He joins Sun Li and the new members of Liangshan to conduct an espionage mission in the village and help the outlaws defeat the Zhus.
Campaigns
Yue He becomes one of the leaders of the Liangshan infantry and a scout leader after the Grand Assembly. The outlaws defeat an imperial fleet led by Grand Marshal Gao QiuGao Qiu
Gao Qiu was a government official who served Emperor Huizong during the Song Dynasty. He is also featured as one of the main antagonists and nemesis of the 108 Liangshan outlaws in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.-Biography:According to the Chinese...
and capture Gao. Gao Qiu agrees to help the outlaws obtain amnesty from the emperor and is released. Yue He and Xiao Rang
Xiao Rang
Xiao Rang is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 46th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 10th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Sacred Handed Scholar".-Background:...
follow Gao Qiu back to the capital as envoys to the emperor. Unfortunately, Gao Qiu breaks his promise and imprisons Yue He and Xiao Rang in his residence. They are rescued by Yan Qing
Yan Qing
Yan Qing is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 36th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Wanderer" or "Prodigal"....
and Dai Zong later.
The outlaws are granted amnesty eventually with the help of Li Shishi
Li Shishi (Song Dynasty)
Li Shishi was a prostitute in Kaifeng, the capital of the Song Dynasty, and Emperor Huizong was a regular client of hers.In the classical novel Water Margin, Li Shishi encounters the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh on two occasions; on the second, more important encounter, she befriends Yan Qing and...
and other officials and the emperor allows them to go on military 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, as a form of service to the nation. Yue He follows the heroes on these campaigns and contributes greatly to the victories. However, he does not participate in the last 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 as he is summoned back to the capital on the eve of the campaign. A prince consort has heard of Yue He's singing talent and he wants Yue to serve him as a minstrel. Yue He leads a happy life for the rest of his days in the prince consort's residence.