Zhang Shun
Encyclopedia
Zhang Shun is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 30th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "White Stripe in the Waves".
tall with a fair complexion and a beautiful beard. He is a powerful swimmer and diver. His prowess in water earns him the nickname "White Stripe in the Waves".
Zhang Shun and his older brother Zhang Heng
live at the foot of Mount Gu. They engage in illegal trading and piracy on the nearby Xunyang River
for a living. He decides to change his career and moves to Jiangzhou (present-day Jiangxi
), where he becomes a fisherman.
When Song Jiang
is exiled to Jiangzhou for murdering Yan Poxi, he befriends the wardens Dai Zong and Li Kui and leads an easy life in prison there. Once, during a feast with Dai Zong and Li Kui, Song Jiang suddenly has a craving for fish. Li Kui immediately goes to the riverbank to get fresh fish. His hot temper gets him into a fight with the fishermen. Zhang Shun challenges Li Kui to a fight but he is defeated. Zhang Shun is not satisfied and he challenges Li Kui to fight him in the river instead. Li Kui is a poor swimmer and he is defeated by Zhang Shun in the water. Song Jiang and Dai Zong arrive on the scene and stop the fight. Zhang Shun and Li Kui then have a good laugh over the fight and become friends.
. Zhang Shun and his brother then join the outlaw band.
When Zhang Shun finally finds An Daoquan, An refuses to join Liangshan. Zhang Shun kills Li Qiaonu, a prostitute and close friend of An Daoquan, and writes "An Daoquan is the killer" in blood on the wall near the crime scene. An Daoquan is forced to join Liangshan and become an outlaw. On the return journey, Zhang Shun boards Zhang Wang's boat again and he recognises the pirate. Zhang Shun grabs Zhang Wang, ties him up and throws him overboard for revenge. An Daoquan succeeds in healing Song Jiang and Zhang Shun is given credit.
leads a fleet of 300 battleships to attack the outlaws, Zhang Shun and the Liangshan navy go underwater and knock holes in the hulls of the ships and sank them. Gao Qiu's entire fleet is destroyed and the outlaws score a major victory over the imperial forces in the battle. Zhang Shun and the other naval commanders are given full credit for the victory.
After the Liangshan outlaws are granted amnesty by the emperor, Zhang Shun follows them on their campaigns against the Liao
invaders and rebel forces, making great contributions to his nation. During the Fang La
campaign, Zhang Shun attempts to sneak into the enemy city of Hangzhou
by scaling the Yongjin Gate (湧金門). He is discovered by Fang Tianding
and killed by Fang's archers. After his death, his spirit possesses his brother's body and he slays Fang Tianding on Mount Wuyun for revenge.
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 30th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "White Stripe in the Waves".
Background
The Water Margin describes Zhang Shun as a man six chiChi (unit)
The chi is a traditional Chinese unit of length, approximately equal to one foot. Its length is derived from the length of human forearm and has first appeared during the Shang Dynasty approximately 3000 years ago. Since then it has spread to and adopted by other East Asian cultures, such as...
tall with a fair complexion and a beautiful beard. He is a powerful swimmer and diver. His prowess in water earns him the nickname "White Stripe in the Waves".
Zhang Shun and his older brother Zhang Heng
Zhang Heng (Water Margin)
Zhang Heng is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 28th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Boatman".-Background:...
live at the foot of Mount Gu. They engage in illegal trading and piracy on the nearby Xunyang River
Xunyang River
Xunyang River is a section of Yangtze River north of Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China.Jiujiang had ancient names like Chaisang and Xunyang , thus the section of Yangtze River passing Jiujiang was thus named. Today, there is one Xunyang District in Jiujiang....
for a living. He decides to change his career and moves to Jiangzhou (present-day 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...
), where he becomes a fisherman.
Fight with Li Kui
Song 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...
is exiled to Jiangzhou for murdering Yan Poxi, he befriends the wardens Dai Zong and Li Kui and leads an easy life in prison there. Once, during a feast with Dai Zong and Li Kui, Song Jiang suddenly has a craving for fish. Li Kui immediately goes to the riverbank to get fresh fish. His hot temper gets him into a fight with the fishermen. Zhang Shun challenges Li Kui to a fight but he is defeated. Zhang Shun is not satisfied and he challenges Li Kui to fight him in the river instead. Li Kui is a poor swimmer and he is defeated by Zhang Shun in the water. Song Jiang and Dai Zong arrive on the scene and stop the fight. Zhang Shun and Li Kui then have a good laugh over the fight and become friends.
Joining Liangshan
Song Jiang met Zhang Heng earlier, who requested his help on delivering a letter to his brother. Song Jiang shows Zhang Shun his brother's letter and Zhang recognises Song as the famous philanthropist, and strikes up a friendship with him. When Song Jiang is framed by Huang Wenbing and sentenced to death, the Liangshan outlaws storm the execution ground and rescue him. Zhang Shun and his friends fetch the outlaws at the riverbank and ferry them all the way back to Liangshan MarshMount 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...
. Zhang Shun and his brother then join the outlaw band.
Recruiting An Daoquan
Once, Song Jiang contracts a tumor on his back and becomes seriously ill. Zhang Shun embarks on a long journey to seek the famous physician An Daoquan to cure Song Jiang. Along the way, Zhang Shun boards the pirate Zhang Wang's boat by mistake. He is robbed, bound and thrown overboard. Zhang Shun manages to break his bonds underwater and escapes.When Zhang Shun finally finds An Daoquan, An refuses to join Liangshan. Zhang Shun kills Li Qiaonu, a prostitute and close friend of An Daoquan, and writes "An Daoquan is the killer" in blood on the wall near the crime scene. An Daoquan is forced to join Liangshan and become an outlaw. On the return journey, Zhang Shun boards Zhang Wang's boat again and he recognises the pirate. Zhang Shun grabs Zhang Wang, ties him up and throws him overboard for revenge. An Daoquan succeeds in healing Song Jiang and Zhang Shun is given credit.
Campaigns and death
When 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...
leads a fleet of 300 battleships to attack the outlaws, Zhang Shun and the Liangshan navy go underwater and knock holes in the hulls of the ships and sank them. Gao Qiu's entire fleet is destroyed and the outlaws score a major victory over the imperial forces in the battle. Zhang Shun and the other naval commanders are given full credit for the victory.
After the Liangshan outlaws are granted amnesty by the emperor, Zhang Shun follows them 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, making great contributions to his nation. 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, Zhang Shun attempts to sneak into the enemy city of Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
by scaling the Yongjin Gate (湧金門). He is discovered by Fang Tianding
Fang Tianding
Fang Tianding is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Fang Tianding is a son of the rebel leader, Fang La, one of the antagonists and enemy of the 108 Liangshan outlaws.-Biography:...
and killed by Fang's archers. After his death, his spirit possesses his brother's body and he slays Fang Tianding on Mount Wuyun for revenge.
See also
- List of Water Margin minor characters#Zhang Shun's story for a list of supporting minor characters from Zhang Shun's story.