List of Water Margin characters

The following is a list of minor characters from the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.

Liangshan heroes

Chao Gai's storyline

• He Tao (何淘) - the constable head who is tasked with arresting those responsible for robbing the convoy of birthday gifts. He leads soldiers to attack Liangshan while pursuing Chao Gai and his friends. His army is defeated in the marsh by the seven men and he is captured. He has one of his ears sliced off and is sent back to the authorities.

• He Qing (何清) - the idle younger brother of He Tao. He knows the truth behind the robbery of the birthday gifts by coincidence and reports it to his elder brother.

• Huang An (黃安) - the naval commander who leads government troops to attack Liangshan after He Tao's failure. He is defeated in battle and killed by Liu Tang while attempting to escape.

Song Jiang's storyline

• Yan Poxi (閻婆惜) - Song Jiang's wife. She is forced to marry him to repay his kindness after he provides her with financial assistance in arranging the funeral for her deceased father. She does not like Song Jiang at all and has an adulterous affair with Song's assistant Zhang Wenyuan. She discovers Chao Gai's letter to Song Jiang and threatens to report Song to the magistrate for being in league with the outlaws if Song does not agree to her conditions. She wants Song Jiang to give her his house and property, allow her to remarry Zhang Wenyuan and let her keep the gold from Chao Gai. Song Jiang kills her in anger and flees to evade arrest.

• Zhang Wenyuan (張文遠) - Song Jiang's assistant when Song was still a judge's clerk. He has an adulterous affair with Song Jiang's wife Yan Poxi.

• Liu Gao (劉高) - the official in charge of Qingfeng Fort. His wife is captured by the outlaws on Mount Qingfeng and is almost raped by Wang Ying. Song Jiang saves her by persuading Wang Ying to give up on her and the outlaws release her. Later, she repays kindness with evil and accuses Song Jiang of being the bandit who sexually assaulted her. Liu Gao believes his wife and has Song arrested and imprisoned. Liu Gao is killed along with his family after the outlaws break into the fort to rescue Song Jiang.

• Governor Murong (幕容知府) - the governor of Qingzhou. He orders the execution of Qin Ming's family after believing that Qin has defected to join the outlaws. Huyan Zhuo comes to Qingzhou to join him after his defeat. The Liangshan heroes capture Huyan Zhuo and persuades him to join them. Huyan tricks Murong into opening the city gates and the outlaws break in. Murong is killed by Qin Ming for revenge after his capture.

• Cai Jiu (蔡九) - the governor of Jiangzhou and the son of Cai Jing. He sentences Song Jiang and Dai Zong to death after believing Huang Wenbing's accusations that Song is planning to start a rebellion.

• Huang Wenbing (黃文炳) - a low-ranking official from Jiangzhou who serves under the governor Cai Jiu. Huang is scheming by nature and desires to make his name through unscrupulous means. His chance comes when he discovers Song Jiang's poem advocating rebellion and he reports it to Cai Jiu. Song Jiang is arrested and sentenced to death but the outlaws manage to rescue Song by storming the execution ground. Huang's family is killed by the outlaws later and his house set on fire. Huang is captured by Zhang Shun later and killed by Li Kui.

Lu Junyi's storyline

• Li Gu (李顧) - Lu Junyi's housekeeper. He betrays his master and has an adulterous affair with Lu's wife. They frame Lu for being in league with the outlaws, causing Lu to be arrested and imprisoned. After Lu is rescued from prison by the Liangshan heroes, he returns home and kills the adulterous pair for revenge.

• Mrs Lu (盧夫人) - Lu Junyi's wife. She betrays her husband and has an adulterous affair with the housekeeper Li Gu.

Lin Chong's storyline

• Mrs Lin (林夫人) - the wife of Lin Chong. She attracts the attention of Gao Yanei while praying in the temple. Gao attempts to molest her but refrains from doing so when Lin Chong stops him. Gao is unwilling to give up and collaborates with his foster father and Lu Qian to frame Lin Chong. Lin is sentenced to exile and he divorces his wife before leaving so as to allow her to have a chance to remarry again. Mrs Lin remains faithful to her husband and she commits suicide afterwards to prevent herself from being violated by Gao Yanei again.

• Lu Qian (陸謙) - an old friend of Lin Chong. When Lin first met him, he was still roaming the streets of Kaifeng, so Lin took pity on him and introduced him to the magistrate. When Lu becomes successful in his career, he repays Lin Chong's kindness with evil. He collaborates with Gao Yanei in the latter's evil plan to seize Lin Chong's wife. He is sent by Gao Qiu to follow Lin to Cangzhou and bribe the officials there to kill Lin. He is slain by Lin after setting the fire to the fodder storage field.

• Gao Yanei (高衙內) - the foster son of Gao Qiu. He is a lecherous villain who lusts for Lin Chong's wife and enlists the help of his foster father and Lu Qian to frame Lin for attempted assassination so he can seize Lin's wife for himself. He is castrated by the followers of Lin's friend Lu Zhishen.

• Dong Chao (董超) and Xue Ba (薛霸) - the guards escorting Lin Chong to Cangzhou. They have been bribed by Gao Qiu to finish off Lin along the way. They mistreat and abuse Lin along the way and want to kill him in Wild Boar Woods. Lu Zhishen appears and stops them. In another version of the novel, Dong and Xue are the guards escorting Lu Junyi to Shamen Island. They have also been bribed by Li Gu to kill Lu along the way and they treat Lu in the same way as they did to Lin Chong years ago. They are killed by Yan Qing when they are about to kill Lu.

• Wang Lun (王倫) - the first chief of Liangshan. He is selfish and incompetent and unwilling to accept others who are better than him, for fear that they might take over his position as chief. He tries to send Lin Chong and Chao Gai's party away later. He is killed by Lin, who is instigated by Wu Yong.

Chai Jin's storyline

• Gao Lian (高廉) - the cousin of Gao Qiu. He is the governor of Gaotangzhou and a corrupt official. His relative Yin Tianxi bullies Chai Jin's uncle and is killed by Li Kui. Gao is furious and he holds Chai responsible, imprisoning Chai. The Liangshan heroes attack Gaotangzhou to rescue Chai but are held off by Gao Lian's black magic. They defeat Gao eventually when Gongsun Sheng arrives and breaks his evil magic charms.

• Yin Tianxi (殷天錫) - a relative of Gao Lian. He bullies the people by abusing the privileges of his his relations with Gao Lian. Once, he tries to take over Chai Jin's residence and beats up Chai's elderly uncle. Chai confronts him but Yin shows disrespect to Chai and is killed by Li Kui in anger.

Lu Zhishen's storyline

• Jin Cuilian (金翠蓮) - a beautiful young maiden who is bullied by Butcher Zheng. Zheng is attracted by her beauty and wants to make her his concubine. After she enters Zheng's household, Zheng's wife dislikes her and drives her away. Zheng is known to be afraid of his fierce wife so he has no choice but to agree. He forces Jin and her father to compensate him for his "losses" but Jin and her father are too poor to afford that sum of money. Zheng does not allow them to leave so Jin and her father have to try accumulating money by street-performing in order to repay the "debt". Once, Jin cries over her plight and draws the attention of Lu Zhishen (then Major Lu Da). After listening to her plight, Lu is furious and he kills Zheng in anger. Jin and her father flee from town. She is taken in by the kind-hearted Squire Zhao who treats her and her father well.

• Squire Zhao (趙員外) - a wealthy squire who takes pity on Jin Cuilian and her father and accepts them. Jin's father meets Lu Da who is on the run from the law after killing Butcher Zheng and brings him to Zhao's residence. Zhao enjoys befriending pugilists and he does not hesitate in accepting Lu Da. Zhao recommends Lu Da to the monastery on Mount Wutai to become a monk through his friendship with the head abbot.

• "Lord of the West" (鎮關西) - a butcher called Zheng (鄭) from Weizhou who abuses his wealth by bullying the poor. He attempts to force Jin Cuilian to marry him but fails. He forces Jin and her father to compensate him for his "losses". When Lu Zhishen (then Major Lu Da) hears about it, he is furious and wants to deliver justice for them. Lu Zhishen kills Zheng with three punches and flees to Mount Wutai and becomes a monk to avoid arrest.

• Squire Liu (劉太公) - the master of Peach Blossom Manor (桃花莊). He has a beautiful daughter who attracts the attention of the bandit leader Zhou Tong. Zhou forces her to marry him. Lu Zhishen is staying with the Lius then and he decides to help Squire Liu. Lu beats up Zhou Tong in the dark and Zhou escapes back to the stronghold. Li Zhong comes to Zhou Tong's aid but he stops when he recognises Lu Zhishen. Li persuades Zhou Tong to give up marrying Squire Liu's daughter.

• Cui Daocheng (崔道成) and Qiu Xiaoyi (邱小乙) - two bandits who disguise themselves as religious men (a Taoist and a Buddhist monk respectively). They raze a temple to the ground and murder its occupants. Lu Zhishen is seeking shelter inside the temple and encounters them. Lu is almost killed by them because he is unaware of their evil intentions. Luckily, Shi Jin arrives and saves Lu Zhishen. Shi and Lu defeat and kill the evil bandits together.

• Deng Long (鄧龍) - the leader of the bandits on Twin Dragons Mountain (二龍山). He is killed by Lu Zhishen, Yang Zhi and Cao Zheng who seize control of his stronghold.

Wu Song's storyline

• Wu Dalang (武大郎) - the elder brother of Wu Song, who is nicknamed "Three-Inch Nail" (三寸釘) for his short stature. He is murdered by his adulterous wife Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing.

• Pan Jinlian (潘金蓮) - the adulterous wife of Wu Dalang. She has an affair with Ximen Qing and they murder Wu Dalang together with the help of Granny Wang. Pan Jinlian is killed by Wu Song after he forces a confession out of her.

• Ximen Qing (西門慶) - a rich man from Yanggu County. He has an affair with Wu Dalang's adulterous wife Pan Jinlian and they murder Wu Dalang together with Granny Wang's help. He is killed viciously by Wu Song for revenge.

• Granny Wang (王婆) - the owner of a teahouse and the neighbour of Wu Dalang. She aids Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing in their adulterous affair and plays a role in Wu Dalang's murder. Wu Song brings her to the county office after obtaining the confessions of the murder. She is convicted of abetting adultery and murder and is sentenced to execution by dismemberment.

• He Jiu (何九) - the chief coroner who inspects Wu Dalang's corpse. He knows that Wu Dalang is poisoned to death but he has been bribed by Ximen Qing so he remains silent. Haunted by his conscience, he keeps a bone as evidence after cremating the body and helps Wu Song by testifying as a witness to the adulterous affair.

• Yunge (鄆哥) - a little street urchin who befriends Wu Dalang and makes a living by selling pears. He witnesses the adulterous affair of Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing. He appeared to help Wu Song by testifying as a witness to the adulterous affair.

• Inspector Zhang (張督監) - the official in charge of Mengzhou. He collaborates with Jiang Zhong to frame Wu Song for theft and has Wu Song imprisoned and sentenced to exile. Zhang bribes the guards escorting Wu Song to kill him along the way but they are killed by Wu instead. Wu returns to take his revenge and kills Zhang at his residence along with his family.

• Jiang Zhong (蔣中) - a local tyrant nicknamed "Jiang the Door-God" (蔣門神). He beats up Shi En and seizes Shi's restaurant Forest of Delight (快活林) for himself. Shi enlists the help of Wu Song and Wu defeats Jiang in an intense fight. Wu demands that Jiang return the restaurant to Shi and warns him never to return to Mengzhou. Jiang plots his revenge and bribes Inspector Zhang to frame Wu Song for theft. Wu survives the journey into exile and returns to take his revenge. Jiang is killed by Wu Song along with Zhang.

Yang Zhi's storyline

• Niu Er (牛二) - a local bully who is killed by Yang Zhi after he annoys the latter.

• Liang Shijie (梁世傑) - the son in law of Cai Jing. He is the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Court and the governor of Damingfu (大名府). He is impressed with Yang Zhi's abilities and appoints him to be in charge of escorting the convoy of birthday gifts, worth a large sum of money, to his father-in-law. However, the birthday gifts are robbed by Chao Gai and his friends. Since then, Liang bears a grudge against the Liangshan heroes and he vents his anger on Lu Junyi later when Lu is arrested for being in league with Liangshan.

Li Kui's storyline

• Li Gui (李鬼) - an impostor who pretends to be Li Kui and robs passersby in the woods in Li's name. He encounters the real Li Kui and cooks up a story to trick Li into sparing his life. Li Kui discovers the truth and kills him but his wife escaped.

• Mrs Li (李夫人) - Li Gui's wife. She plots with her husband to capture Li Kui and send him to the authorities for a reward. Li Kui overhears their conversation and kills Li Gui. She escapes and arrives at Squire Cao's residence where she plots with Cao again to capture Li Kui. She is killed by Li Kui after she is knocked out.

• Squire Cao (曹太公) - a wealthy squire who collaborates with the authorities to arrest Li Kui after knowing his true identity from Li Gui's wife. He tricks Li Kui into drinking and makes Li drunk. When Li is unconscious, he is bound and escorted to the county office by Li Yun but Zhu Gui and Zhu Fu saves him by knocking out the group using drugged wine. Squire Cao is killed by Li Kui when he is knocked out.

• Taoist Luo (羅真人) - the teacher of Gongsun Sheng. Dai Zong and Li Kui go to find Gongsun Sheng to help them in combating Gao Lian's black magic. Luo refuses to allow Gongsun to leave with them and is apparently killed by Li in anger. Surprisingly, Luo is still alive the next day and he allows Gongsun to leave with them.

Shi Jin's storyline

• Wang Jin (王進) - the instructor of the imperial guards. His father taught Gao Qiu a painful lesson when the latter was stil a stree ruffian. When Gao becomes an official later, he takes revenge on Wang Jin and has Wang beaten up severely. Wang knows that Gao will not let him off so he flees together with his mother and comes to Shi Jin's home. He instructs Shi in martial arts.

• Squire Shi (史太公) - the father of Shi Jin. He dies of illness not too long after Wang Jin left.

• Li Ji (李吉) - a hunter who reports Shi Jin to the authorities for being in league with the bandits on Mount Shaohua. Shi Jin sets fire to his home and fights his way out. Li is killed by Shi during the chaos.

• Prefect He (賀太守) - a corrupt official who seizes the daughter of a craftsman for himself. Shi Jin breaks into his residence to assassinate him and rescue the girl but fails and is captured. Lu Zhishen also attempts to break in to rescue Shi but he fails as well and is captured too. The Liangshan heroes impersonate Marshal Su Jin and lure Prefect He out of the city where he is killed.

• Wang Yi (王義) - a craftsman. His daughter catches the eye of Prefect He, who seizes her for himself. Shi Jin hears about it and wants to help him rescue his daughter but fails and is captured.

• Li Ruilian (李瑞蓮) - a prostitute in the city of Dongping County who is a friend of Shi Jin. Shi volunteers to sneak into the city and work as a spy for Liangshan when they are attacking the city. He hides in the brothel where Li stays but the pimp discovers him and reports him to the government.

Lei Heng's storyline

• Bai Yuqiao (白玉喬) - the father of Bai Xiuying. Lei Heng goes to watch their performance but forgets to bring any money with him. Both of them pester Lei to pay up and insult him. Lei beats up Bai Yuqiao in anger and is arrested and put in chains.

• Bai Xiuying (白秀英) - a singer who insulted Lei Heng when he watched her performance without paying. Lei Heng beat up her father Bai Yuqiao in anger and is arrested and put in chains. When Lei Heng's mother goes to visit him, Bai Xiuying insults her and slaps her. Lei cannot tolerate Bai's attitude towards his mother and kills her in anger.

Li Jun's storyline

• Pugilists from Lake Tai - they become sworn brothers with Li Jun and follow him to Siam
  • Fei Bao (費保) - nicknamed "Red Whiskers Dragon" (赤鬚龍)
  • Ni Yun (倪雲) - nicknamed "Curly Haired Tiger" (捲毛虎)
  • Bo Qing (卜青) - nicknamed "Curly Haired Tiger" (太湖蛟)
  • Di Cheng (狄成) - nicknamed "Narrow-faced Bear" (瘦臉熊)

Zhang Shun's storyline

• Zhang Wang (張旺) - a pirate who robs Zhang Shun and binds him before throwing him into the river while the latter is on a journey to find An Daoquan. On the return journey, Zhang Shun encounters him and does the same to him for revenge.

• Li Qiaonu (李巧奴) - a prostitute who is in love with An Daoquan. When Zhang Shun goes to find An Daoquan to cure Song Jiang's illness, Li refuses to allow An to leave together with Zhang. Zhang attempts to force An to leave and he kills Li Qiaonu and writes "An Daoquan is the killer" on the wall near the crime scene to frame An. An Daoquan has no choice but to leave with Zhang Shun and become an outlaw.

Yang Xiong's storyline

• Pan Qiaoyun (潘巧雲) - the wife of Yang Xiong. She has an adulterous affair with Pei Ruhai and accuses Shi Xiu of molesting her after he discovers their affair. She is captured by Shi Xiu and taken to Mount Cuiping along with Pei and her servant maid. On the mountain, Yang interrogates her and forces a confession out of her before killing her.

• Pei Ruhai (裴如海) - a monk who has an adulterous affair with Yang Xiong's wife Pan Qiaoyun. He is killed by Shi Xiu.

• Ying'er (迎兒) - the servant maid of Pan Qiaoyun. She is killed by Yang Xiong along with her mistress.

Xie brothers' storyline

• Squire Cao (曹太公) - a rich squire. The Xie brothers are sent to hunt down and kill a ferocious tiger. The tiger is wounded and rolls down the hill and lands in Cao's backyard. The Xie brothers go to Cao's residence to claim the tiger but Cao has already sent his men with the dead tiger to the county office to collect his reward. Cao frames the Xie brothers for attempting to rob him and has them imprisoned. After a jailbreak, the Xie brothers return to take their revenge and kill Cao along with his family.

Zhu Family Village (祝家莊)

• Zhu Chaofeng (祝朝奉) - the headman of the village. He has connections with the government and abuses his authority and wealth by oppressing the common people. He provokes Liangshan through insulting messages and captures Shi Qian. His actions harden the Liangshan heroes' decision to attack his village. After the village falls, he tries to escape but runs into Shi Xiu who beheads him on sight.

• Zhu Long (祝龍) - the eldest son of Zhu Chaofeng. He is killed by Lin Chong during his escape attempt.

• Zhu Hu (祝虎) - the second son of Zhu Chaofeng. He is killed by Lü Fang and Guo Sheng who skewer him with their spears and drag him together with his steed to the ground.

• Zhu Biao (祝彪) - the youngest son of Zhu Chaofeng. He is originally engaged to Hu Sanniang of the neighbouring Hu Family Village. After the village falls, he flees there, hoping that the Hus will accept him. However, Hu Cheng binds him and sends him to Liangshan in exchange for his sister. Zhu Biao is killed by Li Kui along the way.

• Luan Tingyu (栾廷玉) - the martial arts instructor of the village. He is a fellow student of Sun Li. Sun uses their relationship to infiltrate the village and work as a spy for Liangshan. Luan's eventual fate is not mentioned in the novel as he disappears after the village fell, but he is purportedly killed in battle.

• Zhongli Old Man (鐘離老人) - an old man who directs Shi Xiu out of the danger zone.

Zeng Family Fortress (曾頭市)

• Zeng Nong (曾弄) - the headman of the fortress. He is originally at odds with Liangshan but regrets after losing two of his sons. He tries to recoincile and come to a truce with Liangshan but fails. He commits suicide by hanging himself after the village is taken.

• Zeng Tu (曾涂) - the eldest son of Zeng Nong. He fights with Lü Fang and Guo Sheng and tries to kill them when their spears become entangled. Hua Rong wounds him with an arrow and Lü Fang and Guo Sheng seize the opportunity to spear him together after he is down.

• Zeng Mi (曾密) - the second son of Zeng Nong. He is killed by Zhu Tong when the Liangshan heroes overrun the fortress.

• Zeng Suo (曾索) - the third son of Zeng Nong. He is killed in an ambush while attempting to launch a sneak attack on the Liangshan camp.

• Zeng Kui (曾魁) - the fourth son of Zeng Nong. He is killed by Lu Zhishen and Wu Song when the fortress is overrun by the Liangshan heroes.

• Zeng Sheng (曾升) - the youngest son of Zeng Nong. He is sent as a hostage to the Liangshan camp during the negotiations for a truce between Liangshan and the fortress. He is killed by the Liangshan heroes after the fortress falls.

• Shi Wengong (史文恭) - the martial arts instructor of the fortress. He is responsible for killing Liangshan's chief Chao Gai with a poisoned arrow and henceforth becomes a sworn enemy of Liangshan. He is captured by Lu Junyi after the fortress falls and executed.

Others

• Emperor Huizong (宋徽宗)

• Marshal Hong (洪太尉) - an imperial official who is sent by the emperor to seek Heavenly Master Zhang to help them in combating the plague. On the way, Hong visits a temple and unsuspectingly releases 108 demons imprisoned in a secret chamber for centuries. The demons spread out throughout the land after being released and are incarnated into the 108 Liangshan heroes. As if Hong's actions are predestined, the stone tablet that holds the demons bears the words "Opens when Hong arrives" (遇洪而開).

• Hu Cheng (扈成) - the elder brother of Hu Sanniang. He pleads with the Liangshan heroes to release his sister after she is captured by them, on the condition that he capture one of the Zhus in exchange for her. Hu captures Zhu Biao but Zhu is killed by Li Kui before the exchange takes place.

• Li Shishi (李師師) - a prostitute in the capital city. The emperor is one of her regular clients. She helps the Liangshan heroes in obtaining amnesty from the emperor.

• Su Jin (宿進) - a high-ranking court Marshal, of almost equal status as Gao Qiu. He is reputed to be an honest and incorrupt official. The heroes want to convey their grievances of being forced to become outlaws due to the corrupt government, as well as express their desire to serve the government after being granted amnesty. Su reports their situation to the emperor and helps the heroes persuade the emperor into granting them amnesty.