Li Yun (Water Margin)

Li Yun is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 97th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 61st of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Green Eyed Tiger".

Background

The novel describes Li Yun as a man with a broad face, thick eyebrows, a red beard and green eyes. He excels in martial arts, wields a saber in battle, and can fight dozens of enemies at the same time. He is nicknamed "Green Eyed Tiger" because of his appearance and combat skills. He works as a constable in Yishui County (沂水縣), Yizhou (沂州), which is in present-day Linyi, Shandong. He taught Zhu Fu martial arts before.

Becoming an outlaw

Li Kui falls into a trap set by Squire Cao and is captured. The magistrate is delighted when he hears that the outlaw has been captured. He sends Li Yun and some 30 soldiers to escort Li Kui back to the county office.

Zhu Fu and his elder brother, Zhu Gui, discuss their plans to rescue Li Kui. They agree that they cannot free Li Kui by force because they are no match for Li Yun, so they have to rescue Li Kui by trickery. The Zhu brothers then prepare food and wine spiked with drugs that will cause any person who consumes them to become temporarily unconscious. They wait at the roadside for Li Yun, his soldiers, Squire Cao and his men to pass by, and then serve them the drugged food and wine under the pretext of congratulating Li Yun for capturing Li Kui. Li Yun and the others are hungry and thirsty after travelling a long distance so they finish all the food and wine without suspecting anything. When they are out cold, the Zhu brothers free Li Kui, who then kills all his captors except Li Yun. Just as he is about to kill Li Yun, Zhu Fu stops him and tells him that Li Yun is a good man. Li Kui and the Zhu brothers then leave.

Li Yun regains consciousness a while later and catches up with them. He fights with Li Kui but is stopped by Zhu Fu, who manages to convince him to give up serving the corrupt government and join the outlaw band at Liangshan Marsh.

Campaigns and death

Li Yun is placed in charge of overseeing the construction of buildings and living quarters for the Liangshan heroes after the Grand Assembly of the 108 Stars of Destiny. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by Emperor Huizong.

During the campaign against the rebel leader Fang La, Li Yun is assigned to attack the enemy at Shezhou (歙州; present-day She County, Huangshan City, Anhui), where he faces Fang's military secretary, Wang Yin, in battle. He manages to corner Wang Yin, but is at a disadvantage because Wang is on horseback while he is on foot. He is eventually trampled to death by Wang Yin's horse.

References

• (Chinese) Li, Mengxia. 108 Heroes from the Water Margin, page 195. EPB Publishers Pte Ltd, 1992. ISBN 9971-0-0252-3.
• Buck, Pearl. All Men are Brothers. Moyer Bell Ltd, 2006. ISBN 9781559213035.
• Zhang, Lin Ching. Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House, 2009. ISBN 978-7506344784.
• Keffer, David. Outlaws of the Marsh.
• Miyamotois, Yoko. Water Margin: Chinese Robin Hood and His Bandits.
• (Japanese) Ichisada, Miyazaki. Suikoden: Kyoko no naka no Shijitsu. Chuo Koronsha, 1993. ISBN 978-4122020559.
• Shibusawa, Kou. Bandit Kings of Ancient China. KOEI, 1989.