Zhu Wu

Zhu Wu
Water Margin character
First appearance	Chapter 2
Nickname	"Resourceful Strategist" 神かみ機き軍師ぐんし
Rank	37th, Leader Star (地ち魁さきがけ星ぼし) of the 72 Earthly Fiends
Strategist of Liangshan
Origin	Bandit leader from Mount Shaohua
Ancestral home / Place of origin	Dingyuan (present-day Dingyuan County, Anhui)
Weapon	Pair of swords
Names
Simplified Chinese	朱しゅ武たけし
Traditional Chinese	朱しゅ武たけし
Pinyin	Zhū Wǔ
Wade–Giles	Chu Wu

Zhu Wu is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Resourceful Strategist", he ranks 37th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 1st among the 72 Earthly Fiends.

Background

Described in the novel as handsome with blazing eyes and long beard, Zhu Wu dresses like a Taoist priest and often carries a hand fan made of crane feathers. His acumen in military strategy and expertise in lining up troops in battle formations earn him the nickname "Resourceful Strategist".

Originally from Dingyuan (定じょう遠とお; present-day Dingyuan County, Anhui), Zhu Wu leads a band of outlaws based on Mount Shaohua (少しょう華山かざん; southeast of present-day Hua County, Shaanxi) assisted by Chen Da and Yang Chun. Whenever their food supply runs low, they plunder the surrounding areas to the chagrin of the local governments.

Befriending Shi Jin

One day, Chen Da decides to raid Huayin County for supply. Zhu Wu advises him not to as he has to pass through Shi Jin's village where he would encounter Shi, a formidable fighter. Unconvinced, Chen Da leads some men towards Huayin.

Sure enough, Shi Jin leads his villagers to block Chen Da's path. He fights Chen in a one-on-one duel on horseback and captures him. Upon receiving the news, Yang Chun suggests showdown with Shi Jin. However, Zhu Wu believes it is possible to psych Shi to release Chen Da. So the two go to the Shi Family Village where they tell Shi Jin they are surrendering to die with Chen Da in compliance with their blood oath. Moved by their brotherly commitment, Shi Jin frees Chen Da and befriends the three. From then on, the two sides often exchange gifts and gather for drinks.

One day, hunter Li Ji stumbles on a letter of Shi Jin inviting the three Shaohua bandits to his home for a festive gatheiring. He reports the matter to the county office. The magistrate sends soldiers to arrest Shi Jin and his friends on the night they gather. Besieged, Shi Jin has no choice but to abandon his home and fight his way out with the three bandit chiefs. At the stronghold of Shaohua, Shi refuses to join the band. He leaves for Weizhou to look for his martial arts teacher Wang Jin. But he fails to locate Wang and returns to join the Shaohua gang.

Joining Liangshan

When Shi Jin tries to save a woman abducted by the depraved prefect of Huazhou, he falls into the latter's trap and is captured. Lu Zhishen, who comes to Mt Shaohua to invite Shi to join Liangshan, tries to rescue him but he too falls into an ambush. Zhu Wu, Chen Da and Yang Chun turn to Liangshan Marsh for help. The Liangshan outlaws rush to Huazhou where they lure the prefect out of the city and kill him. After saving Shi Jin and Lu Zhishen, they absorb the Mt Shaohua bandits into their fold. Zhu Wu thus becomes a member of Liangshan.

Campaigns

Zhu Wu is appointed assistant to Liangshan‘s military strategists Wu Yong and Gongsun Sheng after the 108 Stars of Destiny came together in what is called the Grand Assembly. Following the amnesty by Emperor Huizong, he joins the Liangshan heroes on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces on Song territory. He is the brain behind several plans that beat the enemies.

Zhu Wu is one of the few who survives all the campaigns. While they are returning to the imperial capital after the last battle, Zhu Wu decides to leave the group. He goes with Fan Rui to take up Taoist practice under Gongsun Sheng. He becomes an immortal, according to the novel.

References

• Buck, Pearl S. (2006). All Men are Brothers. Moyer Bell. ISBN 9781559213035.
• Ichisada, Miyazaki (1993). Suikoden: Kyoko no naka no Shijitsu (in Japanese). Chuo Koronsha. ISBN 978-4122020559.
• Keffer, David. "Outlaws of the Marsh: A Somewhat Less Than Critical Commentary". Poison Pie Publishing House. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
• Li, Mengxia (1992). 108 Heroes from the Water Margin (in Chinese). EPB Publishers. p. 75. ISBN 9971-0-0252-3.
• Miyamoto, Yoko (2011). "Water Margin: Chinese Robin Hood and His Bandits". Demystifying Confucianism. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
• Shibusawa, Kou (1989), Bandit Kings of Ancient China, Koei, p. 97
• Zhang, Lin Ching (2009). Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House. ISBN 978-7506344784.