Chai Jin
Encyclopedia
Chai Jin is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 10th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Little Whirlwind". His role in the novel is straddled between an idling aristocrat who befriends pugilists and a maverick who toys with the status quo associated with his royal lineage.
of the Later Zhou Dynasty
. During the Chenqiao Mutiny, Zhao Kuangyin's followers dressed him in an emperor's robe and urged him to take the throne of the weakening Later Zhou Dynasty, to which Zhao agreed reluctantly. Zhao Kuangyin founded the Song Dynasty
later and became Emperor Taizu of Song
. However, Zhao Kuangyin felt guilty over seizing the Chai family's throne, so he treated the Chais well and bestowed them with a danshu tiequan (丹書鐵券; literally: iron certificate inscribed in red ink). Holders of danshu tiequans are seen as excluded from the jurisdiction of the government, as they are entitled to certain special privileges, such as being spared the death penalty for committing capital crimes. Chai Jin inherits his ancestors' residence and the danshu tiequan.
Some of the 108 outlaws, who were forced to become fugitives, often seek refuge in his residence before making their way to Liangshan Marsh
. For example, Song Jiang
once hid in Chai Jin's residence after killing Yan Poxi to evade arrest, since Chai's house is protected from the authorities by his danshu tiequan. Lin Chong
also received financial aid from Chai Jin before and stayed in his residence temporarily after the burning of the fodder storage field. Wu Song
also stayed in Chai Jin's residence after thinking that he had killed someone by accident. The outlaws regard Chai Jin as an ally and close friend.
). Chai Jin's uncle dies from his wounds caused by Yin Tianxi. Chai Jin confronts Yin Tianxi with Li Kui. Yin Tianxi behaves arrogantly and rudely towards Chai Jin and Li Kui kills Yin in anger. Gao Lian is furious and he has Chai Jin arrested and thrown into prison, showing complete disregard for Chai's danshu tiequan. Meanwhile, Li Kui escapes and he returns to Liangshan to seek help.
The Liangshan outlaws attack Gaotangzhou to rescue Chai Jin. Gao Lian uses dark magic and succeeds in holding off the outlaws until Gongsun Sheng
arrives and defeats him in a battle of magic. Gaotangzhou is conquered by the outlaws and they enter the prison to search for Chai Jin. They are unable to find Chai Jin in the cells and eventually they learn from a warder that Gao Lian has hidden him at the bottom of a dry well. Chai Jin has been severely tortured by Gao Lian and is deprived of food and water and appears to be on the verge of dying. He is saved in time and provided with medical treatment and survives.
invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor.
During the Fang La
campaign, Chai Jin, along with Yan Qing
, infiltrates Fang La's territory and as a mole for the Liangshan forces. Using the undercover identity of "Ke Yin" (柯引), Chai Jin manages to win the trust of Fang La and his generals, and becomes Fang's son-in-law after marrying Fang's daughter, Princess Jinzhi. During the last battle, Chai Jin provides Fang La's army with a false sense of security by defeating several Liangshan generals in battle, but in reality they were only feigning and no one was hurt. Fang La is caught off guard when Chai Jin and Yan Qing suddenly reveal their true identities and start attacking him. Fang La's nephew, Fang Jie
, is killed by the combined efforts of Chai Jin and Yan Qing in the battle and the heroes eventually capture Fang La's final base with Chai's help.
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 10th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Little Whirlwind". His role in the novel is straddled between an idling aristocrat who befriends pugilists and a maverick who toys with the status quo associated with his royal lineage.
Background
The Water Margin describes Chai Jin as having eyebrows like those of a dragon's, eyes like a phoenix's, red lips and white teeth. His ancestor is Chai Rong, Emperor ShizongEmperor Shizong of Later Zhou
Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty , born Chai Rong and later renamed Guo Rong , was the second emperor of the Later Zhou Dynasty and ruled from 954 to 959.-Family:...
of the Later Zhou Dynasty
Later Zhou Dynasty
The Later Zhou Dynasty was the last a succession of five dynasties that controlled most of northern China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, which lasted from 907 to 960 and bridged the gap between the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty.-Founding of the Dynasty:Guo Wei, a Han...
. During the Chenqiao Mutiny, Zhao Kuangyin's followers dressed him in an emperor's robe and urged him to take the throne of the weakening Later Zhou Dynasty, to which Zhao agreed reluctantly. Zhao Kuangyin founded the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
later and became Emperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Tàizǔ , born Zhao Kuangyin , was the founder of the Song Dynasty of China, reigning from 960 to 976.-Ancestry and early life:...
. However, Zhao Kuangyin felt guilty over seizing the Chai family's throne, so he treated the Chais well and bestowed them with a danshu tiequan (丹書鐵券; literally: iron certificate inscribed in red ink). Holders of danshu tiequans are seen as excluded from the jurisdiction of the government, as they are entitled to certain special privileges, such as being spared the death penalty for committing capital crimes. Chai Jin inherits his ancestors' residence and the danshu tiequan.
Some of the 108 outlaws, who were forced to become fugitives, often seek refuge in his residence before making their way 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...
. For example, Song Jiang
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...
once hid in Chai Jin's residence after killing Yan Poxi to evade arrest, since Chai's house is protected from the authorities by his danshu tiequan. Lin Chong
Lin Chong
Lin Chong is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 6th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Panther Head"...
also received financial aid from Chai Jin before and stayed in his residence temporarily after the burning of the fodder storage field. Wu Song
Wu Song
Wu Song, nicknamed "Pilgrim", is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 14th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes. Wu Song also appears in the novel Jin Ping Mei, a spin-off of Water Margin...
also stayed in Chai Jin's residence after thinking that he had killed someone by accident. The outlaws regard Chai Jin as an ally and close friend.
Imprisonment
Once, Chai Jin's uncle is bullied by Gao Lian's relative, Yin Tianxi, in Gaotangzhou (present-day Gaotang CountyGaotang County
Gaotang County is a county of northwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It is administered by Liaocheng City.The population was in 1999.- External links :*...
). Chai Jin's uncle dies from his wounds caused by Yin Tianxi. Chai Jin confronts Yin Tianxi with Li Kui. Yin Tianxi behaves arrogantly and rudely towards Chai Jin and Li Kui kills Yin in anger. Gao Lian is furious and he has Chai Jin arrested and thrown into prison, showing complete disregard for Chai's danshu tiequan. Meanwhile, Li Kui escapes and he returns to Liangshan to seek help.
The Liangshan outlaws attack Gaotangzhou to rescue Chai Jin. Gao Lian uses dark magic and succeeds in holding off the outlaws until Gongsun Sheng
Gongsun Sheng
Gongsun Sheng is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 4th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Dragon in the Clouds".-Background:...
arrives and defeats him in a battle of magic. Gaotangzhou is conquered by the outlaws and they enter the prison to search for Chai Jin. They are unable to find Chai Jin in the cells and eventually they learn from a warder that Gao Lian has hidden him at the bottom of a dry well. Chai Jin has been severely tortured by Gao Lian and is deprived of food and water and appears to be on the verge of dying. He is saved in time and provided with medical treatment and survives.
Becoming an outlaw
Chai Jin decides to join Liangshan as an outlaw. He becomes the chief accountant of Liangshan's income and provisions together with Li Ying. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the LiaoLiao 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 after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor.
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, Chai Jin, along with 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"....
, infiltrates Fang La's territory and as a mole for the Liangshan forces. Using the undercover identity of "Ke Yin" (柯引), Chai Jin manages to win the trust of Fang La and his generals, and becomes Fang's son-in-law after marrying Fang's daughter, Princess Jinzhi. During the last battle, Chai Jin provides Fang La's army with a false sense of security by defeating several Liangshan generals in battle, but in reality they were only feigning and no one was hurt. Fang La is caught off guard when Chai Jin and Yan Qing suddenly reveal their true identities and start attacking him. Fang La's nephew, Fang Jie
Fang Jie
Fang Jie is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Fang Jie is the nephew of the rebel leader, Fang La, one of the antagonists and enemy of the 108 Liangshan outlaws. He is best known for slaying Liangshan's Qin Ming in a duel with...
, is killed by the combined efforts of Chai Jin and Yan Qing in the battle and the heroes eventually capture Fang La's final base with Chai's help.
Later life
Chai Jin is one of the few survivors after the campaigns and is given an official post by the emperor in recognition of his contributions. Fearing a possible retaliation by the treacherous ministers for becoming a prince consort in Fang La's royal family earlier, Chai Jin later resigns from his post and returns home. He leads a happy and luxurious life until the end of his days.See also
- List of Water Margin minor characters#Chai Jin's story for a list of supporting minor characters from Chai Jin's story.