Sun Li
Encyclopedia
Sun Li is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 39th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 3rd of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Sick Yuchi".
tall, having a broad face with whiskers and jet black eyes. He is highly skilled in martial arts and archery and uses a variety of weapons in combat. His favourite weapons are a pair of steel clubs, similar to those wielded by Huyan Zhuo. He is impatient by nature and often likened to Yuchi Gong. However, he has a paler complexion and is thus nicknamed "Sick Yuchi" as people who are pale are often believed to be ill.
Sun Li's ancestors were from Qiongzhou (present-day Hainan
). He serves as a garrison major in Dengzhou (in present-day Shandong
). He has a younger brother named Sun Xin, who is nicknamed "Little Yuchi". Sun Xin is married to Gu Dasao
.
and learns that his sister-in-law's cousins Xie Zhen
and Xie Bao
have been framed, imprisoned and sentenced to death. Sun Li combines forces with Yue He, his brother and sister-in-law, Zou Run
and Zou Yuan
, to raid the prison and rescue the Xie brothers. They flee to Liangshan Marsh
for refuge after that and become outlaws.
At that time, the Liangshan outlaws are locked in a stalemate during a battle with the Zhu Family Village. Sun Li is a former fellow student of Luan Tingyu, a martial arts instructor of the village. He decides to make use of his relationship with Luan Tingyu to conduct an espionage mission, bringing along those who followed him to Liangshan earlier. They receive a warm welcome from Luan Tingyu and the Zhu brothers.
However, the Zhus are suspicious of Sun Li's allegiance to them initially. Sun Li proves his loyalty by capturing Liangshan's Shi Xiu
during a duel. The Zhus then believe that Sun Li is genuinely faithful to them. Sun Li and his team work together with the Liangshan forces to bring down the Zhus and capture the village, making his first major contribution to Liangshan. He participates in the subsequent battles against the enemies of Liangshan.
invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor. He survives the calamitous Fang La
campaign and returns to the capital city to receive his reward from the emperor in recognition of his contributions to the nation. He is reinstated as a garrison major of Dengzhou.
martial artist called Tan Zhengfan. Zhou Tong becomes an imperial drill instructor of the Imperial Guards and he recommends Sun Li to be a garrison major in Dengzhou.
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 39th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 3rd of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Sick Yuchi".
Background
The Water Margin describes Sun Li as eight 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, having a broad face with whiskers and jet black eyes. He is highly skilled in martial arts and archery and uses a variety of weapons in combat. His favourite weapons are a pair of steel clubs, similar to those wielded by Huyan Zhuo. He is impatient by nature and often likened to Yuchi Gong. However, he has a paler complexion and is thus nicknamed "Sick Yuchi" as people who are pale are often believed to be ill.
Sun Li's ancestors were from Qiongzhou (present-day Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
). He serves as a garrison major in Dengzhou (in present-day Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
). He has a younger brother named Sun Xin, who is nicknamed "Little Yuchi". Sun Xin is married to Gu Dasao
Gu Dasao
Gu Dasao is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. She ranks 101st of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 65th of the 72 Earthly Fiends...
.
Joining Liangshan
Once, Sun Li receives a distress call from Yue HeYue He
Yue He is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 77th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 41st of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Iron Whistle".-Background:...
and learns that his sister-in-law's cousins Xie Zhen
Xie Zhen
Xie Zhen is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 34th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Double-headed Serpent".-Background:...
and Xie Bao
Xie Bao
Xie Bao is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 35th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Twin-tailed Scorpion".-Background:...
have been framed, imprisoned and sentenced to death. Sun Li combines forces with Yue He, his brother and sister-in-law, Zou Run
Zou Run
Zou Run is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 91st of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 55th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Single-horned Dragon".-Background:...
and Zou Yuan
Zou Yuan
Zou Yuan is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 90th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 54th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Forest Emerging Dragon".-Background:...
, to raid the prison and rescue the Xie brothers. They flee 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 refuge after that and become outlaws.
At that time, the Liangshan outlaws are locked in a stalemate during a battle with the Zhu Family Village. Sun Li is a former fellow student of Luan Tingyu, a martial arts instructor of the village. He decides to make use of his relationship with Luan Tingyu to conduct an espionage mission, bringing along those who followed him to Liangshan earlier. They receive a warm welcome from Luan Tingyu and the Zhu brothers.
However, the Zhus are suspicious of Sun Li's allegiance to them initially. Sun Li proves his loyalty by capturing Liangshan's Shi Xiu
Shi Xiu
Shi Xiu is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 33rd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Daredevil Third Brother".-Background:...
during a duel. The Zhus then believe that Sun Li is genuinely faithful to them. Sun Li and his team work together with the Liangshan forces to bring down the Zhus and capture the village, making his first major contribution to Liangshan. He participates in the subsequent battles against the enemies of Liangshan.
Campaigns
Sun Li becomes one of the scouting generals of the Liangshan cavalry after the Grand Assembly. He follows the Liangshan 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. He survives the calamitous 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 and returns to the capital city to receive his reward from the emperor in recognition of his contributions to the nation. He is reinstated as a garrison major of Dengzhou.
Other appearances
In Iron Arm, Golden Saber, Sun Li is portrayed as a fellow student of Zhou Tong and Luan Tingyu. They learn martial arts from a ShaolinShaolin kung fu
Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...
martial artist called Tan Zhengfan. Zhou Tong becomes an imperial drill instructor of the Imperial Guards and he recommends Sun Li to be a garrison major in Dengzhou.