Wu Yong
Encyclopedia
Wu Yong is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 3rd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Resourceful Star".
Despite his humble origin as a professor of literary arts, Wu Yong is actually a brilliant military strategist and advisor. He is nicknamed "Resourceful Star" for his wits, and is said to be comparable to Zhuge Liang
and Chen Ping
. His expertise is vital in the battle for Liangshan's cause of "delivering justice on Heaven's behalf", and the heroes rely heavily on him for battle plans.
, Gongsun Sheng
, Liu Tang
and the Ruan brothers to rob the convoy of birthday gifts of the Imperial Tutor Cai Jing
. The seven men disguise themselves as date traders and succeed in tricking the soldiers escorting the convoy into drinking drugged wine. Once the escorts are knocked out, the seven men make off with the gifts that are worth a large sum of money. Grand Secretary Liang Shijie, who prepared the gifts for his father-in-law Cai Jing, is furious and he orders the local government to investigate the incident and arrest the robbers.
, Lei Heng
and Song Jiang
, Chao Gai and company succeed in escaping and make their way to Liangshan Marsh
. Wu Yong devises a strategy to lure He Tao and his men into an ambush in the marsh. In the ensuing battle, the seven men score a major victory by defeating He Tao's troops, who number at least 100. On Liangshan, Wu Yong instigates Lin Chong
into killing the incompetent and selfish chief Wang Lun. Chao Gai is then nominated to be the new chief of Liangshan and Wu Yong takes the second position of leadership.
While in exile in Jiangzhou (present-day Jiangxi
), Song Jiang runs into some trouble with the governor Cai Jiu after writing a poem inciting rebellion against the imperial court while he was drunk. Wu Yong invites Xiao Rang
and Jin Dajian to forge a letter from Cai Jing, ordering Cai Jiu to have Song Jiang escorted to the capital for further action. Unfortunately, Jin Dajian used a wrong seal on the letter and the fraud is later exposed by Huang Wenbing. Cai Jiu is furious and he orders that Song Jiang be executed immediately. Luckily, Wu Yong realizes the mistake in time and alerts the Liangshan outlaws, who storm the execution ground and succeed in rescuing Song Jiang.
Wu Yong's strategies and plans are instrumental in the outlaws' victories over their enemies. He makes great contributions to Liangshan and is thus highly respected by the heroes as their military strategist. Wu Yong has some conflicting views with Song Jiang on the future of Liangshan - Song is persistent in the pursuit of his dream that the outlaws be granted amnesty by the emperor and be provided with opportunities to serve the nation, as opposed to being outlaws for the rest of their lives. Wu Yong, however, believes that the government is corrupt and incompetent and opposes Song Jiang's idea for amnesty.
invaders and the rebel forces of Fang La
, Tian Hu
and Wang Qing
. He is one of the few survivors after the campaigns and is offered an official post for his achievements. He holds office for quite some time. One night, Song Jiang and Li Kui appear in his dream, telling him that they have been poisoned to death by the corrupt officials. Overwhelmed by grief, Wu Yong travels to Chuzhou, where he is later joined by Hua Rong
, who had the same dream as him. Both of them commit suicide by hanging themselves from a tree near Song Jiang and Li Kui's graves.
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 3rd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Resourceful Star".
Background
The Water Margin describes Wu Yong as a man with a fair and handsome face and a long beard, which are characteristics of a sophisticated ancient Chinese scholar. Wu Yong is one of the seven men who initiated the founding of the Liangshan cause and one of the earliest to join the outlaw band.Despite his humble origin as a professor of literary arts, Wu Yong is actually a brilliant military strategist and advisor. He is nicknamed "Resourceful Star" for his wits, and is said to be comparable to Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
and Chen Ping
Chen Ping (Han Dynasty)
Chen Ping was an adviser to Liu Bang during the Chu–Han Contention period of Chinese history. After Liu Bang founded the Han Dynasty and became known as Emperor Gaozu, Chen Ping served as a chancellor and received titles of a marquis.-Biography:Chen Ping was a native of Huyou Town , Yangwu...
. His expertise is vital in the battle for Liangshan's cause of "delivering justice on Heaven's behalf", and the heroes rely heavily on him for battle plans.
Robbing the convoy of birthday gifts
Wu Yong plots with Chao GaiChao Gai
Chao Gai is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He is widely considered as the founding father of the Liangshan outlaws' cause to serve the nation and deliver justice on behalf of Heaven...
, 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:...
, Liu Tang
Liu Tang
Liu Tang is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 21st of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Red Haired Devil".-Background:...
and the Ruan brothers to rob the convoy of birthday gifts of the Imperial Tutor Cai Jing
Cai Jing
Cai Jing , style name Yuanchang , was a government official and calligrapher who lived during the Northern Song Dynasty. Cai Jing is also featured as one of the antagonists and nemesis of the 108 Liangshan heroes in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese...
. The seven men disguise themselves as date traders and succeed in tricking the soldiers escorting the convoy into drinking drugged wine. Once the escorts are knocked out, the seven men make off with the gifts that are worth a large sum of money. Grand Secretary Liang Shijie, who prepared the gifts for his father-in-law Cai Jing, is furious and he orders the local government to investigate the incident and arrest the robbers.
Becoming an outlaw
The authorities send He Tao to lead a group of soldiers to arrest Chao Gai and his companions. With help from Zhu TongZhu Tong
Zhu Tong is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 12th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Lord of the Beautiful Beard".-Background:...
, Lei Heng
Lei Heng
Lei Heng is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 25th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Winged Tiger".-Background:...
and 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...
, Chao Gai and company succeed in escaping and make 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...
. Wu Yong devises a strategy to lure He Tao and his men into an ambush in the marsh. In the ensuing battle, the seven men score a major victory by defeating He Tao's troops, who number at least 100. On Liangshan, Wu Yong instigates 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"...
into killing the incompetent and selfish chief Wang Lun. Chao Gai is then nominated to be the new chief of Liangshan and Wu Yong takes the second position of leadership.
While in exile in Jiangzhou (present-day Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
), Song Jiang runs into some trouble with the governor Cai Jiu after writing a poem inciting rebellion against the imperial court while he was drunk. Wu Yong invites Xiao Rang
Xiao Rang
Xiao Rang is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 46th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 10th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Sacred Handed Scholar".-Background:...
and Jin Dajian to forge a letter from Cai Jing, ordering Cai Jiu to have Song Jiang escorted to the capital for further action. Unfortunately, Jin Dajian used a wrong seal on the letter and the fraud is later exposed by Huang Wenbing. Cai Jiu is furious and he orders that Song Jiang be executed immediately. Luckily, Wu Yong realizes the mistake in time and alerts the Liangshan outlaws, who storm the execution ground and succeed in rescuing Song Jiang.
Wu Yong's strategies and plans are instrumental in the outlaws' victories over their enemies. He makes great contributions to Liangshan and is thus highly respected by the heroes as their military strategist. Wu Yong has some conflicting views with Song Jiang on the future of Liangshan - Song is persistent in the pursuit of his dream that the outlaws be granted amnesty by the emperor and be provided with opportunities to serve the nation, as opposed to being outlaws for the rest of their lives. Wu Yong, however, believes that the government is corrupt and incompetent and opposes Song Jiang's idea for amnesty.
Death
Nevertheless, Song Jiang realises his dream and the outlaws are granted amnesty eventually. Wu Yong respects Song Jiang's decision and 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 the rebel forces of 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:...
, Tian Hu
Tian Hu
Tian Hu is one of the antagonists in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Tian Hu is one of the three rebel leaders in China, together with Fang La and Wang Qing, that the Liangshan heroes have to defeat in the final chapters of the novel.-Biography:Tian...
and Wang Qing
Wang Qing
Wang Qing is one of the antagonists in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Wang Qing is one of the three rebel leaders in China, together with Fang La and Tian Hu, that the Liangshan heroes have to defeat in the final chapters of the novel.-Early life:The...
. He is one of the few survivors after the campaigns and is offered an official post for his achievements. He holds office for quite some time. One night, Song Jiang and Li Kui appear in his dream, telling him that they have been poisoned to death by the corrupt officials. Overwhelmed by grief, Wu Yong travels to Chuzhou, where he is later joined by Hua Rong
Hua Rong
Hua Rong is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 9th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Little Li Guang".-Background:...
, who had the same dream as him. Both of them commit suicide by hanging themselves from a tree near Song Jiang and Li Kui's graves.