Yang Zhi
Encyclopedia
Yang Zhi is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 17th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Blue Faced Beast".
tall, with red whiskers on the sides of his face, and a blue birthmark on his face, which earns him the nickname "Blue Faced Beast". Yang Zhi is highly skilled in martial arts and uses either a saber
or a spear
in battle. He is also an excellent archer as well. Yang Zhi is a descendant of the famous Song Dynasty
general Yang Ye. He works as a low ranking military officer in the office of Grand Marshal Gao Qiu
in Dongjing (present-day Kaifeng
).
Once, he is tasked with escorting a convoy of rare minerals and plants obtained from the common people, known as a huashigang (花石綱) tribute, for the emperor, but loses the goods by accident while crossing the Yellow River
during a storm. He is afraid of returning to report to his superior after failing his mission. Yang Zhi manages to scrape some money as compensation for the lost goods and travels back to Dongjing, but overhears news that the newly enthroned emperor is granting amnesty to certain people who have violated the law, to celebrate his ascension. On the way back to the capital, Yang Zhi passes by Liangshan Marsh
and encounters Lin Chong
. Lin Chong wants to kill him and take his head to prove his loyalty to Liangshan's chief Wang Lun. After several rounds of fighting, neither of them emerges as the victor. Just then, Wang Lun appears and stops the fight. He is impressed by Yang Zhi's skill and wants to recruit Yang to join Liangshan, although he is not sincere about it. Yang Zhi declines and leaves.
(in present-day Handan
).
objects to Liang Shijie's decision and he challenges Yang Zhi to a contest. Yang Zhi and Suo Chao fight for several rounds and neither emerges the winner. Eventually, Liang Shijie decides to promote both Yang Zhi and Suo Chao to the same rank.
Liang Shijie treats Yang Zhi well and assigns him to lead some men to escort a convoy of birthday gifts (生辰纲) to Dongjing for Liang's father-in-law, the Imperial Tutor Cai Jing
. This convoy is a good example of the corruption in the Song government, since lower ranked officials often extorted money from the common folk and used them to purchase gifts for their higher ranked colleagues in hope that they will be promoted faster. Yang Zhi and his men disguise themselves as ordinary traders so as not to arouse any suspicion from potential robbers. However, they still fall for Wu Yong
's scheme at Yellow Soil Ridge. They are tricked into drinking drugged wine and all of them become unconscious. Chao Gai
and his six companions then make off with the birthday gifts while Yang Zhi and his men are knocked out.
's restaurant and tries to leave after his meal without paying. Cao Zheng fights with Yang Zhi and they become friends after recognizing each other. They meet Lu Zhishen
and the three of them travel to Mount Twin Dragons where they kill the bandit leader Deng Long and seize control of the stronghold.
). After the battle, he follows his fellows back to Liangshan. After the Grand Assembly, Yang Zhi becomes one of the Eight Tiger Cub Vanguard Generals of the Liangshan cavalry. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the Liao
invaders and rebel forces after the heroes have been granted amnesty by the emperor. He dies of illness during the Fang La
campaign after the capture of Dantu County.
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 17th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Blue Faced Beast".
Background
The Water Margin describes Yang Zhi as about seven 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, with red whiskers on the sides of his face, and a blue birthmark on his face, which earns him the nickname "Blue Faced Beast". Yang Zhi is highly skilled in martial arts and uses either a saber
Dao (sword)
Daois a category of single-edge Chinese swords primarily used for slashing and chopping , often called a broadsword in English translation because some varieties have wide blades. In China, the dao is known as one of the four major weapons, along with the gun , qiang , and the jian , and referred...
or a spear
Qiang (spear)
Qiang is the Chinese term for spear. Due to its relative ease of manufacture, the spear in many variations was ubiquitous on the pre-modern Chinese battlefield...
in battle. He is also an excellent archer as well. Yang Zhi is a descendant of the famous 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...
general Yang Ye. He works as a low ranking military officer in the office of Grand Marshal Gao Qiu
Gao Qiu
Gao Qiu was a government official who served Emperor Huizong during the Song Dynasty. He is also featured as one of the main antagonists and nemesis of the 108 Liangshan outlaws in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.-Biography:According to the Chinese...
in Dongjing (present-day Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
).
Once, he is tasked with escorting a convoy of rare minerals and plants obtained from the common people, known as a huashigang (花石綱) tribute, for the emperor, but loses the goods by accident while crossing the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
during a storm. He is afraid of returning to report to his superior after failing his mission. Yang Zhi manages to scrape some money as compensation for the lost goods and travels back to Dongjing, but overhears news that the newly enthroned emperor is granting amnesty to certain people who have violated the law, to celebrate his ascension. On the way back to the capital, Yang Zhi passes by 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...
and encounters 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"...
. Lin Chong wants to kill him and take his head to prove his loyalty to Liangshan's chief Wang Lun. After several rounds of fighting, neither of them emerges as the victor. Just then, Wang Lun appears and stops the fight. He is impressed by Yang Zhi's skill and wants to recruit Yang to join Liangshan, although he is not sincere about it. Yang Zhi declines and leaves.
Selling his precious saber
Yang Zhi returns to Dongjing to report to Gao Qiu about his failed mission, expecting to be pardoned as per the emperor's decision to grant amnesty to offenders. However, Gao Qiu does not forgive Yang Zhi and has Yang stripped off his post. Yang Zhi becomes penniless and wanders around the city aimlessly. He decides to sell his family heirloom, a precious saber, to earn some money. He is harassed by the hooligan Niu Er in the marketplace and he kills Niu accidentally. Yang Zhi then goes to the county office to surrender himself and is placed on trial for murder. The local residents are grateful to Yang Zhi for killing Niu Er, who has been terrorising them, and they plead with the magistrate for leniency on Yang's behalf. The magistrate sentences Yang Zhi to face tattooing and exile to Daming PrefectureDaming County
Daming County is a county of Hebei, China. It is under the administration of Handan city.-Administrative Divisions:Daming County has 6 towns and 14 townships.Towns:...
(in present-day Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
).
Escorting the convoy of birthday gifts
In Daming Prefecture, Yang Zhi meets Grand Secretary Liang Shijie. Liang Shijie has heard about Yang Zhi and intends to let Yang serve under him. The next day, Yang Zhi engages some of Liang Shijie's military officers in jousts and defeats them with ease. Liang Shijie is impressed with Yang Zhi's skill and intends to promote him to a high ranking military post. However, Suo ChaoSuo Chao
Suo Chao is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 19th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Impatient Vanguard".-Background:...
objects to Liang Shijie's decision and he challenges Yang Zhi to a contest. Yang Zhi and Suo Chao fight for several rounds and neither emerges the winner. Eventually, Liang Shijie decides to promote both Yang Zhi and Suo Chao to the same rank.
Liang Shijie treats Yang Zhi well and assigns him to lead some men to escort a convoy of birthday gifts (生辰纲) to Dongjing for Liang's father-in-law, 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...
. This convoy is a good example of the corruption in the Song government, since lower ranked officials often extorted money from the common folk and used them to purchase gifts for their higher ranked colleagues in hope that they will be promoted faster. Yang Zhi and his men disguise themselves as ordinary traders so as not to arouse any suspicion from potential robbers. However, they still fall for Wu Yong
Wu Yong
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".-Background:...
's scheme at Yellow Soil Ridge. They are tricked into drinking drugged wine and all of them become unconscious. Chao Gai
Chao 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...
and his six companions then make off with the birthday gifts while Yang Zhi and his men are knocked out.
Becoming an outlaw
Since Yang Zhi took only sips of the wine, he is the first to recover consciousness and his men are still out cold. He is afraid to return to Daming Prefecture after failing his mission. He feels depressed and decides to abandon his men. Yang Zhi has been very strict with his men earlier during the journey by pushing them to their limits, depriving them of sleep and rest. As such, when his men come to, they see that Yang Zhi had left them and decide to frame him. They return to Daming Prefecture and lie to Liang Shijie that Yang Zhi has collaborated with robbers to steal the birthday gifts. Liang Shijie is furious and he issues an order for Yang Zhi's arrest. Meanwhile, Yang Zhi reaches Cao ZhengCao Zheng
Cao Zheng is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 81st of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 45th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Knife Wielding Demon".-Background:...
's restaurant and tries to leave after his meal without paying. Cao Zheng fights with Yang Zhi and they become friends after recognizing each other. They meet Lu Zhishen
Lu Zhishen
Lu Zhishen, nicknamed "Flowery Monk", or Sagacious Lu , is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He is the lead character in the first major story cycle of the novel, in which he comes to epitomize loyalty, strength, justice but...
and the three of them travel to Mount Twin Dragons where they kill the bandit leader Deng Long and seize control of the stronghold.
Death
Yang Zhi stays with some other outlaws on Mount Twin Dragons and participates in the battle of Qingzhou (in present-day ShandongShandong
' 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...
). After the battle, he follows his fellows back to Liangshan. After the Grand Assembly, Yang Zhi becomes one of the Eight Tiger Cub Vanguard Generals of the Liangshan cavalry. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the Liao
Liao 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 the heroes have been granted amnesty by the emperor. He dies of illness 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 after the capture of Dantu County.
Yang Zhi's precious saber
Yang Zhi has a precious saber as his family heirloom, which has been passed down from generation to generation since the time of his ancestor, Yang Ye. The saber is said to possess three extraordinary properties: it can slice through metal as though it were mud and soil; it can cut a single strand of hair placed on the blade; it is resistant to blood stains. When the hooligan Niu Er challenges Yang Zhi to demonstrate the saber's properties, Yang cuts through a stack of metal coins with the saber. Following that, when Yang Zhi places a strand of hair on the blade and blows, the hair is sliced into two. Niu Er then insists that Yang Zhi kills a man with the saber to prove that the blade will not have any blood stains. Yang Zhi refuses and eventually kills Niu Er by accident during the ensuing scuffle.See also
- List of Water Margin minor characters#Yang Zhi's story for a list of supporting minor characters from Yang Zhi's story.