Zou Run is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Classic Chinese Novels. Nicknamed “Single Horned Dragon”, he ranks 91st among the 108 Heroes and 55th among the 72 Earthly Fiends.
Background
The novel describes Zou Run as a burly man with a peculiar appearance. Nicknamed “Single Horned Dragon” for a large bump on his head, he once headbutted a tree trunk in a fit of anger during a quarrel and knocked down the tree, shocking everyone who witnessed it. Zou Run and his uncle Zou Yuan, who is around the same age as him, lead a small band of 80 to 90 outlaws at Cloud Ascending Hill (登雲山) near Laizhou, where they rob the rich to help the poor. The Zous are also close acquaintances of Sun Xin, Yang Lin, Deng Fei and Shi Yong, all of whom eventually join the outlaw band at Liangshan Marsh.
Rescuing the Xie brothers
The Zou uncle–nephew duo is first introduced in the novel when they are invited to join a group planning to carry out a prison raid to save the brothers Xie Zhen and Xie Bao, who have been framed for theft and imprisoned in Dengzhou (登州; around present-day Penglai, Shandong). The other members of the group are Gu Dasao, the Xie brothers’ cousin; Sun Xin, Gu Dasao’s husband; Sun Li, Sun Xin’s elder brother who is serving as a military officer in Dengzhou; and Yue He, a jailer who is the younger brother of Sun Li’s wife. The Zous agree to participate in the prison raid.
On the night of the prison raid, Yue He secretly lets Gu Dasao into the prison under the pretence of delivering food to prisoners. While Gu Dasao works with the Zous and the others to wreak havoc inside and outside the prison, Yue He takes advantage of the chaos to free the Xie brothers. After the raid is over, the Zous join the Xie brothers in taking revenge by slaughtering those responsible for their plight. Following that, the group decides to head to Liangshan Marsh to join the outlaw band there.
Battle against the Zhu Family Village
Before formally joining the Liangshan outlaws, the group decides to prove themselves by helping the outlaws destroy the Zhu Family Village, a fortified village run by the three Zhu brothers and their father, who have been very hostile towards the Liangshan outlaws. Previously, the outlaws have launched two assaults on the village but failed to overcome the defences.
Sun Li, who was trained by the same martial arts master as Luan Tingyu, the village’s resident martial arts instructor, volunteers to make use of his acquaintance with Luan to infiltrate the village and carry out an espionage mission for Liangshan. The Xie brothers, along with Gu Dasao, Sun Xin, Yue He, and the Zous, accompany Sun Li on the mission. The Zhus and Luan Tingyu are initially suspicious when Sun Li and his group show up and claim to have come to help them fight the Liangshan outlaws. However, they trust the newcomers after Sun Li apparently defeats and captures Liangshan’s Shi Xiu in a duel on horseback.
Sun Li and his group ultimately complete their mission successfully, allowing the outlaws to overrun the village on their third assault. After that, the group formally becomes part of the Liangshan outlaw band.
Campaigns and death
Zou Run is appointed as a commander of the Liangshan infantry after the 108 Heroes are fully assembled. He participates in the campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces in Song territory after the outlaws receive amnesty from Emperor Huizong.
Zou Run is one of the few Liangshan heroes who survive all the campaigns. Although the emperor awards him the honorary title “Martial Gentleman of Grace” (武奕郎) and offers him an official appointment to honour him for his contributions, he declines the offer and chooses to return to Laizhou to live as a commoner for the rest of his life.
References
- Buck, Pearl S. (2006). All Men are Brothers. Moyer Bell. ISBN 9781559213035.
- Miyazaki, Ichisada (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. 185. 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
- Zhang, Lin Ching (2009). Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House. ISBN 978-7506344784.