Zhu Wu

Zhu Wu is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 37th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 1st of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Resourceful Strategist".

Background

Zhu Wu is described in the novel as a handsome man with blazing eyes and a long beard. He dons a Taoist's garments and carries a fan made of crane feathers. He is well versed in military strategy and the deployment of battle formations, for which he earns the nickname "Resourceful Strategist".

Originally from Dingyuan (定遠; present-day Dingyuan County, Chuzhou, Anhui), Zhu Wu leads a band of outlaws based on Mount Shaohua (少華山; southeast of present-day Hua County, Weinan, Shaanxi) together with his two companions, Chen Da and Yang Chun. The local government in the nearby Huayin County is afraid of them. Once, when the outlaws are short on food supplies, they decide to raid Huayin County for resources and are due to pass by Shi Jin's village along the way. Zhu Wu has reservations about the attack because he has heard of Shi Jin's reputation as a powerful fighter and fears that he might stand in their way. Chen Da ignores Zhu Wu's warning and leads his men to attack Shi Jin's village, but ends up being defeated and captured by Shi Jin.

Zhu Wu and Yang Chun travel to Shi Jin's village and plead with him to release Chen Da. Deeply moved by their strong sense of brotherhood, Shi Jin releases Chen Da and befriends the three outlaw chiefs. They often visit and send gifts to each other. The hunter Li Ji discovers Shi Jin's relationship with the outlaws and reports them to the magistrate for a reward. The magistrate sends soldiers to surround the village and arrest the four men. Shi Jin burns down his village and joins the three outlaws in fighting their way back to Mount Shaohua.

Joining Liangshan

Later, Lu Zhishen goes to invite Shi Jin, Zhu Wu, Chen Da and Yang Chun to join the outlaw band at Liangshan Marsh. He learns that Shi Jin has been captured by Prefect He and attempts to rescue Shi but fails and he is captured as well. Zhu Wu notifies the Liangshan outlaws, who come to their rescue. After the victory over government forces, Zhu Wu, Chen Da and Yang Chun follow the outlaws back to Liangshan.

Zhu Wu becomes one of the military strategists of Liangshan after the Grand Assembly. He and Gongsun Sheng are in charge of managing and identifying battle formations. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by Emperor Huizong. He usually accompanies Lu Junyi as his advisor while Wu Yong accompanies Song Jiang. He is one of the few lucky survivors after the calamitous campaign against the rebel leader Fang La, in which many of the Liangshan heroes perished. After the victory over Fang La, Zhu Wu decides not to accompany his surviving comrades back to the capital to report to the emperor, and instead chooses to follow Gongsun Sheng and Fan Rui to study Taoism for the rest of his life.

References

• (Chinese) Li, Mengxia. 108 Heroes from the Water Margin, page 75. EPB Publishers Pte Ltd, 1992. ISBN 9971-0-0252-3.
• Buck, Pearl. All Men are Brothers. Moyer Bell Ltd, 2006. ISBN 9781559213035.
• Zhang, Lin Ching. Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House, 2009. ISBN 978-7506344784.
• Shibusawa, Kou. Bandit Kings of Ancient China, page 97. KOEI, 1989.
• (Japanese) Ichisada, Miyazaki. Suikoden: Kyoko no naka no Shijitsu. Chuo Koronsha, 1993. ISBN 978-4122020559.
• Miyamotois, Yoko. Water Margin: Chinese Robin Hood and His Bandits.
• Keffer, David. Outlaws of the Marsh.