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Shi Naian

Figure named in Ming sources as the author or first compiler of The Water Margin, whose life, home and very existence remain disputed

Also known as Ming Er · Hao Naian

Shi Naian is the name traditionally given as the author of The Water Margin (Shuihu zhuan), but almost nothing reliable is known of his life, and some scholars doubt he existed. An early link between him and the novel is Gao Ru's Jiajing-era catalogue Baichuan shuzhi, which lists a hundred-chapter Loyal Water Margin as based on the text of Shi Naian of Qiantang and arranged by Luo Guanzhong. The novel follows Song Jiang's band of one hundred and eight outlaws at Liangshan Marsh at the end of the Northern Song. In the late Ming Jin Shengtan cut it to seventy chapters, credited it to Shi Naian and called the rest Luo Guanzhong's continuation. From the 1920s a genealogy and an epitaph attributed to Wang Daosheng surfaced around Baiju in Xinghua, Jiangsu, naming him Shi Zi'an; most scholars regard the epitaph as a later forgery.

Life and times

  1. UnknownBornYuanMingtraditionally late Yuan to early Ming
  2. UnknownDied

Works

  1. Literature · Fiction125
    1. Water MarginMingMing novel attributed to Shi Nai'an: the 108 outlaws of Liangshan, their amnesty and their end
    2. Water Margin: Chapter 1: Heavenly Master Zhang Prays to Dispel the Plague; Marshal Hong Rashly Lets the Demons LooseMing
    3. Water Margin: Chapter 2: Arms Instructor Wang Secretly Flees to Yan'an Prefecture; Nine Dragons Wreaks Havoc in Shi Family VillageMing
    4. Water Margin: Chapter 3: Shi Jin Flees Huayin County by Night; Major Lu Pummels the Lord of the WestMing
    5. Water Margin: Chapter 4: Squire Zhao Rebuilds the Manjusri Monastery; Lu Zhishen Runs Riot on Mount WutaiMing
    6. +25 more
      1. Water Margin: Chapter 5: The Little Tyrant Drunkenly Enters the Gilded Bed-Curtains; The Flowery Monk Runs Riot in Peach Blossom VillageMing
      2. Water Margin: Chapter 6: Nine Dragons Waylays Travelers in Red Pine Forest; Lu Zhishen Burns Down Waguan MonasteryMing
      3. Water Margin: Chapter 7: The Flowery Monk Uproots a Weeping Willow; Panther Head Blunders into White Tiger HallMing
      4. Water Margin: Chapter 8: Instructor Lin Is Tattooed and Exiled to Cangzhou; Lu Zhishen Raises Havoc in Wild Boar ForestMing
      5. Water Margin: Chapter 9: Chai Jin Opens His Gates to Guests from All Under Heaven; Lin Chong Cudgels Instructor HongMing
      6. Water Margin: Chapter 10: Instructor Lin at the Mountain God Temple in Wind and Snow; Captain Lu Burns the Fodder DepotMing
      7. Water Margin: Chapter 11: Zhu Gui Shoots a Signal Arrow from the Waterside Pavilion; Lin Chong Goes Up Liangshan on a Snowy NightMing
      8. Water Margin: Chapter 12: Lin Chong Becomes an Outlaw at Liangshan Marsh; Yang Zhi Sells His Sword in the City of BianjingMing
      9. Water Margin: Chapter 13: The Blue-Faced Beast Contests Arms at the Northern Capital; The Urgent Vanguard Vies for Honor at the East ArenaMing
      10. Water Margin: Chapter 14: The Red-Haired Devil Sleeps Drunk in the Lingguan Shrine; Heavenly King Chao Claims a Nephew in East Brook VillageMing
      11. Water Margin: Chapter 15: Scholar Wu Persuades the Three Ruans to Join the Venture; Gongsun Sheng Answers the Call of the Seven StarsMing
      12. Water Margin: Chapter 16: Yang Zhi Escorts the Gold and Silver Loads; Wu Yong Seizes the Birthday Gifts by CunningMing
      13. Water Margin: Chapter 17: The Flowery Monk Single-Handedly Assails Two Dragon Mountain; The Blue-Faced Beast Joins in Seizing Precious Pearl MonasteryMing
      14. Water Margin: Chapter 18: The Lord of the Beautiful Beard Cleverly Steadies the Winged Tiger; Song Gongming Secretly Lets Heavenly King Chao GoMing
      15. Water Margin: Chapter 19: Lin Chong Makes a Bloody Purge at the Water Fortress; Chao Gai Takes Over Liangshan MarshMing
      16. Water Margin: Chapter 20: The Righteous Men of Liangshan Honor Chao Gai; Liu Tang Is Sent Away from Yuncheng by MoonlightMing
      17. Water Margin: Chapter 21: The Old Procuress Drunkenly Beats Tang Niu'er; Song Jiang Kills Yan Poxi in RageMing
      18. Water Margin: Chapter 22: Old Mother Yan Makes an Uproar in Yuncheng County; Zhu Tong Righteously Lets Song Gongming GoMing
      19. Water Margin: Chapter 23: Chai Jin Keeps a Guest in Henghai Prefecture; Wu Song Kills a Tiger on Jingyang RidgeMing
      20. Water Margin: Chapter 24: Old Woman Wang Takes a Bribe to Arrange an Affair; Yunge in Indignation Makes a Scene at the TeahouseMing
      21. Water Margin: Chapter 25: Old Woman Wang Schemes with Ximen Qing; The Adulteress Poisons Wu the ElderMing
      22. Water Margin: Chapter 26: He the Ninth Steals the Bones and Attends the Funeral; Wu Song Offers Human Heads at His Brother's RitesMing
      23. Water Margin: Chapter 27: The Ogress Sells Human Flesh on the Mengzhou Road; Constable Wu Meets Zhang Qing at Crossroads SlopeMing
      24. Water Margin: Chapter 28: Wu Song Overawes Anping Prison Camp; Shi En Righteously Seizes Happy GroveMing
      25. Water Margin: Chapter 29: Shi En Again Dominates the Mengzhou Road; Wu Song Drunkenly Beats Jiang the Door GodMing
    7. Open all works→
  2. Literature · Sayings6
    1. Wielding Broad AxesMingIdiom from Water Margin: bold, decisive action
    2. Hanging Lanterns and FestoonsMingIdiom from Water Margin: lanterns and streamers for a festive occasion
    3. Upholding Justice on Heaven's Behalf at LiangshanMingIdiom from the Yuan play Li Kui Carries Thorns: the Liangshan heroes' rallying cry
    4. Lin Chong Is Driven to Mount LiangshanMingIdiom from Lin Chong's story in the Water Margin: pushed into rebellion with no way back
    5. Having Eyes Yet Failing to Recognize Mount TaiMingIdiom from The Water Margin: failing to recognize someone of great standing or skill
    6. +1 more
      1. Quicker Than Words Can Tell ItMingIdiom from the Water Margin: something happening faster than words can describe