Question 1

Is "The process of amnesty and enlistment" true?

Accepted Answer

In "Water Margin", Song Jiang repelled government troops multiple times before accepting the court's proactive amnesty; however, according to the "History of Song: Biography of Zhang Shuye", Song Jiang was ambushed and defeated by Zhang Shuye at Haizhou, and was forced to surrender. The original text states: "于是募死士得千人，设伏近城，而出轻兵距海，诱之战。" It also says: "擒其副贼，江乃降。" (History of Song: Biography of Zhang Shuye)

Question 2

Is "The scale of thirty-six men" true?

Accepted Answer

In the novel, Song Jiang commands 108 heroes of Liangshan Marsh with great momentum; however, the History of Song, Biography of Hou Meng clearly records that 'Jiang with thirty-six men rampaged through Qi and Wei,' far smaller in scale than the novel.

Question 3

Is "Haizhou forced Jiang Song to surrender" true?

Accepted Answer

The novel does not reflect Zhang Shuye's decisive role in suppressing Song Jiang; the "History of Song: Biography of Zhang Shuye" records in detail how he set an ambush in Haizhou, burned the rebels' ships, and forced Song Jiang to surrender. The original text reads: “先匿壮卒海旁，伺兵合，举火焚其舟。贼闻之，皆无斗志，伏兵乘之，擒其副贼，江乃降。”（《History of Song: Biography of Zhang Shuye》）

Question 4

Is "Hou Meng once submitted a memorial to the court recommending Song Jiang." true?

Accepted Answer

The official history, Records of the Three Kingdoms, in the biography of Hou Meng, records: "Song Jiang raided the eastern capital, and Hou Meng submitted a memorial saying: 'Jiang, with thirty-six men, ran rampant in Qi and Wei, and tens of thousands of government troops dared not resist him; his talent must be extraordinary. Now that the Qingxi bandits have risen, it would be better to pardon Jiang and have him attack Fang La to redeem himself.'" The novel Water Margin, in chapter 101, records: "We recommend Hou Meng as a military advisor." The novel fabricates his position as a military advisor.

Question 5

Is "Outsmarting the Birthday Convoy" true?

Accepted Answer

In the novel, Chao Gai and six others seize the Birthday Convoy; although the "Great Song Xuanhe Legacy" contains a prototype of the convoy seizure, in the official history "History of Song" there is no such person as Chao Gai, and the seizure is fictional. The original text reads: "我且问你，这七人端的是谁？不是别人，原来正是晁盖、吴用、公孙胜、刘唐、三阮这七个。" (Water Margin, Chapter 16)

Question 6

Is "Hit by an arrow at Zengtou City" true?

Accepted Answer

In the novel, Chao Gai dies after being struck by an arrow in the face while attacking Zengtou City. In the three passages of the "History of Song" that record Song Jiang's band (the Annals of Emperor Huizong, the Biography of Zhang Shuye, and the Biography of Hou Meng), none of the thirty-six are named, and both Chao Gai's existence and his death in battle lack any basis in official history, being a fictional creation of the novel. The original text reads: "不期一箭，正中晁盖脸上，倒撞下马来。" ("Water Margin", Chapter 60)

Question 7

Is "Miraculous stratagems and divine calculations" true?

Accepted Answer

In the novel, Wu Yong is portrayed as the strategist brain of Liangshan; Chapter 072 of "Water Margin" writes: "原来军师吴用已知此事，定教大闹东京。" His name first appears in "The Great Song Xuanhe Legacy" and "Thirty-six Praises of Song Jiang", but there is no corresponding strategist figure in official history.

Question 8

Is "Slaying the tiger at Jingyang Ridge" true?

Accepted Answer

The episode in "Water Margin" where Wu Song, drunk, beats a fierce tiger to death is deeply ingrained in people's minds; however, this belongs to the folk literary creation of storytellers and novelists across dynasties, and there is no such person or event in official history. The original text reads: "Wu Song saw the tiger pounce, and with a single dodge, he was behind the tiger." ("Water Margin", Chapter 23)

Question 9

Is "Capturing Fang La with one arm" true?

Accepted Answer

In the novel, Wu Song loses an arm during the campaign against Fang La and captures Fang La single-handedly; however, the "History of Song" clearly records that Fang La was captured alive by Han Shizhong's subordinate general, having nothing to do with Wu Song. The original text states: "即挺身仗戈直前，渡险数里，𢭏其穴，格杀数十人，禽腊以出。" (from "History of Song: Biography of Han Shizhong").

Question 10

Is "Uprooting a weeping willow" true?

Accepted Answer

The Water Margin depicts Lu Zhishen's astonishing divine strength, uprooting the weeping willow at Xiangguo Temple; this is pure literary fiction, as the official history "History of Song" contains no such person as Lu Zhishen. The original text reads: "把直裰脱了，用右手向下，把身倒缴著，却把左手拔住上截，把腰只一趁，将那株绿杨树带根拔起。" (Chapter 007 of The Water Margin)

Question 11

Is "Capturing Fang La alive" true?

Accepted Answer

Some versions of the novel (such as the 120-chapter edition) claim that Lu Zhishen captured Fang La alive, which likewise contradicts the historical fact recorded in the History of Song, Biography of Han Shizhong, that Han Shizhong's troops captured Fang La. The original text records that Han Shizhong pursued him to Qingxi Gorge, "即挺身仗戈直前，渡险数里，𢭏其穴，格杀数十人，禽腊以出。" (History of Song, Biography of Han Shizhong)

Question 12

Is "Wind and snow at the Mountain Temple" true?

Accepted Answer

The tragic story of Lin Chong going to Liangshan in the snow at night in the novel is highly artistically tensioned; Chapter 011 of "Water Margin" states: "Lin Chong said: 'It's a long story!' The two then went inside and sat down, and he told in detail the matter of the fire at the fodder yard." However, Lin Chong is a literary figure gradually shaped from "The Great Song's Xuanhe Legacy" to "Water Margin", and is not a historical figure.

History vs. Fiction: The Truth Behind the 108 Heroes of the Water Margin

Song Jiang in Historical Records: A Fleeting Bandit

层层累加：从三十六人到一百零八将

反派重构：高俅、蔡京与童贯的真实面目

虚实平叛：招安与未曾发生的征方腊

无中生有：宣和三年的辽国并未与宋交战

原型与虚构：一百零八将的史料觅踪

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