Lin Chong is a character in Water Margin. Both Wikidata and the Chinese Wikipedia article are titled 林冲. Wikidata also lists the names Leopard Head and Tianxiong, a nickname and a star name, neither of which can stand in for a personal name, so the heading stays as it is. Wikidata describes him as a Water Margin character, gives the dynasty of the setting as the Great Song, and places his death around the 1120s.[1][2]
Origin and appearance
Chinese Wikipedia says he corresponds to the star Tianxiong among the thirty-six Heavenly Spirits. When he first appears he is about thirty-four or thirty-five and is weapons instructor to the eight hundred thousand Imperial Guards at Dongjing (today's Kaifeng). He is big and strong, with a leopard's head, round eyes, a swallow's jaw and a tiger's beard, which is why he is called Leopard Head. He wields a snake spear of one zhang and eight chi and is unmatched in arms. His wife is Lady Zhang and they have no children. His father-in-law Instructor Zhang was once an Imperial Guards instructor, his father was an officer at Dongjing, and Cao Zheng, the Knife Demon, was his pupil.[2]
Framed and driven to Liangshan
Lin Chong and the monk Lu Zhishen took to each other at once and swore brotherhood. When Lin Chong's wife went to burn incense at the Dongyue temple she was harassed by Gao Yanei, the adopted son of the marshal Gao Qiu. Her maid Jin'er told Lin Chong, who rushed over and stopped it. Gao Yanei did not give up and had Gao Qiu's confidant Lu Qian lure Lin Chong out to drink so that he could molest Lady Zhang, but Lin Chong hurried back and stopped that too. Having offended Gao Yanei, Lin Chong was trapped by Gao Qiu into entering the White Tiger Hall carrying a sword, was convicted and sentenced to exile in Cangzhou, and nearly died at the hands of the escorts Dong Chao and Xue Ba in the Wild Boar Forest until Lu Zhishen saved him. Staying at Chai Jin's house he laid out the arrogant Instructor Hong, who thought himself the best fighter there.[2]
At the Cangzhou prison camp Chai Jin quietly arranged things so that Lin Chong got the easy post of guarding the Hall of the Heavenly Kings. When Gao Qiu learned of this he sent Lu Qian and Fu An to kill him. They bribed the camp warden to move Lin Chong to the fodder yard and planned to burn it with him in it, but Lin Chong was out buying wine that day and escaped. With the fodder yard burned, which by law meant death, Lin Chong was driven to fury, killed Lu Qian, Fu An and an official, and no longer kept faith with the law. On Chai Jin's recommendation he went up to Liangshan on a snowy night.[2]
At Liangshan
The chief then, the White-Robed Scholar Wang Lun, was petty and jealous and, fearing that Lin Chong would take his place, made things hard for him and demanded that within three days he go down the mountain, kill a man and bring back the head. Lin Chong would not harm an innocent traveler, and on the last day he waylaid the passing Yang Zhi, the Blue-Faced Beast. They fought dozens of rounds without result. When Chao Gai and his band came to join, Wang Lun again made excuses, and Lin Chong, goaded by Wu Yong, killed Wang Lun in anger and put Chao Gai forward as the new head. During this time he heard from passers-by that his father-in-law had died of illness and that his wife, pressed to marry by Gao Qiu, had hanged herself, and from then on he regarded Gao Qiu as his lifelong enemy.[2]
When Liangshan attacked the Zhu Family Manor, Lin Chong charged to the front, captured Hu Sanniang, and defeated Zhu Long. Afterward he was a main fighter against the imperial forces of Gao Lian, Huyan Zhuo and Guan Sheng. When the 108 were ranked he was sixth and second of the five tiger generals of the cavalry, in charge of holding the western land camp.[2]
After the amnesty
After Liangshan accepted the amnesty, he followed Song Jiang and Lu Junyi against Liao, Tian Hu and Wang Qing. After Fang La was destroyed he caught paralysis in Hangzhou and was too ill to rise. He stayed at Liuhe Temple to recover, looked after by Wu Song and Lu Zhishen, and died half a year later. He was posthumously honored as Zhongwulang.[2]
Assessment
The article quotes Jin Shengtan, who calls Lin Chong a first-rate figure but written too harshly: he could calculate ahead, endure, hold fast and carry things through, and that frightened people. It also quotes Mao Dun comparing the three officers Yang Zhi, Lin Chong and Lu Da: Yang Zhi wanted office, Lin Chong was law-abiding and submissive and was driven until he had nowhere to stay, and only Lu Da had no scruples and dared to act. Mao Dun also wrote a short story, Leopard Head Lin Chong.[2]
Basic facts
- Description: Water Margin character[1]
- Other names: Leopard Head, Tianxiong[1]
- Dynasty or state of the work's setting: Great Song[1]
- Appears in: Water Margin