List of Water Margin Minor Characters - Wu Song's Story

Wu Song's Story

• Wu Dalang (Chinese: 武大郎; pinyin: Wǔ Dàláng) is Wu Song's elder brother. He is nicknamed "Three-cun Nail" (traditional Chinese: 三寸釘; simplified Chinese: 三寸钉; pinyin: Sāncùn Dīng) for his short stature and ugly appearance. He is murdered by Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing.

• Pan Jinlian (traditional Chinese: 潘金蓮; simplified Chinese: 潘金莲; pinyin: Pān Jīnlián) is Wu Dalang's wife. Once, she accidentally causes a window holder to fall off from the second floor and hit Ximen Qing, who is walking past downstairs. Ximen Qing looks up and is stunned and entranced by Pan Jinlian's beauty. With help from Granny Wang, a witty and ruthless neighbour, the pair gets together in a series of clandestine meetings. When Wu Dalang catches them in bed, Ximen kicks him in the chest and causes him to be bedridden. Out of fear that Wu Dalang might tell his brother about their affair, the adulterous couple, assisted with Granny Wang, murder Wu Dalang by poisoning his medicine. Pan even hastens her husband's death by smothering the latter with a blanket while he is struggling under the effect of poison. Pan is killed by Wu Song later after he forces a confession out of her.

• Ximen Qing (traditional Chinese: 西門慶; simplified Chinese: 西门庆; pinyin: Xīmén Qìng) is a rich and influential merchant in Yanggu County. He has an affair with Pan Jinlian and they murder Wu Dalang together with Granny Wang's help. Wu Song confronts him at Lion Tower later and kills him after a vicious fight.

• Granny Wang (Chinese: 王婆; pinyin: Wáng Pó) is Wu Dalang's neighbour, who runs a teahouse just opposite Wu's house. She aids Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing in their affair and plays a role in Wu Dalang's murder. Wu Song brings her to the county office after obtaining the confessions of the murder. She is convicted of abetting adultery and murder and is sentenced to execution by slow slicing.

• He Jiu (Chinese: 何九; pinyin: Hé Jǐu) is the coroner who inspects Wu Dalang's corpse. He knows that Wu Dalang was poisoned to death but he has been bribed by Ximen Qing so he remains silent. Haunted by his conscience, he keeps a blackened bone (suggesting that Wu Dalang was poisoned) from the cremated body as evidence. When approached by Wu Song later, he agrees to testify in court as a witness.

• Yun'ge (traditional Chinese: 鄆哥; simplified Chinese: 郓哥; pinyin: Yùn'gē) is a young street urchin who befriends Wu Dalang and makes a living by selling pears. He witnesses the adulterous affair of Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing and tells Wu Dalang about it. He helps Wu Song by testifying as a witness in court.

• Inspector Zhang (traditional Chinese: 張督監; simplified Chinese: 张督监; pinyin: Zhāng Dūjiān) is a high-ranking official in Mengzhou. He collaborates with Jiang Zhong and Instructor Zhang to frame Wu Song for theft and has Wu sentenced to exile. He bribes the guards escorting Wu Song to kill him along the way but Wu kills them instead. Wu Song returns to take his revenge and kills Inspector Zhang at his residence along with his family.

• Instructor Zhang (traditional Chinese: 張團練; simplified Chinese: 张团练; pinyin: Zhāng Tuánliàn) is a close friend of Jiang Zhong. He collaborates with Jiang Zhong and Inspector Zhang to frame Wu Song for theft. They bribe the guards escorting Wu Song into exile to kill him along the way, but Wu Song survives and returns to take his revenge by killing the trio.

• Jiang Zhong (traditional Chinese: 蔣忠; simplified Chinese: 蒋忠; pinyin: Jiǎng Zhōng) is a hooligan nicknamed "Jiang the Door God" (traditional Chinese: 蔣門神; simplified Chinese: 蒋门神; pinyin: Jiǎng Mén Shén) for his big stature and fighting skills. He beats up Shi En and seizes Shi's restaurant for himself. Shi En enlists the help of Wu Song and Wu defeats Jiang Zhong in a fight. Wu Song demands that Jiang Zhong return the restaurant to Shi En and warns him never to return to Mengzhou. Jiang Zhong plots his revenge with Inspector Zhang and Instructor Zhang, and they frame Wu Song for theft. Wu Song survives the journey into exile and returns to take his revenge. Jiang Zhong is killed by Wu Song along with the Zhangs.

• Taoist Wang (Chinese: 王道人; pinyin: Wáng Dàorén), nicknamed "Flying Centipede" (traditional Chinese: 飛天蜈蚣; simplified Chinese: 飞天蜈蚣; pinyin: Fēitiān Wúgōng), is an evil Taoist priest living in a temple-cemetery at Centipede Ridge (蜈蚣嶺). He tries to rape a girl but is interrupted by Wu Song, who was passing by the temple on his journey to Mount Twin Dragons. Wu Song kills Wang, saves the girl, and burns down the temple.