Background
Shi Jin is the son of Squire Shi, the master of the Shi Family Village in Huayin County, Shaanxi. As a child, he has been fascinated with martial arts and spends his time training or befriending other jianghu figures, often neglecting his duties of running the village. He sports flowery tattoos all over his body, as well as nine dragon tattoos on his upper torso, which earns him the nickname "Nine Tattooed Dragons".
Shi Jin is the first of the 108 Liangshan heroes to make an appearance in the novel in chapter 2. Wang Jin, a martial arts instructor, comes to his village with his elderly mother. Wang Jin had offended Grand Marshal Gao Qiu and was forced to abandon his career and flee. Squire Shi is sympathetic towards Wang Jin and his mother and allows them to stay overnight in his village.
The next morning, Shi Jin is practising some staff movements in the courtyard when he hears Wang Jin making some comments about him. Wang Jin says that Shi Jin's skill is not good enough. Shi Jin feels offended and he behaves rudely towards the stranger, challenging him to a contest. Just then, Shi Jin's father arrives and chides his son for being rude towards their guest. Shi Jin insists on fighting Wang Jin and he is defeated by Wang in the match. Shi Jin is humbled after his defeat and at the same time he is also awed by Wang Jin's skill. He apologises to Wang Jin for his arrogant attitude earlier and asks Wang to accept him as a student, and Wang agrees after Squire Shi makes a further request for his son.
Wang Jin stays in the village for a few months and instructs Shi Jin in martial arts during his stay. When Wang Jin thinks that Shi Jin has made significant improvement in his skill, he leaves with his mother. Shi Jin feels bored after his teacher's departure and he spends his time training and sparring with other martial artists. He makes his name in the region for defeating a number of stronger fighters. Squire Shi dies some time later and the burden of running the village falls on Shi Jin's shoulders.
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