Wu Song

Wu Song, immortalized in the classic Water Margin (also known as Outlaws of the Marsh), is one of China’s most celebrated folk heroes. Hailing from Qinghe County, he is famed for his extraordinary strength, fearlessness, and a fierce sense of justice that often bordered on ruthlessness. His most legendary feat—slaying a ferocious tiger with his bare hands atop Jingyang Ridge—cemented his status as a living legend and earned him the awe of peasants and nobles alike.

Clad in a short jacket with twin steel clubs at his side, Wu Song exuded the rugged valor of a true warrior. Yet beneath his rough exterior lay deep loyalty, especially to his elder brother Wu Dalang, whose wrongful death would drive Wu Song to a bloody vengeance. His tale is as much about avenging honor as it is about embodying the spirit of righteous rebellion.