Wang Dingliu is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed “Living Goddess of Lightning”, he ranks 104th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 68th among the 72 Earthly Fiends. The novel depicts Wang Dingliu as having a pointed head, sparkling eyes and skinny legs. Nicknamed “Living Goddess of Lightning”, he could walk at a very fast pace as if he were walking in air. Wang Dingliu, who is a native of Jiankang Prefecture (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu), runs an inn on the bank of the Yangtze River with his father. Although he has learnt many types of martial arts, he is skilled in none. However, he is a good swimmer.
First Appearance Water Margin (水浒传), also called Outlaws of the Marsh or All Men Are Brothers or Suikoden (14th century) by Shi Nai’an (subject to academic debate)
First Publisher ○
Appearance List Water Margin (Shuihu zhuan, 水浒传) a.k.a. Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers, Suikoden (14th century) by Shi Nai’an (施耐庵) — Earliest surviving printed text 16th century editions (c. 1573–1610, e.g. Shidetang edition), one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. 108 Heroes of the Suikoden (1827–30) by Kuniyoshi — definitive early visual depictions (incl. Shishin/Shi Jin); All Men Are Brothers (1933) by Pearl S. Buck (first full English translation of Shui hu zhuan; includes Shi Jin’s early chapters); The Water Margin (1937) translated by J. H. Jackson — commonly reported first ed. (Shanghai: Commercial Press); Shin Suikoden (1937–39; book ed. 1940s) by Yoshikawa Eiji — seminal retelling that includes Shi Jin; All Men Are Brothers (Limited Editions Club, 2 vols., 1948) by Pearl S. Buck, illus. Miguel Covarrubias (major illustrated edition of the Buck translation; widely collected)
Sample Read Water Margin (1524) by Shi Nai’an [Internet Archive]
Description Wang Dingliu is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed “Living Goddess of Lightning”, he ranks 104th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 68th among the 72 Earthly Fiends. The novel depicts Wang Dingliu as having a pointed head, sparkling eyes and skinny legs. Nicknamed “Living Goddess of Lightning”, he could walk at a very fast pace as if he were walking in air. Wang Dingliu, who is a native of Jiankang Prefecture (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu), runs an inn on the bank of the Yangtze River with his father. Although he has learnt many types of martial arts, he is skilled in none. However, he is a good swimmer.
