Zhou Tong (Water Margin)

There was a historical

The novel depicts Zhou Tong as robust and having a broad face and a loud booming voice. A skilled fighter, he uses a long spear in combat. Zhou is nicknamed "Little Conqueror" as he resembles Xiang Yu, a warrior of the Qin dynasty called "The Conqueror", in appearance and with his domineering temperament. Zhou Tong leads a bandit gang at Mount Peach Blossom (桃花山) in Qingzhou (in present-day Shandong).

When passing by Mount Peach Blossom after parting ways with Shi Jin and Lu Da (who later becomes a monk with the name Lu Zhishen) in Weizhou, Li Zhong runs into Zhou Tong, who wants to rob him. After being beaten by Li, Zhou generously offers the latter his stronghold. Li accepts the offer and Zhou takes second position.

Encounter with Lu Zhishen

Running into the daughter of one Squire Liu, who lives near Mount Peach Blossom, Zhou Tong falls for her and demands her to be his wife. Although reluctant, the squire could not object. On the wedding night, Lu Zhishen, who is travelling to another temple in the imperial capital Dongjing after being expelled from the monastery at Mount Wutai for causing too many troubles, comes by Squire Liu's manor. He is provided lodgings for the night by the kindly old man. When Lu hears the family crying, he finds out the reason and volunteers to persuade Zhou to give up on the girl with his Buddhist teachings. So Lu lies in wait on the bed in the bridal room for Zhou in place of Squire Liu's daughter.

Zhou Tong comes in the finery of a bridegroom and heads to the bridal room. There he gropes in the dark to reach for the bed. But when he touches it, he is shocked to find a burly monk there, who gives him a good thrashing. Zhou manages to escape back to his stronghold and asks Li Zhong to get back at the monk for him. Li goes to the manor and is surprised to find the guy to be Lu Zhishen. To give face to Lu, Li asks Zhou Tong to forget about acquiring Squire Liu's daughter. Zhou readily gives his word. Lu Zhishen stays at their stronghold for a few days before resuming his journey.

Joining Liangshan

When the imperial general Huyan Zhuo is fleeing to Qingzhou after being beaten in his military mission to stamp out the Liangshan Marsh, he passes by Mount Peach Blossom and puts up in an inn. That night Zhou Tong's men steals his horse, a gift from Emperor Huizong, from the stable. Mad at the loss, Huyan suggests to Qingzhou's governor Murong Yanda that he would help him wipe out all the local bandits to redeem his defeat at Liangshan.

As they are no match for Huyan, Li Zhong and Zhou Tong turn to the outlaws of the nearby Mount Twin Dragons led by Lu Zhishen for help. Finding Huyan a formidable warrior, the two strongholds conclude that it is better to seek help from Liangshan. Song Jiang leads troops to Qingzhou, where he captures and wins over Huyan. Li Zhong and Zhou Tong are absorbed into Liangshan along with the bandits of Mount Twin Dragons.

Campaigns and death

Zhou Tong is appointed as one of the leaders of the Liangshan cavalry after the

References

• ISBN 9781559213035
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• Ichisada, Miyazaki (1993). Suikoden: Kyoko no naka no Shijitsu (in Japanese). Chuo Koronsha.
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• Keffer, David. "Outlaws of the Marsh: A Somewhat Less Than Critical Commentary". Poison Pie Publishing House. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
• Li, Mengxia (1992). 108 Heroes from the Water Margin (in Chinese). EPB Publishers. p. 177.
  ISBN 9971-0-0252-3
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• Miyamoto, Yoko (2011). "Water Margin: Chinese Robin Hood and His Bandits". Demystifying Confucianism. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
• Shibusawa, Kou (1989), Bandit Kings of Ancient China, Koei
• Zhang, Lin Ching (2009). Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House.
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