Water Margin is one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature. The novel, written on the basis of the stories of the historical figures Song Jiang and his partners’ rebellion against the feudal emperor, has been popular with Chinese readers for centuries.

It goes without exaggeration that almost every single Chinese has a good knowledge of some major characters in the novel as its wonderful stories are told over and over again in teahouses, on the stage in plays, on radio and television, on film screens and in countless homes. As a matter of fact, the influence of this novel has gone far beyond national boundaries as more and more foreign readers also find its stories vivid, moving and full of interest.