Chinese Name: Shi Jin

Japanese Name:  Kyūmonryū Shishin

Rank: 23rd of the 108 Stars of Destiny 

Nickname: Nine Tattooed Dragons 

Shi Jin was the only son of Squire Shi, head of the Shi Family Farm and Village. Neglecting his farm duties, he spent his time as a youth practicing the fighting and weaponry skills that would bring him renown as an adult. Shi Jin had porcelain white skin and a full body tattoo of nine dragons. 

Lu Zhishen (plates 6; 10) was traveling to Xiangguo Monastery to assume his new role as temple gardener. He stopped at the run down monastery of Waguan to ask for food, and once inside found the only residents to be a small group of gaunt and sickly old monks. They told him two robbers posing as priests, Iron Buddha and Flying Ogre, had taken over the monastery and defiled it. 

Lu Zhishen found the two imposters and confronted them. A fight ensued and Lu Zhishen, being weak from hunger, was chased off the temple grounds. Traveling down the road, he realized he had left behind his satchel of money and belongings. As luck would have it, Lu Zhishen’s friend, Shi Jin, was traveling the same road and suddenly appeared. Lu Zhishen told him of the event that had just occurred and the predicament he was now in. Shi Jin shared food with him and offered to assist him in rousting the two defilers. 

They returned and found Iron Buddha and Flying Ogre sitting at the stone bridge that led to the temple. The four began to fight, but with Shi Jin there to aid Lu Zhishen, the two imposters were soon defeated and killed. 

At the monastery, Lu Zhishen and Shi Jin found the monks had all hung themselves for fear of reprisals from the two imposter clerics. With everyone in the temple dead, they went through the rooms and found money and food. They gathered what they could carry, set fire to the monastery, and continued down the road.

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As Shi Jin’s story unfolded, he became the leader of the Mount Shaohua bandits. Soon after he had assumed command, he was captured and imprisoned trying to save a young woman who had been abducted by the Governor of Hua Prefecture. Unable to rescue him on their own, Shi Jin’s comrades requested help from Song Jiang (plate 107) and the bandits at Liangshan Marsh. Knowing of the bravery and heroics of Shi Jin, Song Jiang agreed to help, and together the two groups successfully freed Shaohua’s revered leader. Realizing the advantages gained from joining forces, Shi Jin and the bandits of Mount Shaohua remained at Liangshan and became a part of their legions.

 Shi Jin is depicted here sitting on top a large fallen statue head holding down Flying Ogre moments before killing him. However, in the novel he simply chases him down and kills him on the spot. 

Kuniyoshi Recreation