Chinese Name: Wang Dingliu 

Japanese Name: Kassenba Ōteiroku

Rank: 104th of the 108 Stars of Destiny 

Nickname: Lightning 

Wang Dingliu ran a tavern with his father on the banks of the Yangtze River. He was very fast and a good swimmer. He practiced jousting with staves but was not particularly good as he’d never had a teacher. 

Song Jiang (plate 107) became seriously ill and Zhang Shun (plate 99) was sent to Jiankang to retrieve the doctor there. When Zhang Shun arrived at the Yangtze River, he hired a boatman to take him across and, as they ferried the river, he fell asleep. The boatman decided to take advantage of the situation and tied Zhang Shun with rope, took his money, and threw him into the turbulent, snowy water.  

Being an excellent swimmer, Zhang Shun was able to chew through the ropes and swim to the other side. He went to a small tavern on the banks where an old man gave him food, wine, and dry clothes. The old man then introduced him to his son, Wang Dingliu, who explained that the boatman was a river pirate named Zhang Wang who made his way by robbing and killing travelers. 

In the morning, Zhang Shun continued his journey and retrieved the doctor (see plate 50 for story details). On their return, they went to Wang Dingliu’s tavern and asked if he could ferry them across the river. Just then Zhang Wang arrived at his boat. Zhang Shun put a scarf over his head and had Wang Dingliu escort them to Zhang Wang and tell him they were his relatives who needed to cross the river. The three men boarded the boat, and halfway across, Zhang Shun removed his disguise and seized Zhang Wang. Then, repaying him in kind, Zhang Shun tied him up, and threw him overboard.  

Zhang Shun thanked Wang Dingliu for helping him enact his revenge, and told him if he wanted to join with the bandits at Liangshan, he would be more than welcome. Wang Dingliu readily accepted his offer, and moved himself and his father to the bandit stronghold at Liangshan Marsh. 

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Wang Dingliu had been settled in to life at Liangshan Marsh for some time when the camp’s rice supply began to grown thin. The leaders decided to borrow some from Dongping Prefecture, and Wang Dingliu volunteered to go as messenger. When he arrived and presented the Prefect with a letter from Song Jiang requesting rice, the Prefect had his soldiers beat Wang Dingliu until his skin split open and the meat protruded from the wounds. He was then chased out of the city. 

Wang Dingliu is portrayed here, victoriously fighting off the soldiers who had been ordered to beat him. However this did not happen in the novel. Instead, he was simply punished and run off. 

Kuniyoshi recreation