Chinese Name: Dai Zong 

Japanese Name: Shinkōtaihō Taisō

Rank: 20th of the 108 Stars of Destiny 

Nickname: Divine Traveler 

Dai Zong was originally the superintendent at Jiangzhou Prison. With his knowledge of Taoist magic he was able to travel over 200 miles a day on foot. 

Dai Zong met and befriended Song Jiang (plate 107) when the latter was at Jiangzhou Prison. Dai Zong had allowed Song Jiang to freely come and go, and it was reported to the officials one day that Song Jiang had written a seditious poem on the wall of a restaurant—for this he was sentenced to death. The Liangshan bandits got word of Song Jiang’s impending execution and Dai Zong agreed to help rescue him (see plates 34; 36 for story details). The plot was found out however, and Dai Zong was sentenced to death as well. 

With their original rescue plan thwarted, the bandits went to Jiangzhou to rescue Song Jiang by force. A bloody battle ensued, but the bandits were able to save Song Jiang and Dai Zong. They all made their escape back to the bandits’ stronghold, and Dai Zong joined with the legions at Liangshan Marsh. 

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After the government’s many failed attempts to defeat Liangshan’s forces, Grand Marshal Gao Qiu petitioned the Emperor to allow himself to lead an army to destroy them. The Emperor agreed to the proposal and Gao Qiu was assigned ten high ranking commandants and a force of 130,000 men. (See plate 95 for story details)

Gao Qiu failed his campaign to destroy the bandit forces at Liangshan Marsh and was captured and taken to the bandits’ stronghold where Song Jiang treated him warmly. He told Gao Qiu he and his followers only wished for amnesty from the government. Seemingly persuaded, Gao Qiu agreed to convince the Emperor to grant their request, and Xiao Rang (plate 96) and Yue He (plate 47) went with him to present their case.

Gao Qiu deceived them however, and the two emissaries were held as prisoners. When news of this reached Liangshan, Dai Zong and Yan Qing (plates 92;93) were sent to rescue them. They discovered their comrades were being held at Gao Qiu’s manor, and they threw a rope over the manor’s tall walls. The two prisoners secured the rope and were able to climb out and escape.

Dai Zong is depicted here restraining one of Gao Qiu’s men as he holds the rope for Xiao Rang and Yue He to escape.  

Kuniyoshi recreation