Ruan Xiao'er

Last updated
Ruan Xiao'er
Water Margin character
Ricchitaisai Genshoji Li Di Tai Sui Ruan Xiao Er  (Ruan Xiao'er) (BM 2008,3037.10046).jpg
First appearanceChapter 15
Nickname"Tai Sui Who Stands His Ground"
立地太歲
Rank27th, Sword Star (天劍星) of the 36 Heavenly Spirits
Navy leader of Liangshan
OriginFisherman
Ancestral home / Place of originShijie Village (in present-day Liangshan County, Shandong)
Names
Simplified Chinese 阮小二
Traditional Chinese 阮小二
Pinyin Ruǎn Xiǎo'èr
Wade–Giles Juan Hsiao-erh

Ruan Xiao'er, also known as Ruan the Second, is a fictional character in Water Margin , one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Tai Sui Who Stands His Ground", he ranks 27th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

Contents

Background

The novel depicts Ruan Xiao'er as muscular and having a chiseled face, a wide mouth, a cold gleam in his eyes and some yellow hair on his chest. He is the elder brother of Ruan Xiaowu and Ruan Xiaoqi. They live in Shijie Village (石碣村; in present-day Liangshan County, Shandong), where they make a living by fishing in waters around the Liangshan Marsh. All three are good swimmers and fight well in water. Of the three, Ruan Xiao'er is the only one married with children.

Becoming an outlaw

Wu Yong recommends involving the three Ruan brothers when Chao Gai, headman of Dongxi village in Yuncheng County, seeks his advice on whether to hijack valuables in transportation to the Grand Tutor Cai Jing in the imperial capital Dongjing. Visiting the Ruans in Shijie Village, Wu claims that he has come to buy some fish before proceeding to find out whether they are receptive to the proposal. Ruan Xiaoer, being the oldest and most astute, senses Wu is up to something else. The other two are straightforward and quickly reveal resentment of their poverty and oppression by officials. Although less forthcoming, when Wu Yong comes to his point, Ruan Xiao-er accepts the invitation like his brothers. The robbers, numbering seven including Liu Tang and Gongsun Sheng and with the help of Bai Sheng, who poses as a wine seller, succeed in seizing the valuables at the Yellow Mud Ridge by drugging the escorts of the gifts led by Yang Zhi.

But the authorities soon track down essential clues and an arrest party is sent to seize Chao Gai at his house. Chao, Wu Yong, Gongsun Sheng and Liu Tang flee to Shijie village. The Ruan brothers, familiar with the surrounding waters, lure the soldiers who have come for them into the waterways and wipe them out. The seven men then seek refuge in the bandit stronghold of Liangshan Marsh.

Wang Lun, the leader of Liangshan, tries to send them away with gifts fearing that they might usurp his position. Wu Yong, sensing Lin Chong's unhappiness with Wang, instigates him to kill the leader. Chao Gai is then elected the new chief of Liangshan, with Ruan Xiao'er taking the sixth position.

Ruan Xiao'er puts his skill in water combat to good use in many battles. When Ling Zhen helps Huyan Zhuo, who is sent by the Song court to stamp out the outlaws, by shelling Liangshan with cannons, Song Jiang is anxious to have this threat quickly nipped. The Ruan brothers, swimming under water, stole up to Ling's artillery platform set by the bank, overturn it and lured Ling to chase after them into the marsh where they capture him. Ling Zhen joins Liangshan and later contributes to creating panic among Huyan's chain-linked armoured cavalry with the firing of cannons.

Campaigns and death

Ruan Xiao'er is appointed as one of the commander of the Liangshan flotilla after the 108 Stars of Destiny came together in what is called the Grand Assembly. He participates in campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces in Song territory following amnesty from Emperor Huizong for the Liangshan outlaws.

In the battle of Black Dragon Ridge (烏龍嶺; northeast of present-day Meicheng Town, Jiande, Zhejiang) in the campaign against Fang La, Ruan Xiao'er is sent to destroy the enemy's flotilla base. Fang's force bombard Ruan's boat with heavy cannon, trapping him in a sea of fire. Ruan Xiao'er dives into the water to escape but enemy soldiers snare him with hooks. Fearing being captured, he slits his own throat.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yang Zhi (Water Margin)</span> Water Margin character

Yang Zhi is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the four great classical novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Blue Faced Beast", he ranks 17th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wu Yong</span>

Wu Yong is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Knowledgeable Star", he ranks third among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huyan Zhuo</span> Fictional character in Chinese literature

Huyan Zhuo is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Double Clubs", he ranked eighth among the 36 Heavenly Spirits (天罡), the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guan Sheng</span> Chinese novel Water Margin fictional character

Guan Sheng is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Great Blade", he ranks fifth among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhang Qing (Featherless Arrow)</span> Fictional character in Water Margin

Zhang Qing is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the four great classical novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Featherless Arrow", he ranks 16th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gongsun Sheng</span>

Gongsun Sheng is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Dragon in the Clouds", he ranks fourth among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liu Tang</span>

Liu Tang is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Red Haired Devil", he ranks 21st among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chao Gai</span>

Chao Gai, nicknamed "Pagoda-Shifting Heavenly King", is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He is not one of the 108 Stars of Destiny because he dies before the Grand Assembly of the 108 Stars. However, after his death, he serves as a spiritual guardian of the outlaws, who from time to time dedicate ceremonial sacrifices to him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruan Xiaoqi</span>

Ruan Xiaoqi, also known as Ruan the Seventh, is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Living King Yama", he ranks 31st among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruan Xiaowu</span>

Ruan Xiaowu, also known as Ruan the Fifth, is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Lives-Shortening Second Brother", he ranks 29th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xuan Zan</span>

Xuan Zan is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Ugly Prince Consort", he ranks 40th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and fourth among the 72 Earthly Fiends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhu Tong</span>

Zhu Tong is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the four great classical novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Lord of the Beautiful Beard", he ranks 12th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ling Zhen</span>

Ling Zhen is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Heaven Shaking Thunder", he ranks 52nd among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 16th among the 72 Earthly Fiends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lei Heng</span>

Lei Heng is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 25th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Liangshan heroes, and is nicknamed "Winged Tiger".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kong Liang</span>

Kong Liang is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Lonely Fiery Star", he ranks 63rd among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 27th among the 72 Earthly Fiends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bai Sheng</span>

Bai Sheng is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Daylight Rat", he ranks 106th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 70th among the 72 Earthly Fiends.

<i>The Water Margin</i> (film) 1972 Hong Kong film

The Water Margin, also known Outlaws of the Marsh and Seven Blows Of The Dragon, is a 1972 Hong Kong film adapted from the Chinese classical 14th-century novel Water Margin. It was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Chang Cheh. Godfrey Ho was assistant director.

<i>The Water Margin</i> (1998 TV series) Chinese TV series or program

The Water Margin is a 1998 Chinese television series adapted from Shi Nai'an's classical 14th-century novel of the same title. It was produced by CCTV with Zhang Jizhong as producer. It was first broadcast in China in January 1998. The series also featured action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping.

<i>Outlaws of the Marsh</i> (TV series) Chinese TV series or program

Outlaws of the Marsh is a Chinese television series adapted from Shi Nai'an's classical 14th century novel Water Margin. It was first broadcast on Shandong TV in China in 1983, and was not completed until 1986. The series was one of the earliest television dramas with an ancient China setting to be produced in mainland China. It was divided into different parts, each focusing on the story line of a certain character. Widely regarded, as a classic in mainland China, the series won a Golden Eagle Award.

References