Tao Zongwang
| Tao Zongwang | |
|---|---|
| Water Margin character | |
| Nickname | "Nine Tailed Turtle" 九尾龜 |
| Rank | 75th, Manage Star (地理星) of the 72 Earthly Fiends |
| Construction supervisor of Liangshan | |
| Origin | Bandit leader from Mount Yellow Gate |
| Hometown | Guangzhou (in present-day Henan) |
| First appearance | Chapter 41 |
| Weapon | Iron shovel |
| Names | |
| Simplified Chinese | 陶宗旺 |
| Traditional Chinese | 陶宗旺 |
| Pinyin | Táo Zōngwàng |
| Wade–Giles | T'ao Tsung-wang |
Tao Zongwang is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 75th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 39th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Nine Tailed Turtle".
Background
Tao Zongwang is from a peasant family in Guangzhou (in present-day Henan). He possesses great strength and is highly skilled in the use of the spear and sword. He is nicknamed "Nine Tailed Turtle". Tao Zongwang becomes the leader of a group of bandits on Mount Yellow Gate together with Ou Peng, Ma Lin and Jiang Jing.
Joining Liangshan
After the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh stormed the execution ground in Jiangzhou (present-day Jiangxi) and rescued Song Jiang and Dai Zong, they pass by Mount Yellow Gate on the return journey. The four bandit leaders stop Song Jiang's party and request to join Liangshan and Song agrees.
Campaigns and death
Tao Zongwang is placed in charge of overseeing the construction of defence infrastructure at Liangshan after the Grand Assembly. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor. He is killed in the battle of Runzhou during the Fang La campaign.
References
- (Chinese) Li, Mengxia. 108 Heroes from the Water Margin, page 151. EPB Publishers Pte Ltd, 1992. ISBN 9971-0-0252-3.
- Buck, Pearl. All Men are Brothers. Moyer Bell Ltd, 2006. ISBN 9781559213035.
- Zhang, Lin Ching. Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House, 2009. ISBN 978-7506344784.
- Keffer, David. Outlaws of the Marsh.
- Miyamotois, Yoko. Water Margin: Chinese Robin Hood and His Bandits.
- (Japanese) Ichisada, Miyazaki. Suikoden: Kyoko no naka no Shijitsu. Chuo Koronsha, 1993. ISBN 978-4122020559.
- Shibusawa, Kou. Bandit Kings of Ancient China. KOEI, 1989.