Gong Wang

Gong Wang is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 78th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 42nd of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Flowery Necked Tiger".

Background

Gong Wang sports tattoos resembling a tiger's stripes all over his body and has a tattoo of a tiger's head on his neck; he is nicknamed "Flowery Necked Tiger" because of his tattoos. He excels in martial arts and fights well on foot and horseback. He serves the imperial army as a general in Dongchang Prefecture (東昌府; in present-day Liaocheng, Shandong). He and Ding Desun serve as Zhang Qing's deputies.

Joining Liangshan

Zhang Qing defeats the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh twice, who are led by Lu Junyi. Song Jiang's army arrives to reinforce Lu Junyi. Zhang Qing defeats more than 15 of the best warriors of Liangshan in combat single-handedly while Gong Wang and Ding Desun always stand by, ready to capture any enemy general who is dismounted by Zhang Qing.

Gong Wang engages Liangshan's Lin Chong and Hua Rong in battle by he is no match for them. He is trapped and becomes confused. He hurls a javelin at them but misses and is knocked off his horse and captured by them. Zhang Qing is eventually defeated and captured by the outlaws, after which he decides to surrender and join the outlaw band at Liangshan. Gong Wang and Ding Desun follow suit.

Campaigns and death

Gong Wang becomes one of the leaders of the Liangshan infantry after the Grand Assembly of the 108 Stars of Destiny. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by Emperor Huizong. During the campaign against the rebel leader Fang La, Gong Wang follows Huyan Zhuo to attack the enemy at Deqing County (in present-day Huzhou, Zhejiang). While pursuing Fang La's officer Huang Ai, he accidentally falls into a stream and is speared to death by enemy soldiers.

References

• (Chinese) Li, Mengxia. 108 Heroes from the Water Margin, page 157. 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.
• Shibusawa, Kou. Bandit Kings of Ancient China, page 93. KOEI, 1989.
• (Japanese) Ichisada, Miyazaki. Suikoden: Kyoko no naka no Shijitsu. Chuo Koronsha, 1993. ISBN 978-4122020559.
• Miyamotois, Yoko. Water Margin: Chinese Robin Hood and His Bandits.
• Keffer, David. Outlaws of the Marsh.