Quick Answer: Who Is Lin Chong?
Lin Chong (林冲, Lín Chōng), the Leopard Head (豹子头, Bàozǐtóu), is an instructor in the imperial guard in Water Margin (水浒传, Shuǐhǔ Zhuàn). A false accusation costs him his position and sends him into exile. He eventually joins the outlaws at Liangshan (梁山, Liángshān).[1][2][4]
- He is accused of entering a restricted military hall carrying a blade.[1]
- The monk Lu Zhishen (鲁智深, Lǔ Zhìshēn) intervenes during his journey into exile.[2]
- In a snowstorm, Lin Chong shelters in a temple and learns that the fire outside is deliberate.[3]
The chapter numbers here follow the 120-chapter edition. Some shorter versions number the same scenes differently.
Lin Chong takes shelter from a snowstorm in a small temple. The men outside assume he is in a burning enclosure. The distance between those two places is what lets him hear their account of the plot against him.
The Trap at White Tiger Hall
In Chapter 7, the younger Gao harasses Lin Chong’s wife, and the pressure on the family continues. Lin Chong is led to the White Tiger Hall (白虎节堂, Báihǔ Jiétáng) with a blade he has been induced to buy. Gao Qiu treats his presence in the restricted hall as evidence of an attack. A summons that appears to come from official authority leaves Lin Chong unable to prove why he is there.[1]
Exile and the Forest Rescue
In Chapter 8, the escorts take Lin Chong toward Cangzhou. At Wild Boar Forest, the danger comes from the men charged with delivering him. Lu Zhishen intervenes and saves him. Lin Chong then continues toward his place of exile.[2]
Why the Snowbound Temple Matters
In Chapter 10, snow brings down Lin Chong’s shelter at the fodder yard. He takes refuge in a mountain temple, from which he sees the yard burning. When the men responsible come to check the fire, he hears enough to understand that the attack was directed at him. The snow both saves him and gives him a place from which to learn the truth.[3]
Chapter 11 follows his flight to Liangshan with Chai Jin’s help. Much later, Chapter 71 places him sixth among the 108 Liangshan heroes.[4][5]
The Night Flight on the Kunqu Stage
The Kunqu excerpt often called Lin Chong Flees at Night puts the fugitive’s journey at the center. In one production’s synopsis, he rests at an old temple and dreams of a warning. The novel’s mountain temple scene turns on a conversation he overhears. Readers who recognize the setting can compare what the two versions let him learn there.[3][6][7]
FAQs About Lin Chong
Was Lin Chong already an outlaw at the start?
The novel introduces him as an imperial guard instructor. His place among the Liangshan outlaws comes after exile and flight.[1][4]
Which chapter contains the mountain temple episode?
It is Chapter 10 in the 120-chapter text cited here.[3]
Where does Lin Chong rank at Liangshan?
He is sixth in the final roster in Chapter 71.[5]
出典
[1] Water Margin. Chapter 7, 120-chapter text
[2] Water Margin. Chapter 8, 120-chapter text
[3] Water Margin. Chapter 10, 120-chapter text
[4] Water Margin. Chapter 11, 120-chapter text
[5] Water Margin. Chapter 71, 120-chapter text
[6] University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Program Notes: Kunqu Dramatizations of Chinese Beauties, Clowns, Heroes, and Villains
[7] C.F. Koo Foundation. Lin Chong Fled at Night, performance notes