The story of Lu Zhishen

Lǔ Zhìshēn (鲁智深), nicknamed the "Flowery Monk" (花和尚), or Sagacious Lu (the name his abbot gave him) is a major fictional character in the classic Chinese novel Water Margin. He is the lead in the first major story cycle of novel, in which he comes to epitomize loyalty, strength, justice but also rash action. One folktale represents him as a sworn brother of Zhou Tong, the archery teacher of Gen. Yue Fei.

Lu Zhishen's original name was Lu Da, a native of Guanxi. He was born with a round face and big ears, a straight nose and squarish mouth, with a face overshadowed by his beard. He also stood at 8 feet, with a wide waist. Originally, he served as a constable in Weizhou. However, he heard about a butcher nicknamed 'Lord of the West', who bullied the poor and weak singer Jin Cuilian. Thus, in a fit of anger, Lu Da killed the butcher with just 3 punches. To avoid arrest by the authorities, Lu Da resigned and fled to Wutai Mountain where he became a monk. He was given the name Zhishen.

However, Lu Zhishen did not follow the Buddhist code, ate meat and drank wine. Once, he caused an uproar in the temple, by beating up the monks and damaging the temple. He earned himself the nickname 'Flowery Monk'. Also, Lu Zhishen wielded a 31 kg Buddhist staff and carried a 40.5 kg dagger. The abbot could no longer tolerate Zhishen's actions and behavior, thus Zhishen was banished from the temple and sent to a faraway temple in Dongjing.

On his journey, Lu Zhishen managed to persuade the 'Little Tyrant' Zhou Tong not to force Liu Taigong's daughter to marry him. Also, he allied himself with Shi Jin and killed the evil bandits Cui Daocheng and Qiu Xiaoyi. Upon reaching his destination, Lu was put in charge of taking care of the garden in the temple. Lu subdued the band of hooligans, who offered to let him be their leader. Out of drunkenness, he uprooted a willow tree with his bare arms, an action for which he became famous. While wielding his staff one day he impressed a general named Lin Chong, and they became sworn brothers. Later, Lin Chong was framed and exiled to Cangzhou. Lu Zhishen followed Lin Chong quietly and protected him from the guards who were about to kill Lin Chong on the way.

Later, Lu Zhishen passed by Shizibo and became fast friends with Sun Erniang and Zhang Qing. He went to Erlong Mountain to seek refuge under Deng Long, but was refused. Lu Zhishen, Yang Zhi and Cao Zheng killed Deng Long and took control of the stronghold. Later, when Huyan Zhuo attacked Taohua Mountain, Lu Zhishen and the Liangshan heroes conquered Qingzhou and Lu followed the heroes to Liangshan Mountain.

Lu Zhishen went to Huazhou to invite Shi Jin to join the Liangshan heroes but was arrested together with Shi Jin and held captive in Prefect He's residence. Wu Yong devised a strategy and rescued both of them. Lu Zhishen eventually became one of the leaders of the Liangshan infantry and 36 Heavenly Chieftains. He followed the Liangshan heroes on their campaigns against the Liao Tartars and the southern rebels such as Fang La. Lu saved Wu Song's life when the latter's arm was sliced off by Bao Daoyi. In the end, Lu Zhishen left the band and went to live a reclusive life in a temple in Hangzhou.

In the end, Lu Zhishen concluded the prophecy that was given to him by fasting letting his body deteriorate. This in a sense redeems Lu as an actual monk, who at last, gave up everything and knowingly faced his death by ending his life as a monk.