Who Are the 108 Heroes of Liangshan?

Who does the number include?

The 108 are the named leaders of the Liangshan outlaw brotherhood in Water Margin. Many other people serve or live at the stronghold. “108 heroes” names the celebrated assembly, not the entire population.

Some arrive after losing official careers. Some have wealth to contribute; others bring boats, craft skills, medical knowledge, or experience of life outside the law. The group could not function if everyone only knew how to swing a weapon.

Nor does everyone arrive happily. Xu Ning is drawn away by stolen armor. Lu Junyi is manipulated into a journey that destroys his home life. “Brotherhood” tells you where they end up; it does not tell you how much choice they had getting there.

Why 36 Heavenly and 72 Earthly Stars?

The novel gives the gathering a supernatural frame: 108 spirits are released at the opening, and a stone tablet names and orders the leaders in Chapter 71. There are 36 Heavenly Stars and 72 Earthly Stars. English editions may translate the celestial titles differently.

Song Jiang comes first, Lu Junyi second, and Wu Yong third. Lin Chong is sixth; Lu Zhishen thirteenth; Wu Song fourteenth. These numbers belong to the brotherhood’s order. They are not scores for strength, goodness, or how much a reader should care.

Chao Gai, an earlier Liangshan leader, dies before the full assembly. He is crucial to its development but is not one of the 108 on the tablet.

The complete ranked list

This list follows Chapter 71 of the 120-chapter Chinese text. Names use Pinyin-style spellings and simplified Chinese characters. You may encounter different spellings or nicknames in English translations. A linked name opens a published illustrated story; an unlinked name is currently a reference entry.

Two names are romanized Zhang Qing: number 16, 张清, the stone-throwing warrior, and number 102, 张青, the innkeeper. The Chinese characters distinguish them.

Choose a connection to follow

Read Wu Yong and Yang Zhi together to see one robbery from opposing sides. Pair Lu Junyi with Yan Qing to follow a warning the master refuses to hear. Read Li Kui beside Hu Sanniang to see what fierce loyalty can cost someone else.

We have fifteen illustrated character stories so far and will add more gradually. The ranked reference list already covers all 108. The planned physical collection is one complete 108-card set; its artwork and individual stories remain in development.