Li Jun

Li Jun is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "River Dragon", he ranks 26th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny. Background The novel depicts Li Jun as eight chi tall and having thick eyebrows, large eyes, a reddish face, wire-like whiskers and a booming voice. Born in Luzhou (蘆州; present-day Hefei, Anhui), he moves to Jieyang Ridge (揭陽嶺; believed to be in present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) with his close friend Li Li. He is a good fighter and an excellent swimmer. As water is like his natural habitat, he is nicknamed "River Dragon". Li Jun engages in illegal salt smuggling on Xunyang River with his sidekicks Tong Wei and Tong Meng, who are brothers, while Li Li runs an inn on Jieyang ridge, where he drugs, robs and butchers customers. Joining Liangshan On his way to exile in Jiangzhou (江州; present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) as a mitigated sentence for killing his mistress Yan Poxi, Song Jiang passes by Jieyang Ridge and takes a rest in the inn of Li Li with his two escorts. After drugging the three, Li Li waits for his helpers to come to cut them up. Li Jun and the Tong brothers come to his inn for refreshments. Li Jun has been waiting by the riverbank for days hoping to meet Song Jiang, who is famous for chivalry. Upon learning an exile is drugged, Li Jun immediately frisks the escorts and finds the document confirming the identity of the person. Li Li quickly revives Song. They introduce themselves to Song and treat him as an honoured guest before seeing him off.