Li Kui

Li Kui is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Black Whirlwind", he ranks 22nd among the 36 Heavenly Spirits. Background The novel depicts Li Kui as having a very dark complexion, a reddish-yellow unibrow and fiery-looking eyes. He is as strong as an ox, which is why he is called "Iron Ox". But he is better known as "Black Whirlwind" for his dark skin and his berserk behaviour in fights. Li, who carries a pair of axes, has a bad temper, likes to drink and is fond of gambling. He strikes fear in people just with an intense glare. A native of Baizhang Village in Yishui County (in present-day Linyi, Shandong), Li Kui flees from home after killing a person by accident. He ends up in Jiangzhou (江州; present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi), where he becomes a jailer under the chief warden Dai Zong. He gets to know Song Jiang, who was exiled from Yuncheng for killing his mistress Yan Poxi. Li Kui draws the attention of Song, who was dining with Dai in an inn, when he threatens the keeper of the inn to lend him money. Song and Li take to each other as one appreciates utmost forthrightness and the other unstinting generosity. As they are having a meal, Song Jiang suddenly craves for fish. As the fish at the restaurant is not fresh, Li Kui volunteers to get some from the riverside market. Impatient to wait for the chief fishmonger Zhang Shun to come, he tries to snatch some fish from their cages but inadvertently releases them into the river. Zhang arrives and fights Li Kui. Li Kui beats Zhang Shun easily, but the fishmonger lures him onto a boat, which he then overturns, causing Li Kui to fall into the water. Li, a non-swimmer, is continuously dragged down under water by Zhang. Luckily, Song Jiang and Dai Zong come to the scene and stop the fight. The four become friends. Joining Liangshan