Cai Fu
Encyclopedia
Cai Fu is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 94th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 58th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Iron Arm". He shares the same nickname as the fictionalized persona of Zhou Tong.
(in present-day Handan
). He has a younger brother named Cai Qing
, who also works as a prison warden and executioner like him. He possesses great strength and conducts executions by beheading smoothly, and earns himself the nickname "Iron Arm".
is arrested and imprisoned after he is betrayed by his adulterous wife and housekeeper Li Gu. Li Gu bribes the Cai brothers to kill Lu Junyi in prison. However, Chai Jin
meets the brothers later and he bribes them to take good care of Lu Junyi, with an even larger sum of money. Cai Fu discusses with his brother and they decide to help Lu Junyi. Lu Junyi's life is spared and he is sentenced to exile on Shamen Island instead.
Li Gu bribes the guards escorting Lu Junyi into exile to finish him off along the way, but Lu's loyal servant Yan Qing
saves him from death and kills the guards. Lu Junyi is captured again later and sentenced to death, with Cai Fu as the executioner. Cai Fu deliberately lags for a while before the execution as he intends to spare Lu Junyi's life. Just then, Shi Xiu
appears and he storms the execution ground alone in an attempt to rescue Lu Junyi. However, Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu are not familiar with the roads in Daming Prefecture and they are captured later. Grand Secretary Liang Shijie is afraid that the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh
might attack Daming Prefecture to save their comrade so he decides to keep Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu alive as hostages. The Cais are assigned to watch over the prisoners and they treat them well.
As Liang Shijie expected, the outlaws come to attack Daming Prefecture. Song Jiang
sends some spies to infiltrate Daming Prefecture during the Lantern Festival
. Chai Jin goes to find the Cai brothers and he succeeds in persuading them to open the prison gates and allow Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu to escape. At the same time, the outlaws stationed outside Daming Prefecture launch an offensive on the city and succeed in breaking through. Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu are rescued and the Cais follow the outlaws back to Liangshan in triumph.
invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor. During the Fang La
campaign, Cai Fu is critically wounded in the battle of Qingxi County and dies from his wounds after the battle.
Water Margin
Water Margin , also known as Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes, or The Marshes of Mount Liang, is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.Attributed to Shi Nai'an and written in vernacular Chinese, the story, set in the Song Dynasty,...
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
Four Great Classical Novels
The Four Great Classical Novels, or the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly regarded by scholars to be the greatest and most influential of pre-modern Chinese fiction. Dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, they are well known to most Chinese readers...
of Chinese literature
Chinese literature
Chinese literature extends thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novels that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese...
. He ranks 94th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 58th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Iron Arm". He shares the same nickname as the fictionalized persona of Zhou Tong.
Background
Cai Fu is from Daming PrefectureDaming County
Daming County is a county of Hebei, China. It is under the administration of Handan city.-Administrative Divisions:Daming County has 6 towns and 14 townships.Towns:...
(in present-day Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
). He has a younger brother named Cai Qing
Cai Qing
Cai Qing is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 95th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 59th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Stalk of Flower".-Background:...
, who also works as a prison warden and executioner like him. He possesses great strength and conducts executions by beheading smoothly, and earns himself the nickname "Iron Arm".
Joining Liangshan
Lu JunyiLu Junyi
Lu Junyi is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 2nd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Jade Unicorn"...
is arrested and imprisoned after he is betrayed by his adulterous wife and housekeeper Li Gu. Li Gu bribes the Cai brothers to kill Lu Junyi in prison. However, Chai Jin
Chai Jin
Chai Jin is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 10th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Little Whirlwind"...
meets the brothers later and he bribes them to take good care of Lu Junyi, with an even larger sum of money. Cai Fu discusses with his brother and they decide to help Lu Junyi. Lu Junyi's life is spared and he is sentenced to exile on Shamen Island instead.
Li Gu bribes the guards escorting Lu Junyi into exile to finish him off along the way, but Lu's loyal servant Yan Qing
Yan Qing
Yan Qing is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 36th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Wanderer" or "Prodigal"....
saves him from death and kills the guards. Lu Junyi is captured again later and sentenced to death, with Cai Fu as the executioner. Cai Fu deliberately lags for a while before the execution as he intends to spare Lu Junyi's life. Just then, Shi Xiu
Shi Xiu
Shi Xiu is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 33rd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Daredevil Third Brother".-Background:...
appears and he storms the execution ground alone in an attempt to rescue Lu Junyi. However, Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu are not familiar with the roads in Daming Prefecture and they are captured later. Grand Secretary Liang Shijie is afraid that the outlaws from Liangshan Marsh
Mount Liang
Mount Liang is a mountain in Liangshan County, Shandong province, China which rises to 197.9 m above sea level. It is well known as the stronghold of the 108 legendary Song Dynasty heroes of the classic Chinese novel Water Margin...
might attack Daming Prefecture to save their comrade so he decides to keep Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu alive as hostages. The Cais are assigned to watch over the prisoners and they treat them well.
As Liang Shijie expected, the outlaws come to attack Daming Prefecture. Song Jiang
Song Jiang
Song Jiang was the leader of a group of outlaws who lived during the Song Dynasty. The outlaws were active in the present-day provinces of Shandong and Henan before their eventual surrender to the government. Song Jiang is also featured as a character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great...
sends some spies to infiltrate Daming Prefecture during the Lantern Festival
Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival ; is a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar year in the Chinese calendar, the last day...
. Chai Jin goes to find the Cai brothers and he succeeds in persuading them to open the prison gates and allow Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu to escape. At the same time, the outlaws stationed outside Daming Prefecture launch an offensive on the city and succeed in breaking through. Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu are rescued and the Cais follow the outlaws back to Liangshan in triumph.
Campaigns and death
Cai Fu becomes one of the chief executioners of Liangshan with his brother. He follows the heroes on their campaigns against the LiaoLiao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor. During the Fang La
Fang La
Fang La was a rebel leader who lived during the Song Dynasty. He is also featured as one of the antagonists and nemesis of the 108 Liangshan heroes in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.-Biography:...
campaign, Cai Fu is critically wounded in the battle of Qingxi County and dies from his wounds after the battle.