Meng Kang
Encyclopedia
Meng Kang is a fictional character in the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
. He ranks 70th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 34th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Jade Flagpole".
, Hebei
) and an excellent ship builder.
and Pei Xuan
later and they become the leaders of a group of bandits at Yinma River.
Dai Zong and Yang Lin pass by Yinma River and meet the bandits during the search for Gongsun Sheng
. Dai Zong invites the three bandit leaders to join Liangshan
. They agree and disguise themselves as soldiers and make their way to Liangshan.
invaders and rebel forces after they have been granted amnesty by the emperor. During the Fang La
campaign, Meng Kang is assigned to attack the enemy territory of Black Dragon Ridge. He is trapped by the enemy and blasted into bits by cannon fire.
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 70th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 34th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Jade Flagpole".
Background
The Water Margin describes Meng Kang as a tall and thin man with a pale complexion. He is nicknamed "Jade Flagpole" for his appearance. Meng is a native of Zhendingzhou (present-day Zhengding County, ShijiazhuangShijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang is the capital and largest city of North China's Hebei province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about south of Beijing...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) and an excellent ship builder.
Becoming an outlaw
The government recruits him to build a ship for transporting tribute to the emperor. Meng Kang is displeased with the supervising officer's demanding attitude and he is punished after failing to meet the deadline. Meng Kang kills the officer in anger. He meets Deng FeiDeng Fei
Deng Fei is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 49th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 13th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Fiery Eyed suan-ni".-Background:...
and Pei Xuan
Pei Xuan
Pei Xuan is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 47th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 11th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Iron Face".-Background:...
later and they become the leaders of a group of bandits at Yinma River.
Dai Zong and Yang Lin pass by Yinma River and meet the bandits during the search for Gongsun Sheng
Gongsun Sheng
Gongsun Sheng is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 4th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Dragon in the Clouds".-Background:...
. Dai Zong invites the three bandit leaders to join Liangshan
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...
. They agree and disguise themselves as soldiers and make their way to Liangshan.
Campaigns and death
Meng Kang is placed in charge of overseeing the construction of battleships for the Liangshan navy after the Grand Assembly. 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, Meng Kang is assigned to attack the enemy territory of Black Dragon Ridge. He is trapped by the enemy and blasted into bits by cannon fire.