The Water Margin: A Plot Summary

The Water Margin is a 14th-century Chinese novel attributed to Shi Nai’an. It is also translated as Outlaws of the Marsh and All Men Are Brothers Considered one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, the novel is written in vernacular Chinese rather than literary Chinese. The story set in the closing years of the Northern Song dynasty, tells of how a group of 108 outlaws gather at Mount Liang (or Liangshan Marsh) to form a sizable army before they are eventually granted amnesty by the government and sent on campaigns to resist foreign invaders. The story has had a profound cultural impact on Chinese society and is recomened reading for those who wish to learn more about China. This video will provide a succinct summary of the story and it’s importance.