Han Tao is a fictional character in ''

Water Margin ''Water Margin'' (), also called ''Outlaws of the Marsh'' or ''All Men Are Brothers'', is a Chinese novel from the Ming dynasty that is one of the preeminent Classic Chinese Novels. Attributed to Shi Nai'an, ''Water Margin'' was one of the e ...

'', one of the

Four Great Classical Novels Classic Chinese Novels () are the best-known works of literary fiction across pre-modern Chinese literature. The group usually includes the following works: Ming dynasty novels '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', '' Water Margin'', ''Journey to t ...

Chinese literature The history of Chinese literature extends thousands of years, and begins with the earliest recorded inscriptions, court archives, building to the major works of philosophy and history written during the Axial Age. The Han dynasty, Han (202 ...

. Nicknamed "General of Hundred Victories", he ranks 42nd among the

108 Stars of Destiny The 108 Heroes are the main characters of the Ming dynasty classic Chinese novel the ''Water Margin'', which was written in the 14th century and usually attributed to Shi Nai'an. The heroes are divided into the 36 Heavenly Spirits and 72 Earthly ...

and sixth among the 72 Earthly Fiends.

Background

A native of Dongjing (東京; present-day

Kaifeng Kaifeng ( zh, s=开封, p=Kāifēng) is a prefecture-level city in east-Zhongyuan, central Henan province, China. It is one of the Historical capitals of China, Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and ...

Henan Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...

), the imperial capital of the

Song Empire The Song dynasty ( ) was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Ten Kingdoms, ending ...

, Han Tao is a skilled warrior who serves as a military instructor in Chenzhou (陳州; present-day

Huaiyang County Huaiyang District () is a district in the prefecture-level city of Zhoukou in the east of Henan, Henan province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the southeastern part of Henan Province and the central part of Zhoukou, Zhoukou City. T ...

, Henan). Nicknamed "General of Hundred Victories" as he is purportedly unbeatable in combat. He fights with a lance made of jujube wood.

Becoming an outlaw

After Liangshan defeated and killed Gao Lian, the governor of Gaotangzhou (高唐州; present-day

Gaotang County Gaotang County () is a county of northwestern Shandong Shandong is a coastal Provinces of China, province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches ...

Shandong Shandong is a coastal Provinces of China, province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural ...

) to rescue Chai Jin, Emperor Huizong appoints the general

Huyan Zhuo Huyan Zhuo is a fictional character in ''Water Margin'', one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Double Clubs", he ranked eighth among the 36 Heavenly Spirits (天罡), the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny. ...

at the recommendation of Grand Marshal Gao Qiu, who is Gao Lian's cousin, to command an army to stamp out the stronghold. Huyan in turn asks for Han Tao and Peng Qi to be his lieutenants. In the first clash with Liangshan, Huyan Zhuo and his two assistants run into a marathon fight with a succession of Liangshan warriors. Han Tao engages Qin Ming but apparently could not live up to his nickname. Putting on the defensive, Han escapes when Huyan Zhuo comes to take on Qin. In that clash, Peng Qi is captured by

Hu Sanniang Hu Sanniang (literally "Third Sister Hu") is a fictional character in ''Water Margin'', one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Zhàng, Ten Feet of Blue", she ranks 59th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 23rd am ...

. Huyan then sends out his cavalry consisting of groups of chain-linked armoured horses, which charges forth in combined ferocity. Overwhelmed, the outlaws hole up in Liangshan with the marsh as buffer as they work out a counter-attack. Tang Long recommends that his cousin Xu Ning could beat Huyan's cavalry with his expertise in hooked lance. After being trained by Xu, who is recruited through an elaborate trick, the hooked lancer squad of Liangshan fell the cavalry of Huayan routing his force. Captured, Han Tao surrenders upon the advice of Peng Qi, who has transferred his allegiance to Liangshan.

Campaigns and death

Han Tao is appointed as one of the leaders of the Liangshan cavalry after the Grand Assembly of the

. He participates in the campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces in

Song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...

territory following amnesty from Emperor Huizong for Liangshan. In the attack on

Changzhou Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu, China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling, and Jinling. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Zhen ...

in the campaign against

Fang La Fang La (; died 1121) was a Chinese rebel leader who led an uprising against the Song dynasty. In the classical novel ''Water Margin'', he is fictionalised as one of the primary antagonists and nemeses of the 108 Stars of Destiny. He is sometim ...

, Han Tao fights the enemy commander Gao Keli. He falls off his steed when Gao hits him in the face with an arrow, thereupon he is killed by the latter's comrade

Zhang Jinren Fang La (; died 1121) was a Chinese rebel leader who led an uprising against the Song dynasty. In the classical novel ''Water Margin'', he is fictionalised as one of the primary antagonists and nemeses of the 108 Stars of Destiny. He is sometime ...

, who spears him in his throat.

References

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Han, Tao 72 Earthly Fiends Fictional characters from Henan