Song Qing 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 "Iron Fan", he ranks 76th 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 40th among the 72 Earthly Fiends.

Background

Song Qing is the younger brother of

Song Jiang Song Jiang was a Chinese historical figure who led an armed rebellion against the ruling Song dynasty, Song Dynasty in the early 12th century. His band marauded over a region straddling the present-day Chinese provinces of Shandong and Henan. Th ...

. While Song Jiang is famous in ''

jianghu ''Jianghu'' () is a Chinese term that generally refers to the social environment in which many Chinese ''wuxia'', '' xianxia'', and ''gong'an'' stories are set. The term is used flexibly, and can be used to describe a fictionalized version of ru ...

'' (the scofflaw community) for his chivalry, Song Qing keeps a low profile. Living in the town district of Yuncheng, being a clerk of the county's magistrate, taking care of their father at their suburban house and managing the family's properties.

Tricking Song Jiang to come home

After killing his mistress Yan Poxi in a fit of anger, Song Jiang sneaks back to hide in his father's house. Although sent to arrest him, Yuncheng's chief constable

Zhu Tong Zhu Tong is a fictional character in ''Water Margin'', one of the Four Great Classical Novels, four great classical novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Lord of the Beautiful Beard", he ranks 12th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first th ...

lets Song off after finding him hiding in a pit in his house. Song decides to seek refuge in the house of the nobleman Chai Jin. He travels there with Song Qing. Later Song Qing returns home while Song Jiang moves to the Kong Family Manor at Mount White Tiger. He subsequently shifts to Hua Rong's house at Qingfeng Fort in

Qingzhou Qingzhou () Wade–Giles: Tsing-chou, sometimes written as Ching-chow-fu, formerly Yidu County (Yitu) (), is a county-level city, which is located in the west of the prefecture-level city of Weifang, in the central part of Shandong Province, Chin ...

. While in Qingzhou, he sparks a battle between his bandit friends at Mount Qingfeng and the local government. Despite having beaten the army from Qingzhou, Song Jiang, Hua Rong and the bandits of Mount Qingfeng, fearing attacks by a bigger government force, decamps to join

Liangshan Marsh Mount Liang is a mountain in Liangshan County, Shandong, China, which rises to 197.9 metres above sea level. It is well known as the stronghold of the 108 Heroes in the classic Chinese novel '' Water Margin''. The modern Liangshan County i ...

. On the way, Song Jiang runs into Shi Yong in an inn, who has a letter from Song Qing which says their father has passed on and urges him to rush home for the funeral. Upon reaching home, Song Jiang is shocked to find his father alive and well. In fact, Song Qing has penned the letter under the instruction of their father, who fears Song Jiang will tarnish the family's reputation by falling into bad company. As it is not possible to keep his homecoming a secret, Song Jiang is arrested by Yuncheng's authorities for the murder of Yan Poxi. He is exiled to a prison camp in Jiangzhou (江州; present-day

Jiujiang Jiujiang, formerly transliterated Kiukiang and Kew-Keang, is a prefecture-level city located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River in northwest Jiangxi Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the second-largest prefecture-level ...

Jiangxi ; Gan: ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = , translit_lang1_type3 = , translit_lang1_info3 = , image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_caption = Location ...

Joining Liangshan

Song Jiang finally joins Liangshan after getting into yet more troubles, this time in Jiangzhou, which nearly got him killed. Worried that his family will be implicated, Song, after being elected second-in-command of Liangshan, goes back to Yuncheng personally to fetch his father and brother. Song Qing thus becomes a member of Liangshan.

Campaigns

Song Qing is placed in charge of organising banquets after the

came together in what is called the Grand Assembly. He participates in the campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces on

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. Song Qing is one of the few Liangshan heroes who survives all the campaigns. Although he is conferred an appointment, he declines it, choosing to return home to tend to his family's properties.

References

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Song, Qing 72 Earthly Fiends Fictional farmers Fictional characters from Shandong