Lei Heng

Lei Heng
Water Margin character
First appearance	Chapter 13
Nickname	"Winged Tiger" 插翅虎
Rank	25th, Defence Star (天退星) of the 36 Heavenly Spirits
Infantry leader of Liangshan
Origin	Blacksmith, constable
Ancestral home / Place of origin	Yuncheng County (in present-day Heze, Shandong)
Weapon	Pudao
Names
Simplified Chinese	雷横
Traditional Chinese	雷橫
Pinyin	Léi Héng
Wade–Giles	Lei Heng

Lei Heng is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 25th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Liangshan heroes, and is nicknamed "Winged Tiger".

Background

Lei Heng is from Yuncheng County (in present-day Heze, Shandong). Originally a blacksmith and butcher, he subsequently becomes a chief constable of Yuncheng. He is a close friend of Zhu Tong, a fellow chief constable, and Chao Gai, the headman of a local village.

The novel describes Lei Heng as about seven chi tall, having a purplish face and sporting a big fan-like beard. He is strong and excels in martial arts. He is a good jumper who could leap across wide bodies of water and relatively high walls with ease. This talent earns him the nickname "Winged Tiger".

One night while out on patrol, Lei Heng happens upon Liu Tang, who has fallen asleep in a rundown temple after getting drunk. Believing Liu, with his strange and vagabond looks, is up to no good in the neighbourhood, he orders his men to tie him up before he could put up a fight. The party then stops for a rest in Chao Gai's manor. Chao secretly checks out on Liu Tang, who tells him he has come to seek his collaboration to hijack a convoy of valuables. Chao lies to Lei Heng that Liu is his nephew, winning the man's release. However, Liu Tang is still angry with Lei Heng for arresting him, so he catches up with him and challenges him to a fight. Chao Gai arrives at the scene and stops the clash.

Later Chao Gai and six others, including Liu Tang, are identified as the robbers who hijacked the birthday gifts meant for the Imperial Tutor Cai Jing. Yuncheng's magistrate orders Zhu Tong and Lei Heng to arrest Chao Gai at his house. Lei and Zhu conceal from each other yheir intent to help Chao escape. Zhu Tong prevails on Lei Heng to take the part of breaking into Chao's house through the front door, while he himself guards the back knowing Chao would come that way. Lei nevertheless makes noises to forewarn Chao Gai, who as expected leaves by the back. Zhu ensures the way is cleared for Chao and his gang to escape.

Becoming an outlaw

One day Lei Heng goes to watch a woman sing at a tea house but forgets to bring his wallet. So when the singer Bai Xiuying comes around to collect money for her performance, Lei, who takes the best seat in the front row, could not produce a cent. Bai Xiuying and her father Bai Yuqiao pass some scornful remarks, enraging Lei, who hits the old man. But he does not know Bai Xiuying is having an affair with Yuncheng's magistrate. So, Lei Heng is arrested. With a cangue fastened around his neck, he is subjected to public humiliation by being made to stand outside the county office

Lei Heng's mother brings food to him and quarrels with Bai Xiuying when the singer refuses temporary relief for Lei. Bai slaps Lei Heng's mother, provoking Lei into slamming his cangue onto her head. That kills the woman. The magistrate sentences Lei Heng to prison exile in Jizhou (薊州; present-day Ji County, Tianjin), with Zhu Tong to escort him there. On the way Zhu releases Lei Heng. Lei takes his mother along to Liangshan Marsh where he joins the outlaw band led by Chao Gai.

Campaigns and death

Lei Heng is appointed one of the leaders of the Liangshan infantry after the 108 Stars of Destiny came together in what is called the Grand Assembly. He follows the Liangshan heroes on their campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces after they received amnesty from Emperor Huizong.

In one battle against the rebel leader Fang La, Lei Heng is assigned to attack Deqing County (in present-day Huzhou, Zhejiang). There he is slain by the enemy general Si Xingfang. He is posthumously awarded the title "Martial Gentleman of Loyalty" (忠武郎).

See also

• List of Water Margin minor characters#Lei Heng's story for a list of supporting minor characters from Lei Heng's story.

References

• Buck, Pearl S. (2006). All Men are Brothers. Moyer Bell. ISBN 9781559213035.
• Miyazaki, Ichisada (1993). Suikoden: Kyoko no naka no Shijitsu (in Japanese). Chuo Koronsha. ISBN 978-4122020559.
• Keffer, David. "Outlaws of the Marsh: A Somewhat Less Than Critical Commentary". Poison Pie Publishing House. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
• Li, Mengxia (1992). 108 Heroes from the Water Margin (in Chinese). EPB Publishers. p. 51. ISBN 9971-0-0252-3.
• Miyamoto, Yoko (2011). "Water Margin: Chinese Robin Hood and His Bandits". Demystifying Confucianism. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
• Shibusawa, Kou (1989), Bandit Kings of Ancient China, Koei, pp. 72–74, 93, 95
• Zhang, Lin Ching (2009). Biographies of Characters in Water Margin. Writers Publishing House. ISBN 978-7506344784.