Lu Zhishen, called the "Tattooed Monk" or the "Flowery Monk"

Recently I’ve been introduced to one of the great classics of Chinese literature – Outlaws of the Marsh. As I can’t read Mandarin, though, I’ve been watching the highly entertaining version of the novel produced for Chinese television, and John’s been doing the captions in English for me. It’s fun stuff: a string of interconnected stories about a band of outlaws whose favorite pastimes are drinking, feasting, and busting people’s heads. They’re antiheroes, a la Robin Hood and his merry men, and their antagonists are the usual gang of corrupt officials and aristocrats featured in many works of Chinese literature.
John and I figure whoever created the Klingons must have known a thing or two about Chinese culture. The Outlaws are warriors with mad swordfighting and martial arts skills whose levels of aggression would not be out of place on Kronos—and yet they have their own unspoken code of honor based on honesty, loyalty, and directness.

This Musketeer-like guy is Lin Chong.

Right now we’re following the stories of Lin Chong, the impossibly nice drill sergeant (he begs forgiveness for the two men who try to assassinate him, arguing that they had to do it or they’d be killed themselves by the official who paid them off), and the hotheaded, musclebound monk Lu Zhishen. These guys are like the superego and the id, making for lots of comedy, as Lu always wants to rough people up and Lin has to talk him out of it. Lu Zhishen’s story has been a comedy of errors so far: he’s gotten kicked out of one monastery for getting drunk, been demoted to security guard of the vegetable garden in another, and has had a band of ruffians (vegetable thieves he tossed in the “fertilizer pit”) glom onto him. Oh, and he’s also uprooted a massive tree with his bare hands, just because he can. His heart’s in the right place, though – you’d definitely want this guy to have your back.
We don’t have anything quite like this in Western literature, though I’m sure Chaucer would have enjoyed it. I have to admit that I knew next to nothing about Chinese literature before meeting John – so stuff like Outlaws of the Marsh has come as a delightful and unexpected surprise. I may well attempt to read it in translation some time in the future.

Paper cutout of Lu Zhishen. Much like Catholic saints, the most famous Chinese heroes have attributes by which they can be recognized, in Lu Zhishen's case his beads, muscular physique, and Shaolin spade.

Paper cutout of Lin Chong, who is recognizable by his staff, gourd, large knife, and stylin' hat.

Though no merry man, Worf would make an excellent Outlaw of the Marsh.