Chinese Name: Shi Jin

Japanese Name: Kyūmonryū Shishin

Rank: 23rd of the 108 Stars of Destiny

Nickname: Nine Tattooed Dragons

Shi Jin was the only son of Squire Shi, head of the Shi Family Farm and Village. Shi Jin’s passion lay with the martial arts and he had little interest in the workings of farm life. As a youth he neglected his duties on the farm and spent his time practicing the fighting and weaponry skills that would bring him renown as an adult. Shi Jin had porcelain white skin and a full body tattoo of nine dragons.

Chen Da (plates 1; 3) confronts and fights Shi Jin for a right to pass through the Shi village with his garrison of men traveling to Huayin County and is defeated and captured. Zhu Wu (plates 2; 5) and Yang Chun (plate 5) go to Shi Jin and plead to be killed along with Chen Da so they may fulfill their oath to die alongside their sworn comrade-in-arms. Shi Jin is taken by their bravery and welcomes them to his home. Chen Da is released and the four men feast and drink and soon become friends. The bandits of Mount Shaohua and Shi Jin often traded invitations to partake in small banquets, and as the story unfolds, Shi Jin becomes their revered leader.

Shi Jin is depicted here battling a small group of bandits from Mount Shaohua after defeating Chen Da (plates 1; 3). However, in the novel Shi Jin does not fight any of the bandits other than Chen Da. This scene is the middle segment of a triptych which is a more elaborate illustration of the battle between Shi Jin and Chen Da seen on plate 1. The triptych is arranged from left to right in the sequence of plates 3, 4, and 5. This is the only point in the series where the same scene is illustrated multiple times. For more details about this scene see plate 1. For more on Shi Jin see plates 1 and 9.

Kuniyoshi recreation