Chinese Name: Zhang Qing 

Japanese Name: Botsu’usen Chōsei

Rank: 16th of the 108 Stars of Destiny 

Nickname: Featherless Arrow 

Zhang Qing served as an army general in Dongcheng Prefecture. He had two military aids: Gong Wang (plate 90), and Ding Desun (plate 105). All three were excellent horsemen and fought as a team. Zhang Qing would take the lead and was unmatched with the fighting technique of rock throwing. Gong Wang was a master with his spear, and Ding Desun was equally skilled with a three pronged trident.

The Liangshan bandits were in need of rice and decided to borrow some from two of their neighboring prefectures; Dongcheng, and Dongping. Neither prefectures were willing to concede grain to the bandits, so Liangshan’s leaders assembled troops to take it by force—Lu Junyi (plate 68) led a brigade to Dongcheng, and Song Jiang (plate 107) led a brigade to Dongping (see plate 88 for Song Jiang’s campaign against Dongping). 

When Lu Junyi arrived at Dongcheng, he was met by Zhang Qing and his army. Zhang Qing, proving to be the superior strategist and fighter, was able to fend off Lu Junyi and his brigade. Song Jiang’s raid on Dongping had been a success (he had even recruited Dongping’s General to Liangshan), and when he learned of Lu Junyi’s trouble, he took his men to Dongcheng to aid in his comrade’s fight. With the arrival of Song Jiang and his troops, the Liangshan bandits were able to capture Zhang Qing’s two aids, which severely hindered his fighting abilities.

Zhang Qing received news of boats full of rice to be shipped across Liangshan Marsh to the bandits’ stronghold, and decided to change strategies and go after their rations. But, the boats of rice were a trap, and when Zhang Qing went towards the water, the wizard Gongsun Sheng (plate 15), summoned a black mist to surround him and his men. Zhang Qing found himself shrouded in darkness. Suddenly, surrounded by bandits on all sides, he was captured. 

Zhang Qing had wounded many of Liangshan’s leaders during the battle, and some of them wanted him killed. Song Jiang stepped in though, and would not allow it. He saluted Zhang Qing. He told him the conflict was unintentional; they had merely wanted to borrow rice, and he asked for Zhang Qing‘s forgiveness. Zhang Qing was so moved by Song Jiang’s compassion for his defeated enemy, he joined with the Liangshan bandits at once. 

Zhang Qing is shown here on his horse hurling stones at Liangshan’s forces. 

Kuniyoshi recreation