Chinese Name: Li Yun

Japanese Name: Seiganko Riun

Rank: 97th of the 108 Stars of Destiny

Nickname: Black Eyed Tiger 

Li Yun was the chief constable of Yishui County and Zhu Fu’s (plate 40) martial arts teacher. He was a highly skilled fighter, especially with the saber, and was capable of defeating forty or fifty men at a time.   

Li Kui (plates 36; 81; 107) wanted to leave Liangshan Marsh and travel home to Yishui County to retrieve his elderly mother. Song Jiang (plate 107) permitted him to go, but was concerned he would get drunk and be captured. As soon as Li Kui left, Song Jiang tasked Zhu Gui (plate 12) with following Li Kui to keep an eye on him. 

On reaching his mother, Li Kui found she had gone blind and grown very frail since he had last seen her, and he had to carry her as he traveled back to Liangshan. They stopped along a mountain path, and Li Kui set her down then went to find water. When he returned, his mother was gone. A short distance away, he found a family of tigers devouring her. The parents had killed her and drug her body to their hungry cubs. Enraged, Li Kui killed the parents and the two cubs. 

He was hailed as a hero in the nearby village, as the tigers had long terrorized the people there. The matter became a public spectacle and Li Kui was soon recognized as a fugitive. The villagers, not wanting to harbor a criminal, threw a feast for him and encouraged him to drink heavily until he finally passed out. He was then shackled and turned over to the authorities. 

Li Yun was ordered to transport Li Kui to the Yishui County Magistrate. Zhu Gui and his brother Zhu Fu—who ran an Inn in Yishui County—devised a plan to thwart Li Yun and free Li Kui. They brought Li Yun and his escort troops drugged meat and wine, supposedly to congratulate them. Li Yun being Zhu Fu’s teacher, did not suspect foul play, so he and his troops partook in the small banquet, and all soon fell unconscious. Li Kui was freed and began killing his captors, but Zhu Fu stopped him from harming Li Yun. 

When Li Yun awoke, he chased the three down and began to fight Li Kui. Zhu Fu intervened, then convinced Li Yun he would be tried as a traitor when the magistrate found out his prisoner had escaped and he was the only one of his troops to survive—no one would believe his innocence. Upon reflection, Li Yun realized he had no choice but to join with the bandits of Liangshan.

Plates 39 and 40 form a diptych of Li Yun sparring with Zhu Fu.  

Isaac Nichols original