Zhu Tong is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the four great classical novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Lord of the Beautiful Beard", he ranks 12th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny. Background A chief constable in Yuncheng County in present-day Shandong province, Zhu Tong is Eight chi and five cun tall and sports a beard one chi and five cun long. His sparkling eyes and long flowing beard give him a look resembling Guan Yu of the Three Kingdoms era. He is thus nicknamed, like Guan, "Lord with a Beautiful Beard". Zhu Tong and fellow chief constable Lei Heng are close friends of Chao Gai, the headman of Dongxi village in Yuncheng. When Yuncheng receives an order from higher authorities to arrest Chao, who is found to have led the hijacking of birthday gifts being transported to Imperial Tutor Cai Jing in the imperial capital Dongjing, the job falls on Zhu Tong and Lei Heng to execute. Both want to help Chao escape, not knowing the other thinks the same. Zhu Tong prevails on Lei to break into Chao's house from the front while he himself blocks the rear knowing Chao would exit by that way. When Chao Gai, Wu Yong, Liu Tang and Gongsun Sheng charge out of the back gate, Zhu Tong ensures the way is cleared for them to flee. Soon after Chao Gai is elected chief of Liangshan Marsh, he sends gifts to convey his gratitude to Zhu Tong and Song Jiang, who had warned him of the impending arrest, thus enabling him to make preparations to escape. Song kills his mistress Yan Poxi in anger when she threatens to report him after discovering the gifts and a letter from Chao revealing his connection to Liangshan. The magistrate orders Zhu Tong and Lei Heng to search for Song Jiang at his father's house. Zhu tells Lei Heng to watch over Song's father while he alone goes search for Song. As Song has earlier told him there is a pit under the floor in the study room good for hiding, Zhu heads to the spot, lifts the cover and finds him there. However, Zhu tells Song to flee. He reports to the magistrate that Song could not be found. Becoming an outlaw Lei Heng gets into a money dispute with a songstress Bai Xiying and is