Zhang Shun is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Nicknamed "White Stripe in the Waves", he ranks 30th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny. Background The novel depicts Zhang Shun as six chi tall, fair in complexion and having a beautiful beard. Nicknamed "White Stripe in the Waves", he is a consummate swimmer who could stay under water for long periods of time. Zhang Shun and his elder brother Zhang Heng live at Jieyang Ridge (揭陽嶺; believed to be in present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) near the Xunyang River. They use a trick to rob travellers who take their boat without taking lives. Zhang Shun would disguise himself as a passenger whom Zhang Heng would throw overboard when he pretends to be unwilling to hand over his valuables. Zhang Shun would make it to shore while the other travellers are so frightened that they surrender all they have. Zhang Shun later moves to Jiangzhou alone (江州; present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) where he becomes a fishmonger. Fight with Li Kui Soon after he reached the prison camp of Jiangzhou, Song Jiang, in exile from Yuncheng as a mitigated sentence for killing his mistress, becomes friend of the chief warden Dai Zong and jailer Li Kui. They go to dine at a riverside restaurant. Song Jiang suddenly craves for fish, but those available in the restaurant are not fresh. Li Kui immediately goes to the riverside market to get him some. The fishermen refuse to sell him any before the chief fishmonger comes. Too impatient to wait, Li Kui tries to grab fishes from the underwater cages and inadvertently releases them into the river. Zhang Shun, the fishmonger, arrives and fights Li. But he is no match for the burly guy. Fortunately Song Jiang and Dai Zong come by and stop Li Kui from hammering him further. Although Zhang slips away, he challenges Li Kui from a boat. Li jumps onto the boat, which is immediately overturned by Zhang. In the water, Li Kui is completely at the mercy of the fishmonger, who keeps him submerged. As one is fair-skinned and the other dark, their stark contrast in complexion amuses the onlookers each time they bob above the water. Earlier, when on his way to Jiangzhou, Song Jiang met Zhang Heng at the Jieyang River, who asked