Lu Zhishen is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the four great classical novels in Chinese literature. He is the main character in the first segment of the novel, which spans about six chapters. Nicknamed "Flowery Monk", he ranks 13th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny. One folk tale derived from the novel says he is a sworn brother of the martial artist Zhou Tong, who purportedly trained the Song dynasty general Yue Fei in archery. Background The novel depicts Lu Da (), who later becomes a monk with the name Zhishen, as having a round face, big ears, a straight nose, a squarish mouth and a beard which nearly obscures his face. He originally serves as a garrison major in Weizhou (渭州; around present-day Pingliang, Gansu). One day Lu meets and makes friends with Shi Jin and Li Zhong when he is off duty. As the three are drinking in an inn, they overhear the singer Jin Cuilian crying over her misfortunes. A wealthy butcher, known as Butcher Zheng, has lured Jin, who is stranded in Weizhou with her elderly father, to be his concubine in exchange for money to bury her mother, who has died of illness. But actually no money was handed over. Soon after she moved into Zheng's house, the butcher's wife, envious of her youth, drove her out. However, Zheng insists that Jin and her father must repay him the money, which has accrued high interests. They are not allowed to leave Weizhou until the "debt" is settled.. After hearing the story, Lu Da gives the father and daughter some money and ensures they leave Weizhou safely. He then goes to Zheng's stall intending to teach the chap a lesson. He provokes Zheng by ordering him to chop up meat to very fine pieces. Zheng loses patience and attacks him with a cleaver. Lu Da easily knocks him down and with three powerful punches on his face inadvertently kills him. Realising that the butcher is dead, Lu Da flees Weizhou. Becoming a monk While on the run, Lu Da accidentally meets Jin Cuilian's father, who has settled down at Yanmen county as his daughter is married to a local squire surnamed Zhao. The squire shelters Lu in his manor but the place is not absolutely safe. Zhao suggests Lu conceal his identity by becoming a