Han Tao, nicknamed the “Ever-Victorious General,” is a Liangshan hero in Water Margin who begins as an officer of the government forces. Together with Peng Qi, he serves under Huyan Zhuo during the campaign against Liangshan.
When Huyan Zhuo brings his linked cavalry formations against the stronghold, Han Tao participates as one of his subordinate commanders. The tactic initially places Liangshan under severe pressure, forcing the outlaws to seek a way to break the cavalry system and reverse the battlefield situation.
As the government campaign collapses, Han Tao is eventually captured and joins Liangshan. He is transformed from an officer sent to destroy the brotherhood into one of its own military commanders.
After the imperial amnesty, Han Tao continues fighting in Liangshan’s later campaigns and is eventually killed during the war against Fang La. Although his role is not among the largest in the novel, his story illustrates Liangshan’s repeated absorption of defeated government officers into its expanding military structure.
