Shi Qian, nicknamed the “Flea on a Drum,” is a Liangshan hero in Water Margin famous for agility, stealth, and thievery. His strengths lie not in direct battlefield combat but in climbing, infiltration, concealment, and other covert skills.
While traveling toward Liangshan with Yang Xiong, Shi Xiu, and their companions, Shi Qian passes near the Zhu Family Village. After stealing and eating a rooster belonging to a local establishment, he becomes involved in a confrontation and is eventually captured. The incident helps trigger Liangshan’s campaigns against the Zhu Family Village.
After his rescue and entry into Liangshan, Shi Qian repeatedly puts his unusual abilities to military use. He infiltrates enemy positions, steals important objects, sets fires, gathers information, and carries out missions that conventional warriors cannot easily perform.
Among Liangshan’s large cast of heroes, Shi Qian is defined by specialized skill rather than open martial dominance. His story transforms the techniques of the thief and acrobat into a valuable form of reconnaissance and irregular warfare.