The Twin Broad Axes are Li Kui’s unmistakable weapons in Water Margin. The paired, broad-bladed axes are closely tied to his fierce, headlong manner of fighting, making the weapon combination an immediate cue to his identity.
The impersonator Li Gui makes that connection explicit. In chapter 42 of the seventy-chapter edition, he copies Li Kui’s use of two broad axes as part of assuming his name. The weapons are recognizable enough within the story to help sustain a disguise.
Their force comes from Li Kui’s strength and the way he uses them. They extend the novel’s portrayal of his fighting character without becoming magical treasures in their own right.
