Xie Zhen, nicknamed the “Two-Headed Snake,” is a Liangshan hero in Water Margin and the elder brother of Xie Bao. The two begin as hunters in Dengzhou, making their living in the mountains and developing strong skills in tracking, hunting, and physical combat.
During a tiger hunt, the brothers successfully wound their quarry, but the animal falls into the estate of the Mao family. The family takes possession of the tiger and uses its local influence to frame Xie Zhen and Xie Bao, leading to their imprisonment.
Gu Dasao learns of their situation and brings together Sun Xin, Sun Li, and other allies to organize a prison rescue. Once the brothers are freed, the Dengzhou group can no longer remain within the local order and eventually joins Liangshan.
At the stronghold, Xie Zhen and Xie Bao continue to operate as a brotherly pair among the infantry forces. Following the imperial amnesty, they take part in later campaigns, and Xie Zhen is eventually killed during the war against Fang La. His identity is defined above all by his bond with Xie Bao and by their shared background as hunters.
