Yan Shun, nicknamed the Elegant-Haired Tiger, was once a trader in sheep and horses from Laizhou. After losing his capital, he becomes an outlaw and the chief of Qingfeng Mountain, sharing the stronghold with Wang Ying and Zheng Tianshou. His first meeting with Song Jiang begins violently: the bandits capture the traveler and prepare to kill and eat him. When Yan hears the prisoner’s name, he stops the feast, cuts the bonds, and receives Song with honor.
That choice redirects the whole stronghold. Yan later helps rescue Hua Rong and takes part in the fighting around Qingfeng Fort before leading his companions to Liangshan. At the grand assembly he is the Earthly Strong Star, ranked fiftieth, and serves among the minor cavalry commanders. His connection to Song Jiang is founded not on later reward but on the moment he abandons immediate profit for respect and sworn fellowship.
During the Fang La campaign, Yan Shun and Ma Lin guard a path at Wulong Ridge after the Song force discovers a way around the defenses. Bai Qin and Shi Bao attack them. Ma Lin is killed first; Yan charges in answer, but Shi Bao’s meteor hammer strikes him down. His final action mirrors his earliest change of heart: he moves toward a companion in danger. From Qingfeng Mountain to Wulong Ridge, loyalty repeatedly governs the choices that carry him into the wider Liangshan brotherhood and finally to death.
