Zhang Shun, nicknamed the “White Streak in the Waves,” is a Liangshan hero in Water Margin renowned for extraordinary ability in the water. Living around the Jiangzhou region, he can swim and dive for remarkable distances and becomes one of the most distinctive aquatic specialists among the Liangshan forces.
During Song Jiang’s exile in Jiangzhou, Li Kui comes into conflict with Zhang Shun. On land, Li Kui’s enormous physical strength makes him difficult to challenge, but once Zhang Shun draws him into the river the balance reverses completely. Zhang Shun repeatedly overwhelms and toys with him in the water, producing one of the novel’s most memorable contrasts between land and aquatic fighting ability.
When Song Jiang later faces disaster in Jiangzhou, Zhang Shun becomes more closely connected with the heroes who rally to his rescue. After joining Liangshan, he serves as one of the principal commanders associated with its naval forces and repeatedly uses his mastery of rivers and lakes in military operations.
Following the imperial amnesty, Zhang Shun continues through the later campaigns. During the attack on Hangzhou, he attempts to infiltrate the city by water near Yongjin Gate but is struck down by the defenders. From his first major scenes in Jiangzhou to his death at a city water gate, Zhang Shun’s identity remains inseparable from the element in which he excels.
