Water Margin
14th century Chinese novel, attributed to Shi Nai’an, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels
Water Margin (simplified Chinese: 水浒传; traditional Chinese: 水滸傳; pinyin: Shuǐhǔ Zhuàn), also called Outlaws of the Marsh or All Men Are Brothers, is a Chinese novel from the Ming dynasty. Attributed to Shi Nai'an, it is regarded as one of the earliest great Chinese novels written entirely in vernacular Chinese.
Set during the Northern Song dynasty (twelfth century), the story follows a group of 108 outlaws that gathers at Mount Liang (also known as Liangshan Marsh) to rebel against the government. Later they are granted amnesty and enlisted by the government to resist the nomadic conquest of the Liao dynasty and other rebels. A wealth of bibliographical and other evidence names Shi Nai'an, Luo Guanzhong (fl. 1330–1400), or both of them, as the novel's principal compiler, responsible for its original compilation. Through a complex textual evolution, a printed revision based on previous editions was published during the reign of Emperor Shizong (1522–1566) of the Ming dynasty, becoming the ancestral edition to a series of the most widely circulated versions. The original title of the novel was Water Margin for Loyalty and Justice (忠義水滸傳).
Water Margin is considered one of the masterpieces of early vernacular fiction and Chinese literature. It had a far-reaching impact on East Asian narrative literature. The critics Li Zhi and Jin Shengtan both placed the book among the "greatest works of genius" in Chinese literature.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Water Margin” as 14th century Chinese novel, attributed to Shi Nai’an, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the arts & letters register because the source frames it as 14th century Chinese novel, attributed to Shi Nai’an, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Attribution, date and provenance are strongest when supported by the original work, a catalogue record and documented transmission. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 23, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q70827. VIAF identifies the subject as 183469758. The Library of Congress control number is n80131227. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1330, 1400, 1522 and 1566.
Rights, attribution and provenance may remain disputed even when a general reference summary presents a stable account. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.
- Identifying works and editions
- Tracing reception history
- Finding collection records
The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Water Margin”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Water Margin primary sources, Water Margin archive and Water research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Water Margin”?
- How did later circulation or interpretation alter the work’s reception?
- Which edition, object, performance or recording is being described?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Water Margin” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.