108 Heroes of the Popular Suikoden,

Part I

(Tsûzoku Suikoden gôketsu hyakuhachi-nin, 通俗水滸傳濠傑百八人之内)

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi (山本屋平吉)

c. 1845-1853

This series of prints is based on stories from the semi-historical Chinese novel, Suikoden (Shuihu zhuan in Chinese). It tells of the adventures of a band of 108 rebels who sought refuge in the margins of Liangshan Marsh. These rebel warriors sought to protect the poor and downtrodden, very much like Robin Hood’s band. The prints in this series are each about 10 by 7 inches (25 by 18 centimeters), a size known as chûban.

	Japanese name: Botaichû Kotaisô (母体中顧太嫂) Chinese name: The goodwife Gu Scene: Botaichû Kotaisô throwing a huge pillar from a mountain top Robinson: S47.1
	Japanese name: Byôkwansaku Yôyû (病關索楊雄) Chinese name: Yang Xiong Scene: Byôkwansaku Yôyû holding the severed head of his adulterous wife Robinson: S47.2 NOTE: The following design also portrays Byôkwansaku Yôyû
	Preliminary drawing (shita-e) for above print
	Japanese name: Byôkwansaku Yôyû (病關索楊雄) Chinese name: Yang Xiong Scene: Byôkwansaku Yôyû by a waterfall defending himself against arrows with a shield Robinson: S47.3
	Japanese name: Chûsenko Teitokuson (中箭虎丁得孫) Chinese name: Ding Desun Scene: Chûsenko Teitokuson on a rock overhanging a river threatening a snake with a spear Robinson: S47.4
	Japanese name: Gôtenrai (or Kôtenrai) Ryôshin (轟天雷凌振) Chinese name: Ling Zhen Scene: Gôtenrai Ryôshin loading a cannon on the seashore Robinson: S47.5
	Japanese name: Gyôja Bushô (行者武松) Chinese name: Wu Song Scene: Gyôja Bushô seated under a tree with a long iron club Robinson: S47.6
	Japanese name: Hakkwaja (or Hakukada) Yôshun (白花蛇楊春) Chinese name: Yang Chun Scene: Hakkwaja Yôshun in front of a waterfall grasping his sword with both hands Robinson: S47.7
	Japanese name: Hyôshitô Rinchû (豹子頭林沖) Chinese name: Lin Chong Scene: Hyôshitô Rinchû with a spear in hand looking out from a house onto the snow Robinson: S47.8
	Japanese name: Ichijôsei Kosanrô (or Kosanjô, 一丈青扈三娘) Chinese name: Hu San Scene: Ichijôsei Kosanrô facing a flight of arrows holding two swords crossed over her head Robinson: S47.9 I am grateful to Tommy Crouch for this image
	Japanese name: Nyûunryû Kôsonshô (入雲龍公孫勝) Chinese name: Gongsun Sheng Scene: Nyûunryû Kôsonshô seated on a rock above a river holding a sword Robinson: S47.10
	Japanese name: Kikenji Tokyô (or Kirenji Toyô, 鬼臉兒杜興) Chinese name: Du Xing Scene: Kikenji Tokyô watching fish in the water under an overhanging rock Robinson: S47.11
	Japanese name: Konseimaô Hanzui (混天魔樊瑞) Chinese name: Fan Rui Scene: Contenmaô (for Konseimaô) Hanzui grasping his spear falls before an apparition of demons Robinson: S47.12
	Japanese name: Kwaoshô (or Kaoshô) Rochishin (花和尚魯智深) Chinese name: Lu Da (or Lu Zhishin) Scene: Kwaoshô Rochishin stamping on a fallen Niô figure amid smashed railings Robinson: S47.13 NOTE: Niô figures are statues of the Benevolent Kings, or protectors, a pair of which stand guard outside most Japanese Buddhist temples
	Japanese name: Kwatsuyenra (or Katsuenra) Genshôshichi (活閽羅阮小七) Chinese name: Ruan Xiaoqi Scene: Kwatsuyenra Genshôshichi climbing out of the water onto a rock leaving his vanquished foe behind Robinson: S47.14
	Japanese name: Kyumonryô (or Kyûmonryû) Shishin (九紋龍史進) Chinese name: Shi Jin Scene: Kyumonryô Shishin grasping an armored foe by the neck Robinson: S47.15

“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PART II