The Water Margin (1998 TV series)

The Water Margin
Japanese DVD cover art
Also known asOutlaws of the Marsh
水浒传
GenreCostume drama, martial arts
Based onWater Margin
by Shi Nai'an
Screenplay by
  • Yang Zhengguang
  • Ran Ping
  • Ren Dahui
  • Mi Jiecheng
Directed by
  • Zhang Shaolin
  • Lu Tao
  • Pan Yinlai
  • Kang Honglei
  • Guo Daqun
  • Xing Zhaojun
  • Li Li
  • Guo Jin
  • Luo Shunming
Starring
Ending theme
  • "Heroes' Song" (好汉歌) by Liu Huan
  • "Harmony in Heaven, Earth and Humankind" (天时地利人和) by Peng Liyuan
ComposerZhao Jiping
Country of originChina
Original languageMandarin
No. of episodes43
Production
Executive producers
  • Yang Weiguang
  • Yu Guanghua
  • Chen Hanyuan
  • Liu Yiqin
  • Jia Wenzeng
  • Hu En
  • Zou Qingfang
Producers
  • Ren Dahui
  • Zhang Jizhong
  • Meng Fanyao
  • Wang Rui
  • Que Xin
  • Dou Yanrong
  • Ma Jian
  • Wang Hao
  • Zhao Baoming
  • Sun Xinyuan
Production locationChina
Cinematography
  • Zhang Shaolin
  • Yu Min
  • Zhao Xingang
  • Zhang Zhendong
  • Zhu Qiang
  • Gu Fuqun
  • Zhao Xinchang
  • Xie Jinfeng
  • Lang Yanhong
  • Li Congjun
Editors
  • Hong Mei
  • Chen Xi
  • Zhang Jing
Running time≈45 minutes per episode
Production companyCCTV
Original release
NetworkCCTV
ReleaseJanuary 1998 (1998-01) –
1998 (1998)

The Water Margin (水浒传) is a 1998 Chinese television series adapted from the 14th-century classical novel of the same title by Shi Nai'an. It was produced by CCTV and first broadcast in Mainland China in January 1998. The series also featured action choreography by Hong Kong action director Yuen Woo-ping.

Liu Huan sang the ending theme song for the first 30 episodes while Peng Liyuan, the current First Lady of China, sang for the last 13 episodes.

List of episodes

# Rough translation of title (in English) Original title (in Chinese)
1 Gao Qiu's rise to prominence 高俅发迹
2 Beating up the Lord of the West 拳打镇关西
3 Creating a disturbance on Mount Wutai 大闹五台山
4 Uprooting a willow tree 倒拔垂杨柳
5 White Tiger Hall 白虎节堂
6 Wild Boars Forest 野猪林
7 Snow and wind at the Temple of the Mountain Deity 风雪山神庙
8 Lin Chong becomes an outlaw 林冲落草
9 Yang Zhi sells a saber 杨志卖刀
10 Gathering of the Seven Stars 七星聚义
11 Robbing the convoy of birthday gifts 智取生辰纲
12 Secretly releasing Heavenly King Chao 私放晁天王
13 Killing Wang Lun 火并王伦
14 Song Jiang kills Yan Poxi 宋江杀惜
15 Jingyang Ridge 景阳冈
16 The brothers are reunited 兄弟重逢
17 Granny Wang stirs up romantic feelings 王婆弄风情
18 Wu Dalang catches the adulterous pair 武大郎捉奸
19 Lion Tower 狮子楼
20 Beating up Jiang the Door God in a drunken state 醉打蒋门神
21 Bloodbath at Mandarin Ducks Tower 血溅鸳鸯楼
22 Qingfeng Fort 清风寨
23 Exiled to Jiangzhou 发配江洲
24 Writing a seditious poem at Xunyang Tower 浔阳楼题反诗
25 Creating a disturbance in Jiangzhou 闹江州
26 Li Kui carries his mother 李逵背母
27 Zhu Family Village (part one) 祝家庄(上)
28 Zhu Family Village (part two) 祝家庄(下)
29 Breaking the chain-linked cavalry formation 大破连环马
30 Zeng Family Fortress 曾头市
31 Lu Junyi joins Liangshan 卢俊义上山
32 The Grand Assembly 英雄排座次
33 Creating a disturbance in Dongjing during the Yuanxiao Festival 元夜闹东京
34 Yan Qing fights in a leitai match 燕青打擂
35 Li Kui becomes a magistrate 李逵坐堂
36 Stealing wine and tearing the imperial order 偷酒扯诏
37 Defeating Grand Marshal Gao 大败高太尉
38 Amnesty 招安
39 Blood spill at Chenqiao Courier Station 血洒陈桥驿
40 Campaign against Fang La 征方腊
41 Soul departs at Yongjin Gate 魂系涌金门
42 Black Dragon Ridge is tainted with blood 血染乌龙岭
43 Song Jiang's death 宋江之死

Cast

Note: Some cast members played multiple roles. Their roles are separated by a slash.

Liangshan heroes

Others

  • Zeng Hongsheng as Emperor Huizong
  • Tang Guoqiang as Su Shi
  • He Qing as Li Shishi
  • Wei Zongwan as Gao Qiu
    • Xiu Ge as young Gao Qiu
  • Hong Jiantao as Gao Yanei
  • Ma Xin as Gao Lian
  • Lin Liankun as Cai Jing
  • Quan Jiefang as Cai Jiu
  • Li Xiaoding as Liu Menglong
  • Lei Kesheng as Tong Guan
  • Hu Qingshi as Liang Shijie
  • Zou Jianzhong as Huang Wenbing
  • Wu Liping as "Yuhou" Li
  • Cui Dai as Fang La
  • Dong Chuanqiang as Fang Mao
  • Xu Jian as Fang Tianding
  • Wu Song as Pang Wanchun
  • Bai Junjie as Luan Tingyu, Zhu Hu
  • Jin Guangsheng as Zhu Long
  • Li Yusheng as Zhu Biao
  • Xie Jiaqi as Zeng Tu / Zeng Suo
  • Liu Qiang as Zeng Shen
  • Li Shulong as Zeng Sheng
  • Guo Jie as Zeng Nong
  • Chen Lizhong as Wang Jin's mother
  • Yu Yuexian as Jin Cuilian
  • Yang Zhaoquan as Jin Cuilian's father / old depot keeper
  • Li Lanfa as Butcher Zheng
  • Zhang Hongying as Squire Zhao
  • Gu Jinshui as Zhizhen
  • Xu Fulai as Abbot
  • Zhao Yunsheng as Zhiqing / Zhao Silang / Squire Cao
  • Xu Chao as Abbot
  • Sun Mingyue as Zhang San
  • Wang Quanyou as Lu Qian
  • Wang Jinghua as Lin Chong's wife
  • Yang Dong as Jin'er
  • Liu Wei as Fu'an
  • Zhang Guiyi as Instructor Zhang
  • Song Chunlin as Kaifeng magistrate
  • Xu Ming as Sun Ding
  • Li Yan as Dong Chao
  • Chen Jimin as Instructor Hong
  • Zhao Yanmin as Wang Lun
  • Li Qi as Niu Er
  • Hao Liping as Liang Shijie's wife
  • Huang Zongluo as Yuncheng magistrate
  • Yang Meng as He Tao
  • Kang Honglei as He Qing
  • Yuan Yuhua as Yan Po
  • Mu Qing as Yan Poxi
  • Chuo Eryong as Zhang Wenyuan
  • Ren Dahui as Song Jiang's father
  • Song Wenhua as Wu Dalang
  • Brenda Wang as Pan Jinlian
  • Li Qiang as Ximen Qing
  • Li Mingqi as Granny Wang
  • Guo Chunhua as Yanggu magistrate
  • Wang Su as Yao Erlang
  • Xu Yuting as He Jiu
  • Deli Ge'er as Jiang the Door God
  • Liu Hongmei as Jiang's wife
  • Wang Wenyou as Inspector Zhang
  • Jiang Jingyu as Zhang's wife
  • Liu Yanfeng as Yulan
  • Li Lianyi as Liu Gao
  • Cui Honghong as Liu Gao's wife
  • Lei Dan as Li Gui
  • Wu Yujin as Li Gui's wife
  • Song Xiuchun as Li Kui's mother
  • Niu Li as Pan Qiaoyun
  • Liu Xiaoxi as Pei Ruhai
  • Zhang Fen as Xu Ning's wife
  • Li Zhiyi as Su Yuanjing
  • Bi Yuanjin as Li Gu
  • Wang Qinzhen as Lu Junyi's wife
  • Zhang Chunyan as Pang Qiuxia
  • Ni Zengzhao as Ren Yuan
  • Zheng Danian as Chen Zongshan
  • Zhu Lei as Zhang Ganban
  • Wang Xingchi as He Cheng
  • Zhang Hongjie as Zhang Shuye
  • Pan Yinlai as Hu Cheng
  • Zhang Jizhong as Cui Jing

Music

The music for the series was composed by Zhao Jiping.

# Track title Artist Notes
1 "Heroes' Song" 好汉歌 Liu Huan One of the ending theme songs
2 "Harmony in Heaven, Earth and Humankind" 天时地利人和 Peng Liyuan One of the ending theme songs
3 "Wang Jin beats Gao Qiu" 王进打高俅 Played during fight scenes
4 "Lin Chong's Night Journey" 林冲夜奔 Played during the last part of episode 7 and some death scenes
5 "Song of the Magpie Bridge" 鹊桥曲 Chen Junhua Sung by Li Shishi in episode 38
6 "Battle of Life and Death" 殊死一战 Played during battle scenes
7 "Evening Drums and Morning Bells" 暮鼓晨钟 Played during monastery scenes
8 "The Water Margin" 水浒风云 Played during the scene in episode 8 when Lin Chong enters Liangshan Marsh
9 "Brotherhood" 兄弟情谊 Played during light-hearted moments between the Liangshan heroes
10 "Palace Dance" 宫廷舞影 Played during palace scenes
11 "Heroes of Mount Liang" 梁山好汉 Played during celebration scenes
12 "Restaurant in Jiangzhou" 江州酒楼 Yang Yaping Played during episode 23 at the restaurant scene
13 "The River is Red" 满江红 Dai Jianmin Sung by Zhu Wu in episode 33
14 "Justice Exists in the World" 公道在人间 Liu Huan Played during the victory scene in episode 37

See also