Chai Jin
| Chai Jin | |
|---|---|
| Water Margin character | |
An illustration of Chai Jin, by Chen Hongshou.
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| First appearance | Chapter 9 |
| Nickname | "Little Whirlwind" 小旋風 |
| Also known as |
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| Rank | 10th, Noble Star (天貴星) of the 36 Heavenly Spirits |
| Chief accountant of Liangshan | |
| Origin | Nobleman |
| Ancestral home / Place of origin | Cangzhou, Hebei |
| Weapon | Spear |
| Names | |
| Simplified Chinese | 柴进 |
| Traditional Chinese | 柴進 |
| Pinyin | Chái Jìn |
| Wade–Giles | Ch'ai Chin |
Chai Jin is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 10th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Little Whirlwind". His role in the novel is straddled between an idling aristocrat who befriends jianghu figures and a maverick who toys with the status quo associated with his royal lineage.
The novel describes Chai Jin as a handsome man with eyebrows like a dragon's, eyes like a phoenix's, red lips and white teeth. His ancestor is Chai Rong, the second emperor of the Later Zhou dynasty. The Chenqiao Mutiny broke out in 960, a year after Chai Rong's death. Zhao Kuangyin, a Later Zhou general, was dressed in an emperor's robe by his supporters, who urged him to seize power from Chai Rong's young son, Chai Zongxun. He reluctantly agreed and founded the Song dynasty to replace the Later Zhou. However, he felt guilty about usurping the throne, so he treated the Chai family well and gave them a danshu tiequan (丹書鐵券; lit. "iron certificate inscribed in red ink"), which essentially placed them above the law and entitled them to some special privileges. Chai Jin inherits his ancestors' residence in Cangzhou, Hebei, and the danshu tiequan.
Throughout the novel, some of the 108 Liangshan heroes, such as Lin Chong, Wu Song and Song Jiang, took refuge in Chai Jin's residence before making their way to the outlaw stronghold at Liangshan Marsh. This is because Chai Jin's residence is protected by the danshu tiequan, so the authorities cannot enter his house without his permission. Chai Jin is also very generous with using his wealth to help his friends and the needy. The Liangshan outlaws regard Chai Jin as their close friend and ally.
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