Background
Huyan Zhuo is a descendant of Huyan Zan, a general who lived in the early Song dynasty. He serves in the Song imperial army as a general, just like his ancestor.
He is respected for his bravery in battle and mastery of combat skills. He wields a pair of steel clubs in battle, which earns him the nickname "Double Clubs". His choice of colour is black, as evident from his flags and armour. He rides a black stallion in battle.
Publication Information
- Lagendary : Huyan Zhuo
- Chinese : 呼延灼
- Nickname : Double Clubs
- Gender : Male
- Rank : 8th, Heavenly Force Star of the 36 Heavenly Spirits
- Status : Rear General of the Five Tiger Generals of Liangshan
- Origin : Imperial general
- Place of origin : Taiyuan, Shanxi
- Weapon : Pair of steel clubs
Battle of Qingzhou
Huyan Zhuo does not dare to return to Dongjing after his defeat. He travels alone to Qingzhou (in present-day Shandong) to join the governor, Murong Yanda. Along the way, he passes by Mount Peach Blossom, where his steed is stolen by the bandits on the mountain. Huyan Zhuo leads imperial forces from Qingzhou to attack the bandits and subsequently brings the Liangshan outlaws into the scene when they arrive to help the bandits from Mount Peach Blossom. Huyan Zhuo falls into an ambush laid by the outlaws outside Qingzhou and is captured. He decides to join the Liangshan band after being persuaded by Liangshan's chief, Song Jiang. He aids the outlaws in conquering Qingzhou and eliminating Murong Yanda.
Becoming an outlaw
Huyan Zhuo pretends to be a turncoat when the Liangshan outlaws are at war with the imperial army led by Guan Sheng. He lures Guan Sheng into a trap, in which Guan is captured by the outlaws. Guan Sheng also joins the outlaw band after being persuaded by Song Jiang. Following the Grand Assembly of the 108 Stars of Destiny, Huyan Zhuo becomes one of the Five Tiger Generals of the Liangshan cavalry.
After the outlaws have been granted amnesty by Emperor Huizong of Song, Huyan Zhuo follows them on their campaigns against the Khitan invaders of the Liao dynasty and the rebel forces led by Tian Hu, Wang Qing and Fang La. He makes great contributions in battle and is one of the few survivors from Liangshan by the end of the campaigns. He assumes the post of a general offered to him by the emperor in recognition of his achievements and continues to serve the imperial court. He is killed in action during the Jin–Song Wars.
Chain-linked cavalry
Huyan Zhuo's chain-linked cavalry consists of heavily armoured horses linked together in groups of five by heavy steel chains. Heavily armoured archers are mounted on these horses. Together, they form a system similar to a modern tank that is capable of knocking down anything in its path. The chain links of the cavalry prove to be the system's greatest flaw. Liangshan's infantry troops use hooked spears to attack the horses' legs and drag them to the ground. Once a single horse is down, the other four horses linked to it will collapse as well and the entire system is thus destroyed.
In fiction
- Huyan Zhuo, a character in the Chinese classical novel Water Margin, is a fictitious descendant of Huyan Zan. He also wields two clubs.
- Host : Huyan Zhuo
- Chinese : 呼延灼
- Gender : Male
- Status : Generals of the Yang Family
- Appeareance(s) : Saving General Yang, Mu Guiying, The Young Warriors
Source : Wikipedia
