Sun Erniang

Sun Erniang (literally "Second Sister Sun") is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Female Yaksha", she ranks 103rd among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 67th among the 72 Earthly Fiends. Background The novel depicts Sun Erniang as having a fierce temper and a vicious look. She has strong limbs that look like clubs. Her nickname is "Female Yaksha" as she resembles the hideous demon in Chinese mythical folklore. Her dressing is also odd, often revealing her dudou, and her makeup is usually heavy. She is trained in martial arts by her father. One day, while passing by Cross Slope (十字坡; at the intersection of present-day Shen County, Shandong and Fan County, Henan), Sun Erniang's father is intercepted by Zhang Qing, who wants to rob him. After beating Zhang in their fight, he takes him home and teaches him martial arts. He even marries his daughter to Zhang. After Sun Erniang's father died, the couple run an inn at Cross Slope, where they knock out customers with drugged wine, take their valuables and butcher them to make filling in buns with their flesh. Although he is brutal, Zhang advises Sun not to kill three sorts of people, namely, exiles as among them there are heroic people; monks as they lead an ascetic life; and prostitutes because they suffer many abuses. But Sun does not always follow his advice and may kill anyone according to her whims.