The 108 Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, Part I

(Tsûzoku Suikoden gôketsu hyaku-hachi-nin no hitori, 通俗水滸傳濠傑百八人一個)

Publisher: Kaga-ya Kichiemon

1827-1830, with a few later

This is Kuniyoshi’s “great” Suikoden series—the series that made him famous. These prints are the first single-sheet color prints on the Suikoden theme 1 and the first large series of warrior prints designed by any ukiyo-e artist. It 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 are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.

Japanese name: Bizenkô Shutô (美鬚公朱仝) Chinese name: Zhu Tong Scene: Bizenkô Shutô, an iron truncheon in his mouth, tying his girdle on some steps under a brocade curtain Robinson: S2.1 Klompmakers: 15 Japanese names: Bokutenô Riô (撲天雕李應) and Botsusharan Bokkô (設遮攔穆弘) Chinese names: Li Ying and Mu Hong Scene: Bokutenô Riô wielding a mace with a chained weight, and Botsusharan Bokkô, with tattooed back, preparing to make a sword-stroke Robinson: S2.2 Klompmakers: 39c Japanese name: Gyokkirin Roshungi (玉麒麟盧俊義) Chinese name: Lu Junyi Scene: Gyokkirin Roshungi, armored, raising his sword with both hands Robinson: S2.17 Klompmakers: 39b Japanese name: Sekibakki Ryûtô (赤髪鬼劉唐) Chinese name: Liu Tang Scene: Sekibakki Ryûtô armored and raising his sword for a stroke Robinson: S2.59 Klompmakers: 39a Japanese names: Botaichû Kodaisô (母大顧大嫂蟲) and Shini Andôzen (神醫安道全) Chinese names: The goodwife Gu and An Daoquan Scene: Botaichû Kodaisô having her wounded arm attended to by the aged physician Shini Andôzen Robinson: S2.3 Klompmakers: 41 Japanese name: Botsu-usen Chôsei (沒羽箭張清) Chinese name: Zhang Qing Scene: Botsu-usen Chôsei, armored on a plunging horse, throwing stones out of a bag Robinson: S2.4 Klompmakers: 49b Japanese name: Daitô Kanshô (大刀關勝) Chinese name: Guan Sheng Scene: Daitô Kanshô, fully armored, using the butt of his enormous glaive to parry stones flung by Botsu-usen Chôsei at the Battle of Tôshôfu Robinson: S2.14 Klompmakers: 49a Japanese name: Boyasha Sonjirô (母夜叉孫二娘) Chinese name: The goodwife Sun Scene: Boyasha Sonjirô, the Amazon, binding an opponent whom she has overthrown together with his horse in the snow; she was the wife of Saiyenshi Chôsei Robinson: S2.5 Klompmakers: 45 Japanese name: Gyôja Bushô (清河縣之産武松) Chinese name: Wu Song Scene: Gyôja Bushô of Seika-ken, brown-skinned and half-naked, killing a huge tiger with his bare fists at the hill of Keiyô Robinson: S2.6 Klompmakers: 16 Japanese name: Byôkwansaku Yôyû (病關索楊雄) Chinese name: Yang Xiong Scene: Byôkwansaku Yôyû, a sword between his teeth, simultaneously strangling his unfaithful wife and her maid Robinson: S2.7 Klompmakers: 24 Japanese names: Byôtaichû Setsuei (病大蟲薛永) and Shôsharan Bokushun (小遮攔穆春) Chinese names: Xue Yong and Mu Chun Scene: Byôtaichû Setsuei, wearing a loincloth and tattooed, in a furious bare-fisted struggle with Shôsharan Bokushun Robinson: S2.8 Klompmakers: 20 Japanese name: Byô-utsuchi Sonryû (病蔚遅孫立) Chinese name: Sun Li Scene: Byô-utsuchi Sonryû, grasping a foe by the scruff of his neck, threatens him with his drawn sword Robinson: S2.9 Klompmakers: 26 Another state of the above design Japanese name: Waikyakko Ôyei (矮腳虎王英) Chinese name: Wang Ying Scene: Waikyakko Ôyei on a rock overhanging a torrent, a drawn sword in his hand Robinson: S2.74 Klompmakers: 17b Japanese name: Chinsanzan Kôshin (鎮三山黃信) Chinese name: Huang Xin Scene: Chinsanzan Kôshin, bestriding a rock, feels the edge of his sword Robinson: S2.10 Klompmakers: 17a Japanese name: Chicasei Goyô (智多星吴用) Chinese name: Wu Yong Scene: Chicasei Goyô, robed and making a magic gesture with his right hand, standing by a celestial globe and quadrant Robinson: S2.11 Klompmakers: 9 Japanese name: Chôkanko Chintatsu (跳澗虎陳達) Chinese name: Chen Da Scene: Chôkanko Chintatsu, in full armor and armed with a spear, falling headlong from his black horse Robinson: S2.12 Klompmakers: 3c Japanese name: Kyumonryô Shishin (九紋龍史進) Chinese name: Shi Jin Scene: Kyumonryô Shishin seated on a vanquished adversary , parrying a flying sword with his pole Robinson: S2.42 Klompmakers: 3b Japanese name: Hakkwaja Yôshun (白花蛇杨春) and Jinkigunshi Shubu (神機軍師朱武) Chinese name: Yang Chun and Zhu Wu Scene: Hakkwaja Yôshun on horseback with a spear; Jinkigunshi Shubu in front of him in long robes holding a feather fan Robinson: S2.18 Klompmakers: 3a NOTE: This is a first state triptych. A later edition of S2.12 with the seal of the publisher Iba-ya Sensaburô on the lower portion of the print Japanese name: Chûsenko Teitokuson (中箭虎丁得孫) Chinese name: Ding Desun Scene: Chûsenko Teitokuson driving his sword with both hands into an enormous serpent Robinson: S2.13 Klompmakers: 60 Japanese name: Daitô Kanshô (大刀關勝) Chinese name: Guan Sheng Scene: Daitô Kwanshô, fully armored, using the butt of his enormous glaive to parry stones flung by Botsu-usen Chôsei at the Battle of Tôshôfu Robinson: S2.14 Klompmakers: 49a NOTE: See S2.4 above for complete diptych. Japanese name: Dakoshô Richû (打虎將李忠) Chinese name: Li Zhong Scene: Dakoshô Richû in armor holding a spear, a bare-chested retainer kneeling before him Robinson: S2.15 Klompmakers: 4 Japanese names: Dokkakuryû Sûjun (獨角龍鄒潤) and Sôkokatsu Kaihô (雙尾蠍解寶) Chinese names: Zou Run and Xie Bao Scene: Dokkakuryû Sûjun, with gun and trophies of the chase, whispers to Sôkokatsu Kaihô, who holds a bamboo pole from which lanterns are suspended; they are about to enter the castle of Peking to rescue their imprisoned comrades Robinson: S2.16 Klompmakers: 42 Japanese name: Gyokkirin Roshungi (玉麒麟盧俊義) Chinese name: Lu Junyi Scene: Gyokkirin Roshungi, armored, raising his sword with both hands Robinson: S2.17 Klompmakers: 39b NOTE: See S2.2 above for complete triptych Japanese names: Hakkwaja Yôshun (白花蛇杨春) and Jinkigunshi Shubu (神機軍師朱武) Chinese names: Yang Chun and Zhu Wu Scene: Hakkwaja Yôshun on horseback with a spear; Jinkigunshi Shubu in front of him in long robes holding a feather fan Robinson: S2.18 Klompmakers: 3a NOTE: This is a later state than the complete first state triptych illustrated under S2.12 above Japanese name: Hakujisso Hakushô (白日鼠白勝) Chinese name: Bai Sheng Scene: Hakujisso Hakushô, bare-chested and tattooed, lifting a box of snakes above a foe with whom he is struggling; several snakes have escaped and writhe over him Robinson: S2.19 Klompmakers: 21 Japanese name: Hakumenrôkun Teitenju (白面郎君鄭天壽) Chinese name: Zheng Tianshou Scene: Hakumenrôkun Teitenju in full armor levering a mass of rock with an iron bar; a flight of arrows descends behind him Robinson: S2.20 Klompmakers: 55 Japanese name: Hitentaisei Rikon (飛天大聖李) Chinese name: Li Gun Scene: Hitentaisei Rikon in armor, holding a long-handled axe, scanning the landscape from a lofty rock Robinson: S2.21 Klompmakers: 37 This is a 21st century reproduction made from newly cut woodblocks by Yuuya Shimoi (Shimoi’s Ukiyoe Reproduction) Japanese name: Hôtenrai (or Kôtenrai) Ryôshin (轟天雷凌震) Chinese name: Ling Zhen Scene: Hôtenrai Ryôshin, in armor, discharging a huge cannon, the flaming linstock in his hand Robinson: S2.22 Klompmakers: 31 Japanese name: Mochakuten Tosen (摸著天杜遷) Chinese name: Du Qian Scene:, right arm and shoulder bare, draws his sword from behind his back Robinson: S2.46 Klompmakers: 13c Japanese name: Hyôshitô Rinchû (豹子頭林沖) Chinese name: Lin Chong Scene: Hyôshitô Rinchû, in voluminous robes, grasps a foe by the throat, a drawn sword in his other hand Robinson: S2.23 Klompmakers: 13b Japanese name: Tammeijirô (or Tanmeijirô) Genshôgo (短冥治郎阮小五) Chinese name: Du Qian Scene: Tammeijirô Genshôgo, bare-chested, kneels on a fallen foe, a drawn sword in his hand Robinson: S2.70 Klompmakers: 13a Japanese name: Jinkigunshi Shubu (神機軍師朱武) Chinese name: Zhu Wu Scene: Jinkigunshi Shubu, bareheaded and wearing a gorgeous robe of brocade, puts a small demon to flight with his magical sword Robinson: S2.24 Klompmakers: 2 Japanese name: Seishushosei Shôjô (聖手書生蕭讓) Chinese name: Xiao Rang Scene: Seishushosei Shôjô, a sword suspended in his teeth, descending the wall of Peking Castle by a rope in the moonlight Robinson: S2.58 Klompmakers: 53a Japanese name: Jinkyôtaihô Taisô (神行太保戴宗) Chinese name: Dai Zong Scene: Jinkyôtaihô Taisô, with a discomfited foe at the base of a castle wall, holds the rope Robinson: S2.25 Klompmakers: 53b NOTE: This vertical diptych was published about 1836, several years after the other prints in this series.

1 Klompmakers, Inge, “Kuniyoshi’s Tattooed Heroes of the Suikoden”, Andon, No. 87, 2009, p. 18

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

“Klompmakers” refers to listing in Of Brigands and Bravery, Kuniyoshi's Heroes of the Suikoden by Inge Klompmakers (Hotei Publishing, Leiden, The Netherlands, 1998).

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