Xiang Yuan felt that Song Jiang and Imperial Uncle Liu were somewhat alike—he meant the two men as portrayed in the novels, and the main reason lay in how the original authors had written them.
Luo Guanzhong was not only the author of [Romance of the Three Kingdoms], but also took part in the compilation of [Water Margin]. Though [Water Margin] came first and the complete version of [Romance of the Three Kingdoms] only followed afterward, it was undeniable that, thanks to him, Water Margin contained a great many Three Kingdoms elements.
The most typical examples were these.
Mount Liang had its Five Tiger Generals. Foremost among them was "Great Blade" Guan Sheng: phoenix eyes tilted toward the heavens, a face like a ripe jujube, a majestic frame, and a flowing beard. He wielded the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and was even a descendant of Guan Yu.
Whether he had read the [Spring and Autumn Annals] was hard to say, but he certainly loved reading and was well versed in military strategy.
Second among the Five Tiger Generals was "Panther Head" Lin Chong, whose martial skill matched Guan Sheng's. With a leopard's head, round eyes, a swallow's jaw, and a tiger's whiskers, he wielded a thirty-foot serpent spear.
The strategist, "Knowledgeable Star" Wu Yong, held a feather fan and wore a silk headscarf, corresponding to Zhuge Liang. But he only matched Zhuge Liang in cunning; the ability to summon wind and rain had been bestowed upon "Dragon in the Clouds" Gongsun Sheng. Only when the two were combined did one get a true "Strategist, save me!"
Then there were figures such as the Beautiful-Bearded Gentleman, Little Overlord, Little Marquis Wen, Sick Guan Suo...
And Lu Junyi, who sat on the top throne of martial prowess at Mount Liang—his description was