Shuihu zhuan (The Water Margin, Jap. Suikoden) is among the best-loved adventure stories of China. Set at the end of the Northern Song period (960-1125), the tale developed in China over centuries with the full-length novel appearing in the 16th century. It first became known in Japan in the early 18th century and with Japanese translations appearing soon after. However it was during the 19th century in Japan that its popularity expanded with the publication of an illustrated novel adaptation by Takizawa Bakin (1767-1849) and illustrated by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), which were issued between 1805 and 1838. The success of this, along with other Suikoden-related texts appears to have inspired the creation of Kuniyoshi's print series 'One of the 108 Heroes of the Popular water Margin (Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori) in 1827-30. 74 prints are known, with publication likely to have occurred over several years.

Over its many chapters, The Water Margin tells the story of a band of heroes living in a hideout at Liangshan marsh. Often violent, 108 brigands combat injustice under the leadership of Song Jiang (Jap. So Ko). Depicted in the present print is Lu Junyi, a wealthy man and skilled warrior from Beijing whose nickname is 'Jade qilin'. The centre sheet of a triptych, he is fighting Liu Tang on the right sheet (nickname: 'Red-hair devil' and on the left sheet Li Ying ('Eagle who smites the heavens') and Mu Hong ('He whom no obstacle can stay'). In the tale, Lu Junji eventually becomes a leader of the Liangshan band, second only to the supreme leader, Song Jiang.

For another impression of the same print in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession no. 64.2385, go to:
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/465573
For another in the collection of The British Museum, museum no. 1906,1220,0.1295, go to:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1906-1220-0-1295