Shandong: Jingyang Ridge — place where Wusong beat a tiger

Jingyang Ridge is located 1.5 kilometers northwest of the famous historical town Zhangqiu, 17.5 kilometers southeast of Yanggu County. It is famous for the story of Wu Song beating tiger on Jingyang Ridge in Water Margin, one of the four masterpieces of Chinese classics.

Chairman Mao had ever said that Yanggu County is the hometown of Hero Wu Song, who had beaten a tiger to death. Under the broad influence of the Story of Liangshan Pool in China, Jingyang Ridge becomes more and more famous.

Wu Song is from Qinghe County (present-day Dongping County, Tai'an, Shandong). He is described as a good-looking man with shining eyes, thick eyebrows and a muscular body and gives people an impressive bearing. One day on his way home, Wu Song passes by a tavern near Jingyang Ridge, where a large sign reads “after three bowls of wine, you will be unable to pass the ridge”. This arouses his interest and he stops there for a break. After drinking three bowls,Wu Song remains sober. So he demands that the waiter continue serving him wine. By the end of his meal, Wu Song had consumed 18 bowls of wine in total and appears tipsy. When he is about to leave, the waiter stops him and warns him about the presence of a fierce man-eating tiger at Jingyang Ridge. Wu Song suspects that the waiter is lying to him because he wants him to spend the night there so as to earn extra money, so he ignores the waiter and proceeds with his journey.

While crossing Jingyang Ridge, Wu Song sees a warning sign bearing an official endorsement and thereby is convinced that there is really a tiger at the ridge. However, he refuses to turn back because he knows he would be scorned and laughed at by the waiter if he did. He moves on and does really encounter a ferocious tiger while trying to take a nap to get over the effect of alcohol. While trying to fend off the beast, Wu Song accidentally breaks his staff, rending himself weaponless. Under the stimulation of alcohol, he ends up slaying the beast by pinning it to the ground and bashing its head repeatedly with his bare fists. Wu Song makes his name for the heroic deed and he is offered the post of a chief constable in Yanggu County.

Jingyang Ridge then is known by every person across the country.