In the last article, the author mentioned that Liang Zhongshu and Li Chengdu in the novel can find their archetypes in history. So, does Wenda, nicknamed "broadsword", have any historical prototype? This problem has also attracted the attention of many scholars. According to relevant historical data, there was no general Song Jun named Wenda at that time. However, in the historical materials, there is one person who has attracted the attention of scholars. This man's name is Xu Wen.
About Xu Wen's life, see Book of Jin History, Volume 79. According to the book, Xu Wen, a native of Ye County, Laizhou, made a living by selling salt in his early years and traveled to and from the coast. He is famous for "going forward bravely", holding a 50-catty broadsword in his hand, which was called "broadsword" at that time. Since then, Xu Wen joined and worked under Wang, who was in charge at that time. Fighting the Xixia army, he captured an enemy general alive and became famous in one fell swoop. He was appointed as a captain and Cheng Xinlang.
After Zhao established the Southern Song Dynasty, Xu Wen was promoted to the Privy Council as a general. Because he led the troops to capture the thieves Kou Miaochuan and Han alive, he was promoted to control the water army in eastern Huaidong, western Zhejiang and coastal areas. But shortly thereafter, Xu Wen was framed and persecuted by Song Jun general Gao Yan. In a rage, he "led dozens of warships back to Qi" and was appointed commander-in-chief of navy and deputy commander-in-chief of sea lanes by pseudo-Qi Emperor Liu Yu. Since then, Xu Wen has changed from a general in Song Jun to a senior general in the puppet state of Jin.
However, Xu Wen's days in pseudo-Qi were not satisfactory. He suggested that Liu Yu send troops to Lin 'an, but Liu Yu refused. A few years later, Liu Yu was abolished and the puppet troops perished. Xu Wen became a member of the Jin state war generals and was appointed as the commander of the Nanjing step army. In the first year of Emperor Xizong of Jin Dynasty (A.D. 1 138), Xu Wen was ordered to go to Taihang Mountain, where he defeated the famous folk anti-Jin armed force Liang Xiaoge. This little brother Liang is also the historical prototype of Yan Qing, the prodigal son in Water Margin. Because of his meritorious service in this campaign, Xu Wen was promoted to the control of the Jin army and the water army and the jurisdiction of the Shandong road military forces.
In the following years, Xu Wen went south with Jin Jun's famous Jin Wushu, and fought fiercely with Song Jun many times. During this period, Xu defeated the general in Puyang and Meng Bangjie, a famous anti-gold star, in Dengzhou. In the Battle of Heyang, Xu Wen adopted the tactics of introducing from the east to the west, defeated Jiang Zhi, the general of Song Dynasty, and occupied Heyang. In the battle of Ruzhou, Xu Wen defeated Guo Qing and Guoyuan, and assisted Jin Wushu to occupy Henan. In recognition of Xu Wen's achievements, Jin Wushu gave Xu a "silver pommel horse" after the war. Charge thousands of households. "Since then, Xu Wen conquered Lu, Hao and other states with Jin Wushu, was promoted to General Wuyi, and was later appointed as Jeju.
After seven years in Jeju, Xu Wen was transferred to Taian Army. After Wan Yanliang, the king of Hailing, succeeded to the throne, Xu Wen was promoted to the commander-in-chief of military forces and was appointed as the national defense ambassador because of his outstanding achievements. A few years later, Wan Yanliang set out to attack the Song Dynasty, and Xu Wen was appointed as the water supervisor to supervise the construction of Tongzhou warships. During this period, Xu Wen was ordered to March into the East China Sea and annihilate the local anti-gold armed forces Xu Yuan and Zhang Wang. He was promoted by Yan Yanliang and appointed as our navy. In the second year of Jin Shizong Dading (A.D. 1 162), Xu Wen died of illness at home.
Xu Wen's life is full of legends, from general Song Jun to senior generals in Xu Jinguo. Is this man a historical prototype heard in the Water Margin? From the general point of view of current academic circles, this statement is affirmative. There are three reasons. First of all, in the history of the State of Jin, Xu Wen and Li Cheng are the same biographies, and Li Cheng is the historical prototype of Li Cheng, the "King Li Tian" in Water Margin. Therefore, it is not excluded that the author of Water Margin will turn Xu Wen into "Wen Da" by the way.
Secondly, Wenda was nicknamed "broadsword" in Water Margin, while Xuwen was nicknamed "broadsword" in history. Thirdly, Xu Wen once competed with Liang Yusheng brothers, and Liang Yusheng was the historical prototype of the prodigal Yan Qing in Water Margin. In the novel, Wenda and Yan Qing are both in Daming Mansion. So many coincidences are intertwined, which can only prove one thing, that is, Xu Wen in the history of Jin is the historical prototype heard in the Water Margin.