Pan Jinlian should be well-known among Chinese people, and the scandal between her and Ximen Qing is also very widespread, because many people hate her because of her image in the Water Margin. However, Pan Jinlian in history is completely different from that in the novel. She is a hardworking, kind and gentle woman, and her husband is also a tall and handsome county magistrate.

According to records, Pan Jinlian is from Hebei. She has an outstanding appearance and a good family. Her husband is a county magistrate named Wu Zhi, and they are very loving. Later, Pan Jinlian was portrayed as an adulteress in Water Margin, which began with a friend of Wu Zhi's, Huang Tang.

Wu Zhi has a good friend named Huang Tang. After Huang Tang's family came down, he went to Wu Zhi and wanted Wu Zhi to find himself a job. After arriving at Wu Zhi's home, Wu Zhi warmly hosted Huang Tang, but Huang Tang waited for a long time, and Wu Zhi did not say that he would introduce himself to work. Huang Tang left unhappily. Huang Tang is also an unscrupulous person. He spoke ill of his wife Pan Jinlian, saying that she had committed adultery with Ximen Qing. He also told many details, which made many people believe.

Rumors about Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing broke out one after another, and finally reached Shi Naian who was writing Water Margin, so he wrote the story of Pan Jinlian in the book. Later, with the spread of Water Margin, Pan Jinlian became a representative of adulterers, and his reputation was irretrievable.

The events of Lu Zhi and Pan Jinlian remind us to be cautious in making friends, and never associate with people with bad character like Huang Tang. We would rather make fewer friends than make bad ones.