Who Lin Chong is
Lin Chong instructs imperial troops in a world where official rank offers little guarantee of justice. He tries to stay within the rules even as powerful enemies turn his life toward outlawry.
His story belongs to the novel's wider account of people driven outside the law by corrupt power. Through his persecution, Water Margin separates obedience to the law from the justice that officials should uphold.
How Lin Chong changes
Lin Chong's movement from imperial service toward outlaw life grows out of persecution rather than a willingness to abandon the rules. The authority he serves does not protect him from powerful enemies who destroy his security.
His experience gives a personal shape to the novel's conflict between honor and corrupt government. It also places him among people whose separate troubles lead toward the outlaw brotherhood at Liangshan Marsh.
Questions
Who is Lin Chong in Water Margin?
Lin Chong is an instructor of imperial troops who suffers persecution by powerful enemies.
Why does Lin Chong become an outlaw?
Corrupt power forces him outside the law despite his efforts to obey the rules.