Lu Fang

Lu Fang
an illustration from a 1890 print of the novel published by Guangbaisongzhai, collection of Fudan University
Created by	Shi Yukun
Appearances	The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants (and sequels)
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Penetrating-Heaven Rat Coiling-Mast Rat
Alias(es)	Zhang Da (張大)
Hometown	Songjiang (in Xiu Prefecture)
Children	Lu Zhen, son
Sworn siblings	Han Zhang, 2nd brother Xu Qing, 3rd brother Jiang Ping, 4th brother Bai Yutang, 5th brother
Skills and abilities
Unarmed combat skills	pole climbing

Lu Fang
Traditional Chinese	盧方
Simplified Chinese	卢方
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lú Fāng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Lou^4 Fong^1
Zuan Tian Shu
Traditional Chinese	鑽天鼠
Simplified Chinese	钻天鼠
Literal meaning	Penetrating-Heaven Rat
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zuàn Tiān Shǔ
Pan Wei Shu
Traditional Chinese	盤桅鼠
Simplified Chinese	盘桅鼠
Literal meaning	Coiling-Mast Rat
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Pán Wéi Shǔ

Lu Fang (盧方) is a fictional character from the 19th-century Chinese novel The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants. The leader and the oldest of 5 sworn brothers known as the "Five Rats", he was nicknamed "Penetrating-Heaven Rat"^[1] for his mast-climbing skills.

Background

Lu Fang's father had been a rich but generous squire on Hollow Island (陷空島) in Songjiang, and Lu Fang inherited his Lu-Family Estate (盧家莊). His estate engaged in fishing in the river surrounding the island. Once, when a boat's halyard broke, Lu Fang quickly climbed up the mast and knotted the loose ends together. He was thereafter nicknamed "Sky-Penetrating Rat".

He was married with a son Lu Zhen (盧珍).

Lu Fang valued friendship and became sworn brothers with Han Zhang, Xu Qing, Jiang Ping, and Bai Yutang, all from different places in the empire. Together, they lived on Hollow Island and were collectively known as "The Five Rats" (五鼠). As the oldest brother, Lu Fang was the leader.

Portrayal in film and television

• Yang Chih-ching in King Cat (1967)
• Tso You in Justice Pao (1974–75)
• Cheung Chin-pang in Cat vs Rat (1982)
• Chu Ko in House of Traps (1982)
• Chang Kuo-chu in Justice Pao (1993–94)
• Shut Chung-tin in The Invincible Constable (1993)
• Lin Tsai-pei in The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants (1994)
• Wang Quanyou in The New Seven Heroes and Five Gallants (1994)
• Xie Jiaqi in Cat and Mouse (2003)
• Gao Zhan in A Game of Cat and Mouse (2005)
• Zhang Xin in Bai Yutang (2005) and Justice Bao (2008)
• Wang Wenyan in Justice Bao: The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants (2010)
• Liu Weihua in Invincible Knights Errant (2011)
• Shang Daqing in Sleek Rat, the Challenger (2013)
• He Yu in The Three Heroes and Five Gallants (upcoming)

References

1. Blader, p. xxxiii.

• Shi Yukun; Yu Yue (2005). The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants. Translated by Song Shouquan. Foreign Languages Press. ISBN 7-119-03354-9.
• Blader, Susan (1998). Tales of Magistrate Bao and His Valiant Lieutenants: Selections from Sanxia Wuyi. The Chinese University Press. ISBN 962-201-775-4.