In the work "Water Margin", heroes such as Wu Song, who lack family background and are civilians, master most of the martial arts they master come from self-study, master-apprentice inheritance, or the accumulation of combat practice.
1.Self-cultivation: In the absence of family background, some civilians rely on their own efforts and tenacity to practice martial arts alone. For example, Lin Chong became the leader of the 800,000 forbidden army by practicing marksmanship on his own.
2.Teacher-student relationship: In "Water Margin", there are also civilians who learn martial arts through the teacher-student relationship. For example, Lu Zhishen became a monk at the Great Xiangguo Temple in Tokyo, and followed Elder Zhizhen to practice Zen staff and precepts.
3.Combat experience: Some civilians participate in battles, accumulate experience, and then gain martial arts. For example, it was through the experience of hunting tigers that Wu Song became a famous tiger fighting hero and possessed extraordinary martial arts.
4.Special Case: There are also some civilians who, for special reasons, have obtained martial arts. For example, after being framed by a conspiracy, Lin Chong was forced into exile and learned martial arts under the guidance of a hermit in a mountain temple.
On the whole, civilian heroes like Wu Song in "Water Margin" have more martial arts than self-study, master-apprentice inheritance or the accumulation of combat practice. This also reflects the social environment at that time, the acquisition of martial arts was not only through family inheritance, but could also be achieved through other means.