Song Jiang, as the leader of the one hundred and eight heroes of Liangshan, has always been controversial. People have different evaluations of him, some think that he is extremely selfish and full of hypocrisy; Others saw him as a loyal man who valued righteousness.
In "Water Margin", Song Jiang became the leader after Chao Gai, and other heroes also trusted him. In reality, however, Song Jiang's talent may not be enough to support him in the role of chief. Among the many heroes in Liangshan, many of them are not inferior to Song Jiang in talent.
In addition to Song Jiang, there are other heroes who are qualified to serve as leaders. Chao Gai, Wu Yong, Lin Chong and others have all demonstrated excellent leadership skills. Their resourcefulness and courage have made them highly respected figures.
"Water Margin" portrays Song Jiang as the image of a leader. This may be based on the author's creative setting or the need to create a character.
Lin Chong was the first person in Liangshan to qualify for the position of chief, although he eventually declined the position. As one of the five elders of Liangshan, Lin Chong was originally the head of the 800,000 forbidden army in Tokyo, with high strength and a bright future. However, because he was framed by Gao Yanei, Gao Yu's adopted son, many times, he was forced to go to Liangshan.
After Lin Chong ascended to Liangshan, he enjoyed great prestige in the rivers and lakes, and was the only person with such prestige. At that time, the leader of Liangshan was Wang Lun, and Chao Gai, Song Jiang and others had not yet ascended the mountain. Therefore, in terms of qualifications, Lin Chong has more experience and status than the later Chao Gai, Song Jiang and others.
The arrival of Lin Chong made Liangshan truly have a leader of his own rank and leadership. He also actively supported Chao Gai and Song Jiang to ascend to the throne. When Chao Gai went up the mountain, Lin Chong and Wang Lun had a fight, which eventually led to the incident of "Fire and Wang Lun". This shows that in the hearts of Chao Gai and others, Lin Chong has the qualifications to serve as the leader, whether in terms of seniority, merit or prestige.
Although Lin Chong refused to become the head of Liangshan, Chao Gai's last words on his deathbed indicated that he hoped that Lin Chong would take over the position. After all, only Lin Chong succeeded in capturing Shi Wengong alive. However, Lin Chong's ambition is not to become a leader, he is more concerned with revenge. That's why he gave in. In general, Lin Chong was fully qualified to be the leader of Liangshan, but it was a pity that he did not desire this position.
There is a discussion of whether Lin Chong was qualified to serve as the head of Liangshan, and although he did not ultimately take the position, his contribution and status cannot be ignored in the history of Liangshan.
Chai Jin's background is extraordinary, he is a descendant of the Later Zhou royal family, and his family still retains the Danshu iron coupon given by Song Taizu, which makes him famous in the rivers and lakes, and has made many heroes.
Chai Jin's appeal and influence far exceeded that of Song Jiang, and he was respected as the "Meng Weijun" of the world. Moreover, he has shown favors to Song Jiang, Lin Chong, Wu Song and others, which shows his prestige in the rivers and lakes. On Yangshan, Chai Jin was highly respected, but he did not choose to stand up and become the leader, but instead maintained a wait-and-see attitude, missing the opportunity to become the leader of Yangshan.
If Chai Jin does become the leader of Yangsan, he may face some challenges. Despite his reputation, he lacked a long-term vision. Because he comes from a special background, he doesn't worry about his livelihood like other heroes, which may cause Liang Shan to lose his original intention, which eventually leads to falling apart. In addition, Chai Jin went up the mountain late, has no faction of his own, and is basically a "light pole commander" who struggles alone, even if he has received Chai Jin's favor, he will not easily pin his future on him.
Chai Jin is qualified to be the leader, but he may not be suitable for the position. His case actually proves the idea that "those who are qualified are not necessarily suitable".
Lu Zhishen, as an important character in the Water Margin, has the potential to serve as the leader of Liangshan, which may be somewhat surprising, but it is true. His leadership potential is multifaceted.
Lu Zhishen has been a big shopkeeper in Erlongshan and has certain leadership experience. He is in line with Yangsan's values, attaches importance to affection, and shows a personality that rescues the weak and is not afraid to fight, which is in line with the quality requirements of the leader of Yangsan.
Lu Zhishen has a huge network of people, a wide range of good men, in the two worlds of monks and laymen, can eat both black and white, which makes him have greater influence and resource support in Liangshan.
Although Lu Zhishen is bold and rude on the surface, he is delicate in his heart, and he is good at making friends, giving people a sense of intimacy. His military strength is even higher in Liangshan, which also increases his influence and trust among heroes.
Lu Zhishen has his own small circle of "Three Mountains Faction" and has a certain support group. The support of his friends such as Yang Zhi and Wu Song is also obvious.
Lu Zhishen has many advantages as a candidate for the head of Liangshan, but at the same time, it is also necessary to note that some characteristics of his personality may bring certain challenges. However, his leadership potential is evident, making him a highly anticipated candidate for the head of Yangsan.