All Men Are Brothers？The Water Margin took place here
The heroes of Liangshan in "Water Margin" are known for their loyalty, righteousness, filial piety, bravery and trustworthiness. They are generous, upright, and full of great righteousness and courage, leaving a deep impression on the world. As the birthplace and setting of the Water Margin stories, Liangshan County in Shandong Province has gradually developed, enriched and grown the Water Margin culture, accumulating a profound heritage. In the history of Chinese literature and even culture, "Water Margin" was the first to vividly present the character of northerners, especially Shandong people on a large scale. When people think of Shandong people, they often associate them with the heroic style of the Liangshan heroes.
The "loyalty and righteousness" culture of "Water Margin" showcases the "loyalty and faithfulness" of the times. From the perspective of today's social reality and on a broad scale, "loyalty" first manifests as being loyal and honest to the Party, the country, and the nation. On a smaller scale, loyalty can be understood as being kind-hearted, loyal, and faithful. This is a philosophy of life and a moral concept. It is the inner quality of being sincere and treating others sincerely, and it is also an objective requirement for cultivating and practicing the core socialist values. At the same time, in terms of the original meaning of "loyalty", it means "to do one's best for others". Righteousness means that people of the same kind should adhere to "credit", "morality", and "justice", and make their thoughts and behaviors conform to certain standards. In interpersonal interactions, "righteousness" is more often expressed as "credibility", that is, being honest and trustworthy. One should keep one's word and act resolutely.
The theme of "Water Margin" has always been a subject of continuous debate, with issues such as loyalty and righteousness, and the perspective on amnesty, being intricate and complex. This very complexity is precisely what makes "Water Margin" uniquely charming. As the birthplace of the "Water Margin" story, Liangshan boasts profound cultural heritage, with diverse cultures such as Water Margin culture, Yellow River culture, Grand Canal culture, and red culture interweaving and complementing each other, providing an unparalleled advantage for the development of Liangshan's cultural tourism.
