Picture of ‘White Stripe in the Waves’ Zhang Shun and ‘Black Whirlwind’ Li Kui Fighting in the Water

Yoshitoshi and other print designers used the Chinese novel The Tales of the Water Margin (Shuihuzhuan; Jap.: Suikoden) about a rogue band of heroes as motifs for many warrior prints. The scene here refers to the story of Li Kui (Jap.: Riki), a river pirate, who tries to steal fish from a fisherman’s boat. He is interrupted, however, by Zhang Shun (Jap.: Chōjun), the owner of the local fish market. The two men struggle underwater, but Zhang (with red loin cloth) has the upper hand, since he is reputed to be able to walk underwater for 10 miles and live there for seven nights and days, while Li can hardly swim. Yoshitoshi designed 15 vertical diptychs like this one for the publisher Matsui Eikichi that were produced from 1885 to 1889. The designs were so popular that some of them were republished very soon after they had first been issued.