Shi Naian (1296—1370) was a famous writer in Ming dynasty, also known as Zhao Rui and Yan Duan, whose name was Zi 'an, whose name was Naian, or "Qiantang Shi Naian".
Xinghua, Jiangsu, was born in Baijuchang, Xinghua County (now it belongs to Shijiaqiao, Xinduo Town, Xinghua City, and Baiju Town, Dafeng District, Yancheng City). He is the author of Water Margin, one of China's four classical novels.
The Water Margin is China's first novel praising the peasant uprising, which is of great significance in the history of China literature and the world literature. Therefore, Shi Naian is known as the "father of China's novels".
According to the Preface of Shi's Genealogy and other related materials, Shi moved from Suzhou to Xinghua, and then from Xinghua to Baijuchang.
In order to escape the war, Shi Naian moved to Xinghua to live in seclusion and wrote Water Margin.
According to folklore, Zhang Shicheng rose up against Yuan, called the prince of Wu to Pingjiang (Suzhou) and hired him as a military adviser. After Zhang Shicheng was demoted, Shi Naian refused to give up his ideas many times, so he gave up his official position and went to Torinji, Zhutang, Jiangyin to sit in the cabinet.
Zhu Yuanzhang sent troops to besiege Pingjiang and the war spread to Jiangyin. Shi Naian remembered that Gu Ting, a friend of Songjiang Tongzhi and Jiaxing Daotongzhi, was from Xinghua.
There is a remote place, surrounded by water, with inconvenient transportation. There has always been a saying that "Zhaoyang (Xinghua alias) has been a good place to avoid soldiers since ancient times", so I specially sent someone to send a letter to Gu Ti, with a poem: Wandering around the world, looking for a good home for Yangshan (referring to Zhaoyang, Xinghua ancient name). May grass plant many kinds of trees, but don't teach plums to bear fruit like melons.