The author of Water Margin is said to be Shi Naian at the end of Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of Ming Dynasty, which was polished by Luo Guanzhong. The creators who actually participated spanned hundreds of years from Song Dynasty to the end of Ming Dynasty, including folk storytellers, literati and booksellers. It is a long literary work accumulated from generation to generation.
Judging from the signatures of early periodicals, in the 22nd year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1594), The Complete Biography of Loyalty Water Margin in Fujian Yuxiang Shuangfengtang Edition was compiled by Luo Guanzhong, and in the 42nd year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (16 14), Yuan published 120 copies of The Complete Biography of Loyalty Water Margin under his signature.
Similarly, the Water Margin printed by Rong Yutang in the 30th year of Wanli in Ming Dynasty (1602) was signed "Written by Shi Naian and edited by Luo Guanzhong".
Extended data:
It is said that Shi Naian, the author, hated cheating officialdom. After only two years, he resigned and went back to his hometown to teach and write "Biography of Jianghu Vendors". The book was finally published, and Shi Naian was satisfied with the plot, except for the bad title.
At that time, Luo Guanzhong, a student in Shi Naian, suggested that the title should be Water Margin. Hearing this, Shi Naian said happily again and again, "Good, good! This title is great! Water Margin', meaning the edge of the water, means' in the wild', which is in line with the allusion in the Book of Songs that' Tan Fu, an old duke, came to the DPRK to lead a horse, led the west to the water margin, but as for ambiguity'. Wonderful! " Thus, The Legend of the Jianghu Vendors was officially renamed The Water Margin.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Water Margin