Duan was from Zhuozhou, Henan. He had red hair and a yellow beard, earning him the nickname 'Golden-haired dog' (金毛犬).
Duan used to steal horses from the north and once, he managed to steal a precious steed known as the 'Jade Lion' from a Jin prince. He planned to present the horse to Song Jiang but on his way to Liangshan, the 'Jade Lion' was stolen by the Zeng Family Village.
