Lu Zhishen's original name was Lu Da, a native of Guanxi. He was born with a round face and big ears, a straight nose and squarish mouth, with a face overshadowed by his beard. He also stood at 8 feet, with a wide waist. Originally, he served as a constable in Weizhou. However, he heard about a butcher nicknamed 'Lord of the West', who bullied the poor and weak singer Jin Cuilian. Thus, in a fit of anger, Lu Da killed the butcher with just 3 punches. To avoid arrest by the authorities, Lu Da resigned and fled to Wutai Mountain where he became a monk. He was given the name Zhishen.
