The Warlords 投名狀

[skylee]

As the movie goes, the three of the heroes made an oath together giving their names.

Actually they made the oath by each killing an innocent person (this part does not appear in the mainland version). The film-makers were obviously inspired by the "Water Margin" when they decided to include the "ceremony" in the film and have the film called by this name. This baidu link has the story -> http://baike.baidu.com/view/841531.htm

《水浒传》第十一回“朱贵水亭施号箭　林冲雪夜上梁山”写王伦要求林冲拿一个人头来当见面礼。

林冲道：“小人一身犯了死罪，因此来投入伙，何故相疑？”王伦道：“既然如此，你若真心入伙，把一个‘投名状’来。”林冲便道：“小人颇识几字，乞纸笔来便写。”朱贵笑道：“教头你错了。但凡好汉们入伙，须要纳投名状，是教你下山去杀得一个人，将头献纳，他便无疑心，这个便谓之投名状。”林冲道：“这事也不难，林冲便下山去等，只怕没人过。”王伦道：“与你三日限。若三日内有投名状来，便容你入伙；若三日内没时，只得休怪。”林冲应承了，自回房中宿歇，闷闷不已。

[monto]

Thanks for skylee, you enlighten me much.

However, even in the song dynasty, 投名状 did not mean as 王伦 meant. 林冲 was an educated person then, his understanding of the term should be regarded as standard.

[skylee]

Given the story, I would think that the film makers chose the name according to what Wang Lun meant instead of what Lin Chong thought, standard or non-standard, right or wrong.

BTW, I've found an English outline of the story of "Water Margin" here -> http://poisonpie.com/words/others/somewhat/outlaws/text/outline.html

Chapter 11.

Chai Jin rescues Lin Chong and writes a letter of introduction for him to the bandits at Liangshan Marsh in Jizhou, headed by Wang Lun “White-Clad Scholar”, Du Qian “Skyscraper”, and Song Wan “Guardian of the Clouds”. En route, Chai Jin meets Zhu Gui “Dry-Land Crocodile”,who leads him to the bandits. Wang Lun recognizes Lin Chong’s merit and is afraid of admitting him lest he lose power to him. He demands a “membership certificate”, a head of a man, from Lin Chong in three days.

For three days, Lin Chong hides out in the woods, but finds no solitary man to kill. He only manages to steal the luggage of Yang Zhi the “Blue-Faced Beast”.

[floatingmoon]

It's based on an old story 刺馬， 3 brothers, betrayal, revenge.