| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 扈太公, 扈太公, Hù Tàigōng |
| Other name | Hổ Thái công |
| INFORMATION | |
| Birth Place | Dulong Ridge, Shandong (山东独龙冈; Độc Long Cương, Sơn Đông) |
| Died | c. 1119 |
| Death Reason | Killed by Li Kui during the sack of Dulong Ridge |
| FAMILY | |
| Children | |
| CAREER | |
| Allegiance | Water Margin (Hu Family Manor) |
Hu Tai Gong (扈太公, Hỗ Thái Công; Squire Hu), was the respected gentry patriarch of the Hu Family Manor (扈家庄) along Lone Dragon Ridge in Water Margin (Shuihu Zhuan), father of Hu Cheng and Hu Sanniang.
Leading one of the three fortified villages protecting the region, Squire Hu sought to safeguard his clan through strategic conciliation with Liangshan. When his daughter was captured, he approved Hu Cheng’s surrender to Song Jiang. Tragically, before Song Jiang’s emissaries could secure the gates, Li Kui burst into his courtyard and slaughtered Squire Hu and his entire household, a dark tragedy that haunted Song Jiang’s conscience.
Role in Water Margin (Shuihu Zhuan)
Chapter 50: Describes the tragic fall of the Hu estate where Squire Hu was felled by Li Kui’s axes despite having raised the banner of surrender.
Hu Tai Gong — Historical & Literary Timeline
Northern Song
Patriarch of Lone Dragon Ridge
Presides over the Hu Family Manor and regional trade.
Ch. 50 / Northern Song
Submission & Massacre
Opens the manor gates in surrender; tragically killed by Li Kui.
Key Relationships
Family
- Son Hu Cheng (扈成 – Flying Tiger): Eldest son who fled to Yan’an.
- Daughter Hu Sanniang (扈三娘): Captured warrior daughter adopted by Song Jiang.
Friends
- Neighboring Squire Squire Li Ying (Li Ying): Patriarch of neighboring Li Manor.
Enemies
- Slayer Li Kui (李逵): Berserk warrior who slaughtered the manor against orders.
Other
- Liangshan Leader Song Jiang (宋江): Condemned the massacre.
In Water Margin
"Squire Hu opened wide his doors with wine and cattle, seeking peace, yet fell victim to the indiscriminate fury of iron axes."
Historical Context
Represents the tragic vulnerability of local rural gentry trapped between imperial corruption and outlaw warfare.
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