Page "Jianghu" Paragraph 2

The concept of jianghu can be traced to the 14th century novel Water Margin, in which a band of noble outlaws, who mounted regular sorties in an attempt to right the wrongs of corrupt officials, retreated to their hideout.

These bandits were called the Chivalrous men of the Green Forests ().

The " green forest " was the antecedent to jianghu.