All Men Are Brothers

Set in the closing years of the Northern Song Dynasty, All Men Are Brothers follows how corruption and official greed fracture ordinary life and push a wide range of people into outlawry. Farmers, disgraced soldiers, displaced officials, and talented rogues gradually coalesce around Liangshan Marsh, forming a loose but determined brotherhood that relies on strict codes and mutual loyalty. The series moves through planning, skirmishes, and tense bargaining as this group tests its strength against local powerholders and the imperial system, showing how camaraderie and conflicting ambitions shape their raids, alliances, and choices without giving away later twists.

Released in 2011, this TV adaptation was created by Kuk Kok-Leung, Wen HaoJie, and Zeng Lu. It adapts the classic novel Water Margin for the small screen and features Zhang Hanyu and Ray Lui among its principal cast, presenting a period drama with a strong ensemble focus.

Audience response has leaned positive, reflected in an 8.2/10 average from 12 votes. Viewers point to the series' emphasis on loyalty, the ethics of resistance, and the cost of standing against entrenched corruption. Action sequences and the way interpersonal loyalties complicate strategy are frequently mentioned, and performances across the ensemble are a repeated highlight.

As one entry in a long line of Water Margin adaptations, All Men Are Brothers helps keep the Liangshan sagas in contemporary circulation. By casting well known performers and leaning into rugged, group-centered storytelling, the show reaffirmed the novel's appeal for modern television audiences and offered a version of the 108 heroes that remains accessible to viewers encountering these characters for the first time.