The "18 Warriors of Sui-Tang Period" (Chinese: 隋唐十八条好汉) are fictional legendary heroes who lived during the Sui and early Tang dynasties.
Some of them are based on historical figures, such as Qin Shubao and Shan Xiongxin, while others were invented as folk heroes, such as Luo Cheng and Yuwen Chengdu.
Among the characters mentioned in the book, several possible figures include Yuchi Gong (尉迟恭), Wang Bodang (王伯当), Cheng Yaojin (程咬金), Hua Gongyi (华功义), Liang Shitai (梁师泰), Han Qinhu (韩擒虎), Ma Shumou (麻叔谋), and Cao Yanping (曹延平).
Other historical or fictional characters from the Sui and early Tang dynasties are also potential candidates for this list, such as Zuo Tiancheng (左天成), Lai Hu'er (来护儿), Luo Shixin (罗士信), Hou Junji (侯君集), Wang Junke (王君可), Wang Bo (王薄), and Lu Mingyue (卢明月).
Li Yuanba possesses extraordinary physical strength, exemplified by his weapons: a pair of golden hammers weighing 400 jin(236.1 kg) each.
Though generally regarded as a hero, he is negatively influenced by his family, especially his father, Yuwen Huaji, who kills Yang Guang, the emperor of the Sui dynasty, in a military rebellion.
Pei Yuanqing easily defeats dozens of Wagang warriors, including some notable figures on this list, such as Qin Shubao and Shan Xiongxin (see below).
After the rebellion at Wagang Fort ended in internal conflict, Pei, along with Cheng Yaojin and Qin Shubao, joined another rebel army led by the warlord Wang Shichong.
Cheng and Qin defected to Li Yuan's army, but Pei and his father were unable to escape and were later sentenced to death by Wang Shichong.
After that, more rebellions against the cruel emperor, corruption of local governments, and the endless war against Goguryeo Koreans and Turks spring up all over the country.
Emperor Yang Guang orders Han Qinhu, Yuwen Chengdu, Xin Wenli (See Below) and Shang Shitu (See Below), all great warriors, to attack Nanyang Pass.
Wu Yunshao's troop defeats Han Qinhu, Xin Wenli and Shang Shitu, but cannot challenge Yuwen Chengdu.
When Wu Tianxi is travelling to Yangzhou for the martial arts contest, he meets Liang Shitai (see below), who is the assistant officer in Li Yuanba's troop.
There are more folktales about Luo Cheng outside of Shuo Tang, including his romances with Dou Jiande's daughter Xianniang (窦线娘) and with Hua Mulan.
To make things worse, a rebellion led by Liu Liuwang (刘留王) attacks Yang Lin's base camp in Dengzhou (登州).
However, after the plan fails, Yang Lin and one of his adopted sons, Yin Yue (殷岳), are ambushed by Qin Shubao and Luo Cheng.
Zhang Xutuo was another famous military strategist in the Sui dynasty, known for fighting rebels in the Yellow River basin, including Lu Mingyue (卢明月) and Sun Xuanya (孙宣雅).
Wei Wentong (魏文通) is a major military officer whose base camp is in Tongguan Pass, one of the most important forts in central China.
He is called the "General with Four Treasures," because he has four unique artifacts: the Tilu Spear, the Horse of Hulei-Bao, the Yeming Helmet, and the Fish Scale Armour.
Ambivalently, Shang Shitu is aware that Wagang Fort was good for the common people, but he can never join the rebellion because he swore that he would never betray his country.
Xin Wenli dies while facing Wagang warriors, including Qin Shubao, Cheng Yaojin, Wang Bodang, and Shan Xiongxin.
He used to fight alone against the Wangang Five Tigers (the five best warriors in Wagang Fort, i.e. Qin Shubao 秦叔宝, Qiu Rui 邱瑞, Cheng Yaojin 程咬金, Wang Bodang 王伯当 and Shan Xiongxin 单雄信).
Many folktales about him have inspirations from the Shuo Tang, including selling his horse, fighting against Yang Lin and Wei Wentong, saving Li Yuan's family in Lintong Pass, and serving as a door god along with Yuchi Gong (see below), etc.
He starts as a low-ranking officer in Jinan, and then serves under Luo Yi, Tang Bi and Yang Lin before taking part in the Wagang Fort rebellion.
After Li Shimin becomes the second emperor of the Tang dynasty, Qin Shubao leads a troop and defeats the Turkic army in the north.
The battle of Meiliang-Chuan is called Three Bians versus Two Jians (三鞭换两锏) in folktales, and it is said that people usually regard Qin Shubao as a little better than Yuchi Gong in martial arts.
Eventually, after the death of Liu Wuzhou and Song Jingang, Yuchi Gong surrenders to Li Shimin and becomes a major general fighting for the Tang dynasty.
After the judge announces that Xue Rengui will be sent to death row, Yuchi Gong is so disappointed that he hits the Zhijin Gate with his Bian.
Li Shimin is distraught after learning of Yuchi Gong's death, so he puts off Xue Rengui's execution and agree to re-try the case.
After the battle of Luoyang, the ally power that Wang Shichong, Meng Haigong, Gao Tansheng, Zhu Can and Dou Jiande fought under collapses.