Lin Chong is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Panther Head", he ranks sixth among the 36 Heavenly Spirits. In some folk tales derived from the novel, he is said to have learnt martial arts from Zhou Tong, who purportedly trained the Song dynasty general Yue Fei in archery.

Lin Chong resembles Zhang Fei, a general of the Three Kingdoms era, in appearance. Over six chi tall, he has piercing eyes and a head like that of a panther, which earns him the nickname "Panther Head". He is a martial arts instructor of the Imperial Guards in Dongjing (東京; present-day Kaifeng, Henan), the imperial capital of the Song dynasty.

Lin Chong introduces himself to Lu Zhishen when he sees the monk working out with his hefty staff and is deeply impressed. Lu tends a vegetable plot for a temple in Dongjing. They become sworn brothers. While they are chatting, Gao Yanei, the play-boy adopted son of Grand Marshal Gao Qiu, runs into Lin Chong's wife in a temple and tries to force himself on her. Lin rushes to the temple and saves his wife in time. Afraid of inviting trouble, he decides not to report the case to the authorities. However, besotted with Lin's wife, Gao Yanei seeks the help of Lin's friend Lu Qian. Lu invites Lin Chong out for a drink, during which Mrs Lin is tricked to go to Lu's house, where Gao Yanei attempts to rape her. Mrs Lin‘s maid escapes and informs her master, who rushes to Lu Qian's house. Gao Yanei flees upon learning that Lin is coming.

Gao Yanei asks his adoptive father to help him get hold of Lin Chong‘s wife. Knowing Lin loves good weapons, Gao Qiu sends a man to trick him to buy a rare sword on the street. The Grand Marshal then summons Lin Chong to his residence claiming that he wants to see his new possession. Lin, carrying the sword, unsuspectingly enters the White Tiger Hall, where meetings on top-secret state matters are held and arms are prohibited. Gao Qiu accuses Lin of wanting to assassinate him and orders his arrest.

Lin Chong is tattooed on the face and exiled to Cangzhou. Before he is on the way, he insists on divorcing his wife so that she can find a better husband. Meanwhile, Gao Qiu bribes the two guards escorting Lin Chong to kill him along the way. During the journey, the escorts mistreat Lin, including scalding his feet at one point. At Wild Boar Forest, just as they are about to kill Lin after tying him to a tree, Lu Zhishen springs out from behind the trunk, disarms them, and wants to finish them off. He is prevented by Lin Chong, who tells him that they are just stooges of Gao Qiu. Lu Zhishen accompanies Lin to Cangzhou and takes leave only after ensuring the escorts would try no more mischief.

In Cangzhou, Lin Chong befriends the nobleman Chai Jin. His impressive skill in thrashing a boastful and arrogant martial arts instructor, who lives off Chai, wins the scion's admiration. Chai provides him money to bribe the jailers not to make his life in prison miserable.

Gao Qiu sends Lu Qian and his steward Fu An to Cangzhou on a second attempt to kill Lin Chong. Lu Qian bribes the chief warden and a jailer, and they work out a plan involving assigning Lin to be a solo watchman at a fodder depot.

On the day Lin Chong takes up his new duty, Lu Qian, Fu An and the jailer set fire to the depot after nightfall, certain that he must be trapped in the inferno. However, Lin Chong has earlier gone out to buy wine and upon return found his hut in the depot crushed under the weight of snow. He then took shelter in a nearby temple. Upon seeing that the depot is on fire, he hurries towards it. But he overhears the three men talking outside the temple and learns that the fire is their work. Enraged, he charges out, kills the three men and offers their heads to the deity of the temple. He then flees the scene.