Ma Zhong

Historical Record

Ma Zhong, styled Dexin, was a native of Langzhong County in Baxi Commandery. In his youth he was raised by his mother's family, bearing the surname Hu and the given name Du, before he later restored his original surname and changed his name to Zhong. In the late Jian'an era he served as a commandery clerk and was recommended as a filial and incorrupt candidate, after which he was appointed Magistrate of Hanchang. After Liu Bei's eastern campaign suffered defeat at Xiaoting, the Baxi Grand Administrator Yan Zhi raised five thousand soldiers to replenish the ranks, and Ma Zhong was charged with escorting them. After Liu Bei returned to Yongan, he conversed with Ma Zhong and praised him to the Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Liu Ba, saying: "Though I have lost Huang Quan, I have gained Hu Du—this shows the world is never short of worthy men." ^c:4229 In the first year of Jianxing, when Chancellor Zhuge Liang opened his office, he appointed Ma Zhong as Subordinate Commander. In the third year of Jianxing, during Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign, Ma Zhong was appointed Grand Administrator of Zangke. At the time the commandery aide Zhu Bao had rebelled; after the rebellion was put down, Ma Zhong pacified and governed the local people, winning their hearts, so that prestige and kindness went together.

In the eighth year of Jianxing, Ma Zhong was recalled to Chengdu to serve as Adviser to the Chancellor, jointly responsible with the Chief Clerk Jiang Wan for the affairs of the resident office. He also concurrently held the post of Attendant Clerk of the province. The following year, when Zhuge Liang sent troops to Mount Qi, Ma Zhong went to him to take charge of planning military affairs. After the army returned, he supervised generals such as Zhang Ni in suppressing the rebel Qiang of Wenshan Commandery. In the eleventh year of Jianxing, the southern tribal chief Liu Zhou rebelled, throwing several commanderies and counties into turmoil. The former Commander of Laixiang, Zhang Yi, was recalled, and Ma Zhong took over his post. Ma Zhong succeeded in slaying Liu Zhou and pacifying the region of Nanzhong. For this he was further appointed Army Supervisor and General Who Rouses Valor, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Boyang Village.

Earlier, in Jianning Commandery there had been the affair of the murder of the Grand Administrator Zheng Ang and the binding and delivery of the Grand Administrator Zhang Yi to Eastern Wu, which had caused the commander's office to be stationed for a long time in Pingyi County. After Ma Zhong took office, he moved the commander's office to Weixian, situated between the Han and the non-Han populations. Moreover, Yuesui Commandery had long been out of control; Ma Zhong led the Grand Administrator Zhang Ni and others to recover the old commandery. For this he was further appointed General Who Pacifies the South and promoted to Marquis of Pengxiang Village. In the fifth year of Yanxi, Ma Zhong returned to court; passing through Hanzhong, he paid his respects to the Grand Marshal Jiang Wan, conveyed the imperial edict, and was further appointed Grand General Who Guards the South. In the spring of the seventh year of Yanxi, when the Grand General Fei Yi went north to resist the Cao Wei army, Ma Zhong remained in Chengdu to handle the affairs of the Masters of Writing. Only after Fei Yi returned did Ma Zhong go back to Nanzhong. In the twelfth year of Yanxi, Ma Zhong died, and his son Ma Xiu inherited his title. Ma Zhong was generous and broad-minded; though he often laughed heartily, he never showed anger on his face. He was decisive in handling affairs and combined kindness with authority, so that the southern tribes both feared and loved him. After his death, the local people all came in person to the mourning hall, weeping and grieving deeply, and built a temple to offer him sacrifices, which still stands today. The noted scholar Zhang Biao and the capable Yan Yu both later succeeded to Ma Zhong's post, but neither could surpass his prestige or his record of governance.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ma Zhong's image differs from the historical record, especially in his appearances and deeds, bearing a strong coloring of literary invention. He first appears as a subordinate general of Pan Zhang: when Guan Yu fled in defeat to Maicheng, Ma Zhong set an ambush, used a long hook and lasso to trip Guan Yu's mount, and captured him alive ^c:4231. This episode is not clearly recorded in the histories, which mention only that Pan Zhang's subordinate Ma Zhong captured Guan Yu, without detailing the process. In the novel, this act of Ma Zhong directly led to Guan Yu's tragic end, leaving a deep impression on readers and making him the direct cause of Guan Yu's death.

Later, in the Battle of Xiaoting in which Liu Bei sought to avenge Guan Yu, Ma Zhong appears again. When Huang Zhong was pursuing Pan Zhang, Ma Zhong shot him in the hollow of the shoulder with a single arrow, causing Huang Zhong to die of his wound ^c:4233. This too is an episode the novel devised to heighten dramatic conflict; in history Huang Zhong's death is not attributed to Ma Zhong. In the novel Ma Zhong seems to become the "bane" of important Shu Han generals, both of his crucial kills being linked to him.

During Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign against Meng Huo, Ma Zhong appears again as a Shu Han general, receiving a plan together with Wang Ping and taking part in luring Meng Huo into a trap ^c:4234. Later, when Zhuge Liang set a fire-attack stratagem in Panshe Valley, he also dispatched Ma Zhong together with Zhang Ni to lead the surrendered barbarian troops on the mission ^c:4235. During Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions, Ma Zhong also marched out of Xiegu with Ma Dai, Wang Ping, Zhang Yi, and others to join forces at Mount Qi ^c:6749. None of these episodes are recorded in the histories; they are inventions of the novel to enrich the plot and the web of relationships, making Ma Zhong's role in the novel more many-sided—at once a Wu general and a Shu general. Although this contradicts the historical record, it accords with the liberties of fiction.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han (serves): In history Ma Zhong was an important official and general of Shu Han, long garrisoning Nanzhong and making great contributions to Shu Han's stability ^c:4229. In the novel he also became a Shu Han general in his later appearances, taking part in the Southern Campaign and the Northern Expeditions.
* Liu Zhou (fights_in): In history Ma Zhong put down the rebellion of the southern tribal chief Liu Zhou, slaying Liu Zhou and stabilizing the situation in Nanzhong ^c:4229.
* Jiang Wan (advises_in): Ma Zhong once served as Adviser to the Chancellor, jointly responsible with the Chief Clerk Jiang Wan for the resident office's affairs, and conveyed the imperial edict to Jiang Wan when he returned to court in the fifth year of Yanxi ^c:4229.
* Pan Zhang (serves): In the novel Ma Zhong was a subordinate of the Eastern Wu general Pan Zhang and helped Pan Zhang capture Guan Yu ^c:4231. In history Ma Zhong was indeed Pan Zhang's subordinate and captured Guan Yu ^c:4230.
* Guan Yu (captures_in): In both the novel and history, Ma Zhong directly took part in the capture of Guan Yu ^c:4231, ^c:4230.
* Huang Zhong (kills_in): In the novel Ma Zhong shot Huang Zhong with a single arrow, causing him to die of his wound (novel only) ^c:4233.

Signature Scenes

* Liu Bei's praise that "the world is never short of worthy men": After conversing with Ma Zhong at Yongan, Liu Bei praised him to Liu Ba as one of whom it could be said "Though I have lost Huang Quan, I have gained Hu Du—this shows the world is never short of worthy men," affirming Ma Zhong's talent ^c:4229.
* Pacifying the Nanzhong rebellions: After Ma Zhong succeeded Zhang Yi as Commander of Laixiang, he succeeded in slaying the southern tribal chief Liu Zhou, pacified the rebellions in the Nanzhong region, moved his commander's office to Weixian, and recovered Yuesui Commandery, displaying his outstanding military and administrative ability ^c:4229.
* Capturing Guan Yu: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ma Zhong set an ambush at Linju, used a long hook and lasso to trip Guan Yu's mount, and captured him alive—the episode of his first appearance in the novel and one of his best-known "achievements" ^c:4231. In history, Pan Zhang's subordinate Ma Zhong also captured Guan Yu ^c:4230.
* Shooting Huang Zhong dead: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, during the Battle of Xiaoting, Ma Zhong shot Huang Zhong in the hollow of the shoulder with a single arrow while Huang Zhong was pursuing Pan Zhang, causing Huang Zhong to die of his wound (novel only) ^c:4233.
* The people of Nanzhong building a temple to him: After Ma Zhong's death, the tribal people of Nanzhong all came in person to the mourning hall, weeping and grieving deeply, and built a temple to offer him sacrifices, which still stands today—fully reflecting the deep affection and influence he held among the local people ^c:4229.