Ma Teng

Historical Record

Ma Teng, styled Shoucheng, was a native of Maoling in Youfufeng, a descendant of the Han General Who Calms the Waves, Ma Yuan. His father, Ma Su (styled Zishuo), had served as Commandant of Langan in Tianshui during the reign of Emperor Huan, but later lost his post and drifted to Longxi, where he lived intermingled with the Qiang and married a Qiang woman, who bore Ma Teng. In his youth Ma Teng's family was poor and without property, and he often cut timber in the Zhang Mountains and sold it in the towns to make a living. He stood over eight chi tall, with a robust build and an imposing appearance, and was of a worthy and generous disposition, deeply respected by others ^c:4244.

At the end of Emperor Ling's reign, the Inspector of Liang Province, Geng Bi, employed treacherous clerks, causing local people such as Wang Guo and the Di and Qiang tribes to rebel. The province and commanderies recruited brave and strong men to suppress the rebellion, and Ma Teng enlisted. Because of his outstanding performance, he was appointed Army Subordinate and put in command of troops. He won merit in suppressing the rebels and rose to Army Major, then was promoted to Subordinate General and further to General Who Conquers the West, regularly stationed between Qian and Long ^c:4240.

In the Chuping era, Ma Teng was appointed General Who Conquers the East. At the time the western region was short of grain, and Ma Teng memorialized that his army was in great want, requesting to go to Chiyang to obtain provisions, whereupon he shifted his garrison to Changping by the riverbank. However, generals such as Wang Cheng, fearing that Ma Teng might harm them, attacked his camp. At the time Ma Teng was away and unprepared, so he was defeated and fled, withdrawing to the west. As it happened the Three Adjuncts region was in turmoil, and he could not return east; he then swore brotherhood with the General Who Guards the West, Han Sui. At first the two were close, but later, when their troops encroached on one another, they became enemies. Ma Teng once attacked Han Sui; after Han Sui fled in defeat he regrouped his forces and counterattacked Ma Teng, killing Ma Teng's wife and children, and the two fought year after year without cease ^c:4240.

At the beginning of the Jian'an era, the discipline of the state was nearly in ruins, and the court sent the Colonel-Director of Retainers Zhong Yao and the Governor of Liang Province Wei Duan to reconcile the conflict between Ma Teng and Han Sui. Afterward Ma Teng was summoned to garrison Huaili, transferred to General of the Van with the staff of authority, and enfeoffed as Marquis of Huaili. He guarded against the Hu raiders to the north and prepared against the White Riders to the east, treating officers well and advancing the worthy, showing pity for the people's lives, so that the Three Adjuncts region found peace ^c:4240.

In the tenth year of Jian'an (205 CE), when Cao Cao was Minister of Works, he sent the Colonel-Director of Retainers Zhong Yao to persuade Ma Teng and the other Guanzhong generals. Zhong Yao analyzed the advantages and disadvantages for them, and Ma Teng and the rest complied. Ma Teng sent his son Ma Chao to lead over ten thousand men to join Zhong Yao in jointly attacking Guo Yuan and Gao Gan, routing the enemy and beheading Guo Yuan. Gao Gan and the Xiongnu Chanyu both surrendered. Later Gao Gan rebelled again in Bing Province, and Zhang Sheng of Henei gathered over ten thousand men to make trouble between Xiao and Mian, while Wei Gu of Hedong and Zhang Yan of Hongnong each raised troops in response. Cao Cao appointed Ma Teng Imperial Household Grandee to take part in Zhong Yao's military affairs, and sent him to march west alongside the other generals to jointly suppress Zhang Sheng and the rest, defeating them. They beheaded Zhang Yan and Wei Gu, while Gao Gan fled to Jing Province ^c:4238.

When Cao Cao was preparing to campaign against Jing Province, Ma Teng and the others still held Guanzhong in separatist fashion. Cao Cao again sent Zhong Yao to persuade Ma Teng and the rest to give up their troops and return to the capital. Although Ma Teng had agreed, he wavered again. Zhong Yao, fearing he would change his mind, ordered the counties to urge the stockpiling of supplies and had officials of the two-thousand-bushel rank welcome him in the suburbs. Left with no choice, Ma Teng traveled east. Cao Cao memorialized to appoint Ma Teng Commandant of the Guards, and his son Ma Chao a general, to command his troops ^c:6750.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ma Teng's image is endowed with greater loyalty and drama. He first appears after Dong Zhuo's misrule, leading more than a hundred thousand troops together with Han Sui, professing to suppress Dong Zhuo's remnants Li Jue, Guo Si, and the others, and pressing directly toward Chang'an ^c:6751. At this point Ma Teng's son Ma Chao makes his first appearance: only seventeen years old, yet valiant and invincible, within a few bouts before the lines he stabbed Wang Fang to death and captured Li Meng alive, displaying the prowess of the Ma family's martial house ^c:15510.

In the novel Ma Teng is cast as a loyal minister cherishing the Han house. He once secretly allied with Dong Cheng and others, taking part in the "Girdle Edict" affair to plot the killing of Cao Cao ^c:15515. When Dong Cheng showed him Emperor Xian's secret edict, Ma Teng's "hair stood on end, he gnashed his teeth and chewed his lips, his mouth full of blood," and he vowed to lead the Xiliang troops as an outside ally ^c:15519. He even suggested that Dong Cheng contact Liu Bei to act together, believing that Liu Bei did not lack the will to suppress Cao Cao but only feared that Cao Cao's claws and fangs were too many for his strength ^c:4242. These episodes are not clearly recorded in the histories; they are the novel's artistic embellishment to highlight his loyalty.

Later, in order to campaign southward against Sun Quan, Cao Cao, fearing that Ma Teng would attack Xu from the rear, adopted Xun You's plan and falsely conferred on Ma Teng the rank of General Who Conquers the South to lure him to the capital ^c:6753. Ma Teng discussed the matter with his eldest son Ma Chao, who held that Cao Cao was summoning his father on the Son of Heaven's command, and that not going might bring a charge of defying orders; it would be better to seize the chance to enter the capital and act as circumstances allowed, so as to fulfill his old ambition ^c:4245. Ma Teng's nephew Ma Dai, however, dissuaded him, holding that Cao Cao harbored unfathomable intentions and that the trip boded ill ^c:15526. In the end Ma Teng decided to take only his second son Ma Xiu, his son Ma Tie, and his nephew Ma Dai, leaving Ma Chao to guard Xiliang against the unexpected ^c:15526.

After entering the capital, Ma Teng plotted with Huang Kui to behead Cao Cao when he reviewed the troops. However, because of a betrayal by Huang Kui's household servant, the plan leaked. Ma Teng and his sons fought desperately in the city, but in the end were too few against many: Ma Tie was shot dead by a hail of arrows, and Ma Teng and Ma Xiu were gravely wounded and captured. Cao Cao ordered that Huang Kui and Ma Teng and his sons be bound and brought together. Ma Teng cursed Cao Cao bitterly: "A wretched scholar has ruined my great enterprise! That I cannot kill the traitor for the state is the will of Heaven!" In the end he met his death together with Ma Xiu and Huang Kui ^c:15530. This tragic ending further strengthens Ma Teng's image of loyalty and righteousness in the novel.

Key Relationships

* Han Sui (rival_of): In history, Ma Teng and Han Sui once swore brotherhood, but later turned to enmity when their troops encroached on one another, fighting year after year, with Han Sui even killing Ma Teng's wife and children ^c:4240. In the novel, the two also often appear together, as in jointly suppressing Li Jue and Guo Si, but their grievances are played down in the novel and they appear more as allies.
* Ma Chao (parent_of): Ma Chao was Ma Teng's eldest son and, in both history and the novel, an important general under Ma Teng. The histories record that Ma Teng once sent Ma Chao to follow Zhong Yao in suppressing Guo Yuan and Gao Gan ^c:4240. In the novel Ma Chao appears early and displays his valor, and when Ma Teng went to the capital, Ma Chao guarded Xiliang, becoming a key pillar of the Ma Teng family ^c:15526.
* Zhong Yao (fights_in): In history Zhong Yao was an important strategist and general of Cao Cao, who on several occasions was ordered to persuade and contact Ma Teng and fought alongside him, as in suppressing Guo Yuan and Gao Gan ^c:4238.
* Cao Wei (defected_to): In history, Ma Teng finally accepted Cao Cao's summons and entered the capital to serve as Commandant of the Guards, his troops commanded by Ma Chao ^c:6750. This may be regarded as Ma Teng's submission to the Cao Wei camp. In the novel, however, Ma Teng's journey to the capital was a deception by Cao Cao that ended in his death, so his submission carries a tragic coloring.
* Dong Cheng (ally_of): In the novel, Ma Teng was an important participant and ally in Dong Cheng's "Girdle Edict" affair, jointly plotting to kill Cao Cao ^c:15515 (novel only).
* Liu Bei (ally_of): In the novel, Ma Teng held the highest expectations of Liu Bei, regarding him as a loyal and righteous man with whom one could jointly suppress Cao Cao, and suggested that Dong Cheng seek Liu Bei's help ^c:4242 (novel only).

Signature Scenes

* Turning enemy with Han Sui, fighting year after year: In history, Ma Teng's path from swearing brotherhood with Han Sui to becoming his enemy, even attacking one another, with Han Sui killing Ma Teng's wife and children, was an important turning point and conflict in his life ^c:4240.
* Sending Ma Chao to follow Zhong Yao in suppressing Guo Yuan and Gao Gan: This was an important instance of Ma Teng's cooperation with Cao Cao's camp, and also the first record of Ma Chao displaying military talent in the histories ^c:4238.
* Entering the capital as Commandant of the Guards: In history, Ma Teng finally accepted Cao Cao's summons and entered the capital to serve as Commandant of the Guards, marking the end of his political career and the shift in his relationship with Cao Cao ^c:6750.
* The "Girdle Edict" plot to kill Cao: In the novel, upon learning of the "Girdle Edict," Ma Teng's "hair stood on end, he gnashed his teeth and chewed his lips, his mouth full of blood," and he vowed to take part in the plot to kill Cao to the death, displaying his loyal and indignant character ^c:15519 (novel only).
* Ma Chao slaying Wang Fang in the field and capturing Li Meng alive: In the novel, when Ma Teng and Han Sui suppressed Li Jue and Guo Si, his son Ma Chao made his first appearance with great prowess, slaying Wang Fang and capturing Li Meng alive, winning the first victory for Ma Teng's army ^c:15510 (novel only).
* Death at Xu Chang, cursing Cao Cao: In the novel, after Ma Teng was lured to the capital by Cao Cao, the plot was exposed, and he was finally put to death together with his son Ma Xiu. Before his death he cursed Cao Cao bitterly, expressing his regret at being unable to rid the state of the traitor and his hatred for Cao Cao, a tragic ending to his image of loyalty and righteousness ^c:15530 (novel only).