Ma Liang

Historical Record

Ma Liang, styled Jichang, was a native of Yicheng in Xiangyang. He and his four brothers all had a reputation for talent, and the people of their hometown said, "Among the five Chang of the Ma clan, White Brows is the best," because Ma Liang had white hairs in his eyebrows ^c:4246. When Liu Bei took charge of Jing Province, he recruited Ma Liang as a Subordinate. After Liu Bei entered Shu, Zhuge Liang followed him into Sichuan, while Ma Liang stayed behind to guard Jing Province. During this time Ma Liang wrote a letter to Zhuge Liang congratulating Liu Bei on taking Luocheng and praising Zhuge Liang for "responding to the times to aid the age, matching the enterprise to glorify the state" ^c:4246. Liu Bei later recruited Ma Liang as an Aide to the General of the Left. Ma Liang once went on a mission to Eastern Wu, and before departing he asked Zhuge Liang to recommend him to Sun Quan; Zhuge Liang had him compose the document himself. Ma Liang then wrote a self-recommendation praising himself as one with "little of the brilliance of impetuosity, but possessed of the merit of seeing things through," and after reading it Sun Quan held him in high esteem ^c:4248.

After Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor, he appointed Ma Liang Palace Attendant. In the second year of Zhangwu (222 CE), when Liu Bei went east on campaign against Wu, he sent Ma Liang to Wuling Commandery to win over the Wuxi tribes. Ma Liang did not fail his charge, successfully persuading the tribal chiefs to accept Shu Han's seals and titles, all as he intended ^c:4237. However, that same year Liu Bei suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Xiaoting, and Ma Liang too was killed in this engagement, at the age of thirty-six ^c:4237. Mindful of Ma Liang's merit, Liu Bei posthumously appointed his son Ma Bing as Cavalry Commandant ^c:4237.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ma Liang's image is fuller, and he takes part in more important historical events. He first appears after Liu Bei occupied Jing Province, when Yi Ji recommended the Ma brothers to Liu Bei, especially noting that Ma Liang "had white hairs between his brows, named Liang, styled Jichang. The local saying went: 'Among the five Chang of the Ma clan, White Brows is the best'" ^c:4249. Ma Liang offered Liu Bei a plan, advising him first to take the four commanderies of Lingling, Wuling, Guiyang, and Changsha as a base, and to send Liu Qi to guard Jing Province in order to settle the people's hearts ^c:4249. Liu Bei adopted his plan and appointed Ma Liang a Subordinate ^c:6756.

In the novel Ma Liang repeatedly serves as Zhuge Liang's envoy or adviser. During Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province, Ma Liang, on Zhuge Liang's orders, carried a letter to Fu Pass to convey Zhuge Liang's warning to Liu Bei about the fortunes of the war ^c:4251. While Guan Yu guarded Jing Province, Ma Liang was appointed Adviser to assist Guan Yu ^c:6757. He once remonstrated with Guan Yu against rashly going to Lu Su's "single-blade meeting," pointing out that "though Lu Su has the bearing of an elder, the situation is now urgent and he may well harbor other intentions; the general should not go lightly" ^c:4252. During Guan Yu's Northern Campaign against Xiangyang and Fan, Ma Liang again served as Adviser and went on campaign with the army ^c:4253.

On the eve of the Battle of Xiaoting, Ma Liang raised objections to Liu Bei's military dispositions. He advised Liu Bei that Lu Xun was "young but talented, with deep strategy," and should not be taken lightly ^c:4255. When Liu Bei moved his camps to a place lush with woods and forests, Ma Liang again remonstrated, fearing a sudden attack by the Wu troops ^c:15540. He suggested that Liu Bei send a diagram of the camps to Eastern Sichuan to consult Zhuge Liang ^c:15542. Ma Liang went as ordered, and when Zhuge Liang saw the diagram he struck the table and cried out in alarm, predicting that Shu Han's fortunes were nearing their end, and pointing out that "to encamp enclosing low marshlands and rough terrain is a great taboo of the strategist. Should the enemy use fire, how could one be saved?" ^c:4256. Astonished, Ma Liang hurried back to the imperial camp, but it was too late, for Liu Bei had already been defeated at Yiling ^c:4257. In the novel, after the Battle of Xiaoting Ma Liang returned to Baidicheng and reported Zhuge Liang's words to Liu Bei, who was filled with bitter regret on hearing them ^c:4257. The novel does not clearly state that Ma Liang was killed in the Battle of Xiaoting; instead it lets him survive and continue to offer counsel to Liu Bei, even, after Liu Bei died in the palace at Yongan, advising him not to grieve excessively ^c:15536. This differs from the historical record that Ma Liang was killed in the Battle of Xiaoting.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han (serves): Ma Liang was recruited as a Subordinate from the time Liu Bei took charge of Jing Province, and later served as Aide to the General of the Left and Palace Attendant, serving Shu Han all his life ^c:4246.
* Ma Su (sibling_of): Ma Liang was the elder brother of Ma Su; the five brothers all had a reputation for talent, and the people of their hometown said, "Among the five Chang of the Ma clan, White Brows is the best" ^c:4246.
* Zhuge Liang (friend_of): Ma Liang and Zhuge Liang were on very close terms, addressing each other as "elder brother," and Ma Liang once asked Zhuge Liang to recommend him to Sun Quan ^c:4246, ^c:4248. In the novel, Ma Liang repeatedly serves as Zhuge Liang's envoy and adviser, conveying Zhuge Liang's strategic intentions ^c:4251.
* Sun Quan (friend_of): When Ma Liang went on a mission to Eastern Wu, Sun Quan held him in high esteem ^c:4248.
* Liu Bei (serves): Ma Liang was an important strategist for Liu Bei, offering him counsel and deeply trusted by him. In the novel, Liu Bei repeatedly adopted Ma Liang's advice ^c:4249.
* Guan Yu (colleague_of): In the novel, Ma Liang once assisted Guan Yu in guarding Jing Province and accompanied him on the Northern Campaign ^c:6757, ^c:4253.

Signature Scenes

* White Brows is the best: Because of the white hairs in his eyebrows, Ma Liang was praised by his townsfolk as the best of the "five Chang of the Ma clan," which became his distinctive mark of identity ^c:4246.
* Mission to Eastern Wu: Ma Liang once went on a mission to Eastern Wu and, on Zhuge Liang's advice, composed the document himself, successfully winning Sun Quan's esteem ^c:4248.
* Winning over the Wuxi tribes: During Liu Bei's eastern campaign against Wu, Ma Liang was sent to Wuling to win over the Wuxi tribes and succeeded in persuading them to submit to Shu Han, displaying his outstanding diplomatic talent ^c:4237.
* Remonstrating with Guan Yu over the "single-blade meeting" (novel only): In the novel, Ma Liang once remonstrated with Guan Yu against rashly going to Lu Su's "single-blade meeting," showing his caution and his concern for Guan Yu ^c:4252.
* Remonstrating with Liu Bei over the Yiling dispositions (novel only): Before the Battle of Xiaoting, Ma Liang repeatedly advised Liu Bei, questioning his military dispositions and suggesting that Liu Bei send the camp diagram to Zhuge Liang for review, reflecting his strategic vision and his anxiety over the situation ^c:15540, ^c:15542.
* Zhuge Liang predicting the defeat at Yiling (novel only): After Ma Liang brought Liu Bei's camp diagram to Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Liang foretold Shu Han's defeat and pointed out the fatal flaw in Liu Bei's dispositions; this scene highlights Ma Liang's important role as the conveyor of information between Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei ^c:4256.
* Killed at Yiling: Ma Liang was killed in the Battle of Xiaoting at the age of thirty-six, giving his life for the cause of Shu Han ^c:4237.