Ma Qi

Historical Record

Ma Qi, styled Chengbo, was a native of Langzhong County in Baxi Commandery. His elder brother was named Sheng Heng, styled Xun. Before Liu Bei pacified the land of Shu, Ma Qi served as Officer of Merit under the Administrator Zhang Fei. Zhang Fei recommended Ma Qi to the Former Lord Liu Bei, after which Ma Qi was appointed Gentleman of the Masters of Writing. During the Jianxing era, he was further appointed an aide to the Chancellor, and then promoted to Administrator of Guanghan. Not long afterward, he returned once more to Zhang Fei's side, serving as Army Advisor. After Zhuge Liang's death, Ma Qi was appointed a Master of Writing. The histories record that Ma Qi and his elder brother Sheng Xun were both renowned for their outstanding ability, but compared with their fellow townsman Yao You, their reputation among the local gentry was somewhat lesser. Yao You, styled Zixu, was likewise a native of Langzhong; after the Former Lord Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, he served as Assistant Officer of Merit. In the first year of Jianxing, Yao You was appointed Administrator of Guanghan. When the Chancellor Zhuge Liang advanced to garrison Hanzhong in the north, he summoned Yao You as an aide. In recommending civil and military men, Zhuge Liang praised Yao You as one who "combines firmness and gentleness, broadening the uses of both civil and military—truly he may be called learned and refined," and encouraged the other aides to follow his example. Yao You was later promoted to Army Advisor. After Zhuge Liang's death, Yao You gradually rose to Deputy Director of the Masters of Writing. The people of the time all admired his sincerity and steadfast generosity. Yao You died in the fifth year of Yanxi.^[1]

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms gives no independent literary portrayal of Ma Qi. In the novel, the character of Ma Qi is not mentioned, and his life and deeds are not incorporated into the grand narrative. Therefore, regarding Ma Qi's image, traits of character, specific episodes, or interactions with major figures in the novel, there is no historical or novelistic material to describe. This stands in contrast to his record in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, where at least the offices he held and his relationships with Zhang Fei, Zhuge Liang, and others are recorded, however briefly.^[1] Owing to Ma Qi's absence from the novel, we cannot discuss how the novel deviates from or supplements his historical record.

Key Relationships

Ma Qi's key relationships are reflected mainly in his connections with Zhang Fei and Zhuge Liang.

* Zhang Fei (superior/recommender): Ma Qi first served under Zhang Fei as Officer of Merit, which was the starting point of his official career. Zhang Fei recognized Ma Qi's ability and recommended him to the Former Lord Liu Bei, enabling Ma Qi to enter the central government as Gentleman of the Masters of Writing. Later, after serving as Administrator of Guanghan, Ma Qi again returned to Zhang Fei's side as Army Advisor, indicating a continuing superior–subordinate relationship and trust between the two. This relationship is clearly recorded in the histories.^[1]
* Zhuge Liang (superior): During the Jianxing era, Ma Qi served as an aide to the Chancellor Zhuge Liang, showing that he was once a member of Zhuge Liang's staff. After Zhuge Liang's death, Ma Qi was appointed a Master of Writing, further consolidating his position as a high official of Shu Han. Although the histories do not detail the specific interactions between Ma Qi and Zhuge Liang, the posts he held during and after Zhuge Liang's administration indicate a close connection with Zhuge Liang's political career.^[1]
* Sheng Xun (brother): Ma Qi and Sheng Xun were brothers, both renowned for their ability. The histories mention them together, showing the prestige and competence of their family in the locality.^[1]
* Yao You (fellow townsman/object of comparison): The histories compare Ma Qi with his fellow townsman Yao You, noting that although Ma Qi had ability, his reputation among the local gentry was not equal to Yao You's. This comparison offers us one aspect of how Ma Qi was regarded by the society of his time.^[1]

Iconic Scenes

Since there is no record of Ma Qi in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, his iconic scenes derive mainly from the historical biographical material.

* Zhang Fei's recommendation: While serving as Zhang Fei's Officer of Merit, Ma Qi was appreciated for his ability by Zhang Fei and recommended to the Former Lord Liu Bei, thereby becoming Gentleman of the Masters of Writing. This was an important turning point in Ma Qi's official career, marking his passage from local official into the central government, and embodying Zhang Fei's discernment and recommendation of talent.^[1]
* Administrator of Guanghan and return as Army Advisor: Ma Qi once served as Administrator of Guanghan, then returned again to Zhang Fei's side as Army Advisor. This experience not only shows his ability to hold an important local post but also reflects a possible special connection with Zhang Fei or Zhang Fei's continuing need of his ability. This experience of serving first as Administrator and then as Army Advisor also reflects, to some degree, the flexibility of official appointment at the time.^[1]
* Appointed Master of Writing after Zhuge Liang's death: After Zhuge Liang's death, Ma Qi was appointed a Master of Writing. This shows that he remained an important court official in the later period of Shu Han, able to continue playing a role on the political stage, and it reflects from the side the Shu Han regime's continuing need for and employment of talent after Zhuge Liang's death.^[1]