Ma Teng
Ma Teng (ⓘ) (died June or July 212[2]), courtesy name Shoucheng, was a Chinese military general and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.[1] He controlled Liang Province (涼州; covering parts of present-day Shaanxi and Gansu) with another warlord, Han Sui. Ma Teng and Han Sui were involved in efforts to gain autonomy from the Han central government.
Ma Teng | |
|---|---|
| 馬騰 | |
 A Qing dynasty illustration of Ma Teng | |
| Minister of the Guards (衛尉) | |
| In office 208–211 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Chancellor | Cao Cao |
| General of the Vanguard (前將軍) | |
| In office 208 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) | |
| In office 202–208 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| General Who Pacifies the Di (安狄將軍) | |
| In office 195–202 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| General Who Attacks the West (征西將軍) | |
| In office 192–195 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Xingping, Shaanxi |
| Died | 212[1] Handan, Hebei |
| Children |
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| Parent |
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| Relatives | Ma Dai (nephew) |
| Occupation | Military general, warlord |
| Courtesy name | Shoucheng (壽成) |
| Peerage | Marquis of Huaili (槐里侯) |
Life
Descendant of Ma Yuan, Ma Teng was from Maoling County (茂陵縣), Fufeng Commandery (扶風郡) (present-day Xingping, Shaanxi). His father, Ma Ping (馬平), was a minor official in Tianshui Commandery, but because of some dispute he was dismissed from his post, and went to live among the Qiang people.
Ma Teng grew up in extreme poverty and made a living selling firewood he collected in the mountains. After growing up, his height was said to have been over eight chi, (≈1.86 metres). He was said to have been fierce in appearance, but kind to others, wise, and respected by many.
In 184, during the final years of Emperor Ling's reign, the Qiang people in Liang Province rose up against the local government under Beigong Yu (北宫玉) and Liwen Hou (李文侯). They were joined by members of the local gentry Han Sui and Bian Zhang. The official Han governor of Liang Province, Geng Bi (耿鄙), gathered forces to put down the rebellion, and Ma Teng volunteered as a foot soldier. His skills in battle against the rebels were recognised and he rose through the ranks of the soldiery. However, when Geng Bi was killed in battle by the rebel army, Ma Teng switched sides and joined Han Sui. The rebellion was eventually suppressed by the Han general Huangfu Song but Ma Teng escaped along with the rebels. In the end, the central government granted military titles to some of the rebel leaders in order to appease them.
When Li Jue and Guo Si seized power over Chang'an after Dong Zhuo's assassination, Ma Teng and Han Sui at first pledged allegiance to them, and were appointed as General who Attacks the West (征西将軍) and General who Guards the West (鎮西将軍) respectively. However, the relationship between the two sides quickly soured, and Ma Teng and Han Sui led their armies in an attempt to seize Chang'an. They allied themselves with the warlord Liu Yan, but suffered defeats from the hands of Li Jue's forces led by Guo Si, Fan Chou and Li Li. Not only was the loss of 10,000 soldiers a heavy blow to the morale of the allied forces, they also faced a supply shortage at the time, so the eloquent Han Sui asked Fan Chou for a private talk, during which Han Sui successfully persuaded Fan Chou to abort the pursuit because they shared the same hometown. The allied forces then retreated back to Liang Province safely.
Although Ma Teng was initially on good terms with Han Sui, the two went to war against each other over control of Liang Province. The fighting escalated to a point where they were killing each other's wives and children. Cao Cao, who at this point had decisively defeated Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu, brokered peace between Ma Teng and Han Sui, who then pledged allegiance to the Han dynasty and sent troops to assist Cao Cao in defeating Yuan Shao's successors and remnants. After this, Ma Teng was summoned to Ye city with most of his family, and was appointed Minister of the Guards (衛尉). His eldest son, Ma Chao, remained behind in Liang Province with Han Sui.
Around early 211, Ma Chao secretly formed a coalition with Han Sui and other minor warlords in Liang Province and started a rebellion against the Han dynasty. While persuading Han Sui to join him, Ma Chao said, "[...] Now, I abandon my father, and I'm willing to acknowledge you as my father. You should also abandon your son, and treat me like your son."[3] Cao Cao defeated Ma Chao and his coalition at the Battle of Tong Pass in September 211. Sometime in the summer of 212, Emperor Xian issued an imperial decree ordering the execution of Ma Teng and the rest of his family who were with him in Ye city at the time.[4][5]
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ma Teng is portrayed as a loyalist of the declining Han dynasty. He participates in a plot with Liu Bei and Dong Cheng to assassinate Cao Cao, who in the novel, is depicted as a villain monopolising power and holding Emperor Xian hostage. However, the plot is unsuccessful and Ma Teng returns to Liang Province.
When Ma Teng is later recalled to the imperial capital Xuchang, he decides to again join a plot to assassinate Cao Cao, this time with Huang Kui (黄奎). However, the plot is discovered and he is executed along with his sons Ma Xiu (馬休) and Ma Tie (馬鐵). Upon hearing of his father and brothers' deaths, Ma Chao becomes filled with rage and goes to war with Cao Cao to avenge his family, starting the Battle of Tong Pass.
In popular culture
Ma Teng is a warlord and playable character in the game Total War: Three Kingdoms.[6] Ma Teng also appears in the Dynasty Warrior games, specifically Dynasty Warriors 5, and Dynasty Warriors 9.
References
- de Crespigny (2007), p. 650.
- According to Liu Xie's biography in Book of the Later Han, Ma Teng was executed on the guiwei day of the 5th month of the 17th year of the Jian'an era of his reign. However, there is no guiwei day in that month; the month corresponds to 17 Jun to 16 Jul 212 in the Julian calendar. [(建安)十七年夏五月癸未，诛卫尉马腾，夷三族。] Houhanshu, vol.09
- (及約還，超謂約曰：「前鍾司隸任超使取將軍，關東人不可複信也。今超棄父，以將軍為父，將軍亦當棄子，以超為子。」行諫約，不欲令與超合。約謂行曰：「今諸將不謀而同，似有天數。」乃東詣華陰。) Weilue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 15.
- (超至安定，遂奔涼州。詔收滅超家屬。超復敗於隴上。) Dianlue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 36.
- (十七年夏五月癸未，誅衞尉馬騰，夷三族。) Houhanshu vol. 9.
- "Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Warlord Legends – Ma Teng". Total War. 2018-11-09. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-220 AD. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004156050.
- Fan, Ye (5th century). Book of the Later Han (Houhanshu).
- Luo, Guanzhong (14th century). Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguo Yanyi).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.