Ma Zhong (Shu Han)

Ma Zhong (died 249), courtesy name Dexin, originally named Hu Du, was a military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Liu Bei was quite impressed by Ma Zhong and praised him highly, comparing him to the recently defected Huang Quan, Zhong was trusted and respected by the following head of the gouvernement Zhuge Liang, Jiang Wan and Fei Yi. After Liu Bei's death, he served under Zhuge Liang during the Southern Campaign and helped to quell the rebellion. He was appointed as the area commander in the south after Li Hui's death. He spends most of his life pacify the region and protecting the people of the south often with the help of Zhang Ni. Ma Zhong was known as a generous and whimsical man but he was also decisive in handling affairs. Hence the southern tribes both feared him and respected him. His duty in the south could be comparable to Wang Ping in the north and Deng Zhi in the east. After his death, the foreigners sorely missed him and later established a temple in his honor.

Ma Zhong
馬忠
Statue of Ma Zhong in a temple in Chengdu, Sichuan
Senior General Who Guards the South
(鎮南大將軍)
In office
242 (242) – 249 (249)
MonarchLiu Shan
General Who Stabilises the South (安南將軍)
In office
? (?) – 242 (242)
MonarchLiu Shan
Personal details
BornUnknown
Langzhong, Sichuan
Died249
Children
  • Ma Xiu
  • Ma Hui
  • Ma Rong
OccupationGeneral
Courtesy nameDexin (德信)
PeerageMarquis of Pengxiang Village
(彭鄉亭侯)
Original nameHu Du (狐篤)
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Ma.

Early life

Ma Zhong was a man of Langzhong in Bāxī. When Ma Zhong was a child, he was raised and adopted by his mother's family, hence he was surnamed Hú and named Dǔ. Ma Zhong afterward returned to his surname (back to Mǎ), and changed his name to Zhōng. He became a commandery clerk, at the End of the Han dynasty (196-220). After distinguishing himself in civil affairs, Ma Zhong was later nominated as xiàolián “filial and incorrupt” and sent out as Chief of Hànchāng.[1]

Meeting Liu Bei

When Liu Bei led an eastern campaign in 222 and was defeated at the Battle of Xiaoting. The Administrator of Bāxī, Yan Zhi sent from all the various counties soldiers. And raised 5000 men as replacements for losses during the battle. Then, he put them under Ma Zhong's command to deliver them. Liu Bei had already returned to Yufu County (魚復縣; present-day Fengjie County, Chongqing), which he renamed "Yong'an" (永安; literally "everlasting peace"). While he was there and under the recommendation of his Director of the Secretariat Liu Ba, he personally met Ma Zhong and spoke with him of political affairs. Liu Bei was so impressed by Ma Zhong that he said to Liu Ba :

“Though I lost Huang Quan, I gained Hu Du (Ma Zhong). This shows that the world has no lack of talent.”[2]

Service under Zhuge Liang

When Liu Bei died in 223, he named Zhuge Liang and Li Yan as regents to support Liu Shan. The Chancellor Zhuge Liang opened his office and heard of Liu Bei's endorsement of Zhong's talents. So, he appointed him as Commander Beneath the Gates or supervisor of the palace guards. Zhuge Liang was further impressed by Ma Zhong's good conduct.[3]

In 225, Zhuge Liang launched a campaign against Yong Kai (雍闓)’s rebellion also known as Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign, and appointed Ma Zhong as the Grand Administrator of Zangke, which had been in rebellion since the commander Deputy Zhu Bao (朱褒) defected in 223. After two years of constant revolt, the commandery was unruly yet Ma Zhong quickly quelled the rebels and pacified the region. As the Grand Administrator, he remained in the commandery and helped the region to recover. He proved his skills as an administrator as he brought relief and a harmonious government. Among the people of the region, Zhong deeply had authority and kindness.[4]

For the next five years, Ma Zhong stayed in Zhangke and helped to restore peace and prosperity to the commandery. However, in 230, Zhuge Liang summoned him to be an Advisor to the Army in Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions, and assisted the Chief Clerk Jiang Wan’s in the gouvernement's affairs during the defense of Shu. For his accomplishments, Zhong was given an office as Advisor in Provincial Internal Government.[5]

Next year, in 231. Zhuge Liang set out against the foreing tribes Qíshān. Zhong visited where Zhuge Liàng was and helped him in the military affairs. Zhong led the army with the brave Commanding General Zhang Ni and others to quelled the rebelling Qiāng in Wènshān commandery.[6]

Subjugating southern tribes

In 233, the southern foreigner Liu Zhou gathered support among the many tribes and rebelled. His rebellion was such that it disturbed most of the commanderiess. The Commander of Láijiàng Zhang Yi (Bogong) was unable to quell the rebellion and summoned back. However before returning, Zhang Yi gathered supplies to helped Ma Zhong and make sure his army was well provided. Zhong was sent to succeed him. Ma Zhong thereupon led his army and defeated the rebelled army, and finally beheaded Liu Zhou. With his victory, he pacified the southern lands. Ma Zhong was given additional office as Supervisor of the Army and General Exerting Authority with a fief as Marquis of Bóyáng Village.[7]

Before Zhong arrived and during Yong Kai's rebellion. In Jiànníng commandery, the rebels killed the Administrator Zheng Ang and bounded the other Administrator Zhang Yi (Junsi) but they did not dare to kill him so instead they sent him as a captive to Eastern Wu therefore the Commander by fear had always garrisoned away in Píngyí county. But when Zhong became Commander, he would not do this and moved his headquarters to Wei County, Handan residing among the Han population and foreigners. Also Yuèxī commandery had long been lost territory. And so to retake it, Ma Zhong led with the vanguard general Zhang Ni a victorious campaign against the various tribes and was able to restore the old commandery. For his help, Ma Zhong was promoted to General Who Stabilises the South (安南將軍) and advanced in fief to Marquis of Péngxiāng Village (彭鄉亭侯).[8]

Later life

In 242, Laixiang was again a calm territory and Ma Zhong was called back to Chengdu to the Court. After, he was sent to Hànzhōng and met the Marshal-in-Chief Jiang Wan to help oversee the defenses against Cao Wei and deliver an Imperial Order. Jiang Wan also promoted him to Senior General Who Guards the South (鎮南大將軍).[9]

Two years later, in the spring of 244. A large Wei army under the command of Cao Shuang attacked Hanzhong at the Battle of Xingshi. Wang Ping commanded the initial defenses however the General-in-Chief Fei Yi wanted to lead reinforcements to the north. During this time, Ma Zhong was put in charge of the gouvernement affairs in Chengdu, Zhong repaid Yi's trust and did well during his absence. When Fei Yi returned, he sent Zhong back protect the south against the raid of the tribal tribes.[10]

Ma Zhong stayed in the south and kept the land peaceful for another 5 years.He died in 249 and was greatly mourned by all of the people of Laixiang, foreign clans and Han. His son Xiū succeeded him. While Xiū's younger brother Huī has his son Yì as a Jìn Administrator of Jianning County.[11]

Family

Ma Zhong had three sons: Ma Xiu (馬脩), Ma Hui (馬恢) and Ma Rong (馬融). Ma Hui's son, Ma Yi (馬義), served as the Administrator of Jianning Commandery during the Jin dynasty.

Appraisal and successors

Ma Zhong as a man was generous and had magnanimity but was whimsical, teased and greatly laughed. However when furious it did not show on his face. Yet, in handling affairs he could be decisive and was both authoritative and kind.Therefore the foreigners both feared and loved him. When he died, none of them did not personally go the funeral hall, weeping with utmost sorrow and they established for him a Temple with sacrifices, which up to now [~290] is still present.[12]

Zhang Biao was at the time was a famous scholar whose reputation for refinement surpassed Zhong. Yet with the possible exception of Li Hui (Three Kingdoms), Zhong was the most popular area commander for Shu-Han's southern lands. Yan Yu showed ability for achievement and in affairs was meticulous and diligent. Hence with Biao, they continued administering the south after Ma Zhong's death but their authority and merits both did not match those of Ma Zhong.[13]

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See also

References
  1. (馬忠字德信，巴西閬中人也。少養外家，姓狐，名篤，後乃復姓，改名忠。為郡吏，建安末舉孝廉，除漢昌長。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  2. (先主東征，敗績猇亭，巴西太守閻芝發諸縣兵五千人以補遺闕，遣忠送往。先主已還永安，見忠與語，謂尚書令劉巴曰：「雖亡黃權，復得狐篤，此為世不乏賢也。」建興元年，丞相亮開府，以忠為門下督。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  3. (三年，亮入南，拜忠牂牁太守。郡丞朱褒反。) ) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  4. (叛亂之後，忠撫育卹理，甚有威惠。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  5. (八年，召為丞相參軍，副長史蔣琬署留府事。又領州治中從事。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  6. (明年，亮出祁山，忠詣亮所，經營戎事。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  7. (軍還，督將軍張嶷等討汶山郡叛羌。十一年，南夷豪帥劉冑反，擾亂諸郡。徵庲降都督張翼還，以忠代翼。忠遂斬冑，平南土。加忠監軍奮威將軍，封博陽亭侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  8. (初，建寧郡殺太守正昂，縛太守張裔於吳，故都督常駐平夷縣。至忠，乃移治味縣，處民夷之間。又越嶲郡亦久失土地，忠率將太守張嶷開復舊郡，由此就加安南將軍，進封彭鄉亭侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  9. (延熙五年還朝，因至漢中，見大司馬蔣琬，宣傳詔旨，加拜鎮南大將軍。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  10. (七年春，大將軍費禕北禦魏敵，留忠成都，平尚書事。禕還，忠乃歸南。禕還，忠乃歸南。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  11. (十二年卒，子脩嗣〔一〕。) Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  12. 忠為人寬濟有度量，但詼啁大笑，忿怒不形於色。然處事能斷，威恩並立，是以蠻夷畏而愛之。及卒，莫不自致喪庭，流涕盡哀，為之立廟祀，迄今猶在。)Sanguozhi vol. 43.
  13. (張表，時名士，清望踰忠。閻宇，宿有功幹，於事精勤。繼踵在忠後，其威風稱績，皆不及忠。 )Sanguozhi vol. 43.
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