Ma Su
Encyclopedia
Ma Su was a military general and strategist of the state of Shu Han
during the Three Kingdoms
era of Chinese history
. He was the younger brother of Ma Liang. Ma Su had conspicuous talent in military theories and was admired by the Shu chancellor Zhuge Liang
. However, a tactical blunder by Ma Su at the Battle of Jieting
resulted in Shu being dealt a huge defeat by Zhang He
, a general of the rival state of Wei
.
Much dramatization shrouds the death of Ma Su. In the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
as well as the Peking opera Loss of Jieting, Ma Su was said to have been beheaded on Zhuge Liang's order. However, according to the biographies of Ma Su and his close friend Xiang Lang
(向朗) in the Records of Three Kingdoms
, Ma Su had actually attempted to escape after his defeat at Jieting, but was captured. He eventually died of illness in prison before the ordered execution could be carried out.
, Hubei
), Ma Su was one of the five brothers in the family, all of whom were renowned for their intellects, though Ma Su's elder brother Ma Liang was deemed to be the most talented among them all. Together with Ma Liang, Ma Su began his service under Liu Bei
around 205, when Liu Bei was still a guest of Liu Biao
in Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei and Hunan
).
Since the start, Liu Bei's chief advisor Zhuge Liang had been impressed by Ma Su's expansive knowledge in military strategy. Before Liu Bei died in 223, he warned Zhuge Liang that Ma Su was not as talented as he seemed and should not be given important appointments. However, Zhuge Liang did not heed the warning, and Ma Su was made a personal military consultant to Zhuge soon after Liu died. The two would often hold discussions from dawn to dusk.
During the campaign against Meng Huo
, Ma Su advised Zhuge Liang to win Meng Huo over to serve Shu by capturing and releasing him again until Meng Huo finally surrendered and joined Shu.
from command by causing discord within Wei by spreading rumors that Sima Yi intended to rebel and Cao Rui
then removed him from command. Many suggested appointing either Wei Yan
or Wu Yi (吴懿) as the vanguard commander, but Zhuge Liang chose the callow Ma Su instead.
Ma Su's forces encountered Zhang He's forces at Jieting. It was here that Ma Su made a serious tactical blunder. He had camped on top of a hill, believing the vantage point would provide him with a more advantageous position in terms of observation and a place of attack. The veteran general Wang Ping advised against Ma Su's decision, arguing that their water supply might be cut off and their forces surrounded. While his good counsel was rejected, Ma Su allowed Wang Ping to take 1,000 men and camp nearby the source of the Shu forces' water supply.
As Wang Ping predicted, Zhang He took advantage of Ma Su's mistake by striking at the Shu camp's water supply. Scattering Wang Ping's much smaller force, he succeeded in cutting off the enemy's water supply. The parched soldiers of Shu were easily defeated when Zhang He then launched an offensive on the main camp itself.
Shu Han
Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
during the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
era of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He was the younger brother of Ma Liang. Ma Su had conspicuous talent in military theories and was admired by the Shu chancellor Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
. However, a tactical blunder by Ma Su at the Battle of Jieting
Battle of Jieting
The Battle of Jieting was fought between the states of Cao Wei and Shu Han in 228 during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle was part of the first Northern Expedition led by Shu's chancellor Zhuge Liang to attack Wei...
resulted in Shu being dealt a huge defeat by Zhang He
Zhang He
Zhang He was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He continued serving the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period until his death....
, a general of the rival state of Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
.
Much dramatization shrouds the death of Ma Su. In the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
as well as the Peking opera Loss of Jieting, Ma Su was said to have been beheaded on Zhuge Liang's order. However, according to the biographies of Ma Su and his close friend Xiang Lang
Xiang Lang
Xiang Lang , style name Juda , was a minister serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the uncle of Xiang Chong. Xiang Lang originally served under Liu Biao, and he joined Liu Bei after Liu Biao's death...
(向朗) in the Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
, Ma Su had actually attempted to escape after his defeat at Jieting, but was captured. He eventually died of illness in prison before the ordered execution could be carried out.
Biography
A local of Yicheng, Xiangyang (present-day YichengYicheng, Hubei
Yicheng is a city district of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Xiangfan city....
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
), Ma Su was one of the five brothers in the family, all of whom were renowned for their intellects, though Ma Su's elder brother Ma Liang was deemed to be the most talented among them all. Together with Ma Liang, Ma Su began his service under Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
around 205, when Liu Bei was still a guest of Liu Biao
Liu Biao
Liu Biao , style name Jingsheng , was a warlord and the governor of Jing Province during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a member of the extended family of the Han Dynasty emperors...
in Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei and Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
).
Since the start, Liu Bei's chief advisor Zhuge Liang had been impressed by Ma Su's expansive knowledge in military strategy. Before Liu Bei died in 223, he warned Zhuge Liang that Ma Su was not as talented as he seemed and should not be given important appointments. However, Zhuge Liang did not heed the warning, and Ma Su was made a personal military consultant to Zhuge soon after Liu died. The two would often hold discussions from dawn to dusk.
During the campaign against Meng Huo
Meng Huo
Meng Huo was popularly regarded as a local leader representing the gentries of the Nanzhong region during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
, Ma Su advised Zhuge Liang to win Meng Huo over to serve Shu by capturing and releasing him again until Meng Huo finally surrendered and joined Shu.
Performance in Jieting
In 228, Zhuge Liang launched his Northern Expeditions against Wei, Ma Su also proposed a plot to remove Sima YiSima Yi
Sima Yi was a general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is perhaps best known for defending Wei from Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions...
from command by causing discord within Wei by spreading rumors that Sima Yi intended to rebel and Cao Rui
Cao Rui
Cao Rui , formally known as Emperor Ming of Wei, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi according to Liu Song dynasty historian, Pei Songzhi, but was a son of Yuan Xi according to modern...
then removed him from command. Many suggested appointing either Wei Yan
Wei Yan
Wei Yan was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He became a soldier of Liu Bei when the latter fled Jing Province and seek protection from the eastern warlord, Sun Quan, in 208. In 211, Wei had climbed up the ranks and become a general in Liu Bei's...
or Wu Yi (吴懿) as the vanguard commander, but Zhuge Liang chose the callow Ma Su instead.
Ma Su's forces encountered Zhang He's forces at Jieting. It was here that Ma Su made a serious tactical blunder. He had camped on top of a hill, believing the vantage point would provide him with a more advantageous position in terms of observation and a place of attack. The veteran general Wang Ping advised against Ma Su's decision, arguing that their water supply might be cut off and their forces surrounded. While his good counsel was rejected, Ma Su allowed Wang Ping to take 1,000 men and camp nearby the source of the Shu forces' water supply.
As Wang Ping predicted, Zhang He took advantage of Ma Su's mistake by striking at the Shu camp's water supply. Scattering Wang Ping's much smaller force, he succeeded in cutting off the enemy's water supply. The parched soldiers of Shu were easily defeated when Zhang He then launched an offensive on the main camp itself.
Records on Ma Su's death
Though he survived the battle, Ma Su's army was nearly annihilated (Wang Ping was able to regroup some scattered forces), so he was soon arrested and was killed by Zhuge Liang as a way to soothe the mass. However, the addendum to Ma Liang's biography concerning Ma Su's death says Ma Su eventually died of illness in prison before an execution was actually carried out. Yet, another record from the biography of Xiang Lang stated that Xiang, as a close friend of Ma Su, assisted the latter in escaping by covering up Ma's jailbreak. In any case, Ma Su was deemed by Zhuge Liang as a major cause of the failure of the first northern expedition. However, Ma Su's wife and children were said to be taken good care of by Zhuge Liang after Ma's death.Appointments and titles held
- Prefect of Jinzhu and Chengdu (綿竹成都令)
- Administrator of Yuesong (越嶲太守)