Ma Su | |
|---|---|
| 馬謖 | |
 A Qing dynasty illustration of Ma Su | |
| Advisor (參軍) | |
| In office 223–228 | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| Administrator of Yuexi (越嶲太守) (under Liu Bei) | |
| In office ?–? | |
| Monarchs | Emperor Xian of Han/ Liu Bei (from 219) |
| Prefect of Chengdu (成都令) (under Liu Bei) | |
| In office 214–? | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Prefect of Mianzhu (綿竹令) (under Liu Bei) | |
| In office 213–? | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Preceded by | Fei Shi |
| Assistant Officer (從事) (under Liu Bei) | |
| In office 209–213 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 190[1] Yicheng, Hubei |
| Died | 228 (aged 38)[1] |
| Relations |
|
| Occupation | Military general, politician |
| Courtesy name | Youchang (幼常) |
Ma Su (190–228),[1][2] courtesy name Youchang, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period of China. 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. He was a younger brother of Ma Liang.
Much dramatisation shrouds the death of Ma Su. According to the biography of Ma Su's close friend Xiang Lang, Ma Su was said to have attempted to flee with no further information if it was after or during his defeat at Jieting, but was captured. Following this, he was executed on Zhuge Liang's order and seemed to have face death with dignity. Most of the cultural's depictions concentrate on the latter part such as the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms as well as the Peking opera Loss of Jieting.
- ^ a b c Ma Su's biography in Records of the Three Kingdoms stated that he died at the age of 39 (by East Asian age reckoning) in 228. (... 謖年三十九。) By calculation, his birth year should be around 190. In addition, Liu Shan's biography in Records stated that Zhuge Liang's first expedition took place during the spring (1st to 3rd month) of that year; the period corresponds to 23 Feb to 21 May 228 in the Julian calendar.
- ^ de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A biographical dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23–220 AD). Brill. p. 649. ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0.