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Ma Teng

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From Maoling in Fufeng, father of Ma Chao. At the end of the Han he held part of Liang Province, sometimes allied with Han Sui and sometimes at war with him. He later came to court and stayed at Ye. In 212, when Ma Chao rose in the west, Ma Teng was killed.

Courtesy name
Shoucheng
Faction
Contenders
Dates
unknown–212

Records of the Three Kingdoms

Ma Teng, courtesy name Shoucheng, was from Maoling in Fufeng, a descendant of the Han general Ma Yuan. He and Han Sui each held troops in Liang Province. They fought, and they also swore brotherhood. As Cao Cao settled Guanzhong, Zhong Yao and others worked to split them.

Around 208 Ma Teng was summoned to court and became commandant of the guards. His family stayed at Ye. His son Ma Chao remained in the west with the troops. In 211 Ma Chao and Han Sui fought Cao Cao at Tong Pass. After the defeat Ma Chao was still active in the west. In 212 Cao Cao killed Ma Teng at Ye and exterminated the Ma household there. Ma Chao later joined Liu Bei. The novel often makes the father’s death the direct cause of the rising at Tong Pass. The order in the histories is not the same: Ma Teng died after Ma Chao had already taken up arms.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The novel has Cao Cao summon Ma Teng to the capital first. Ma Teng plots with Liu Bei and Dong Cheng, the plot fails, and he is killed. Ma Chao then rises at Tong Pass for revenge. The father’s death is his motive.

In the histories the western fighting comes first and Ma Teng at Ye is killed afterward. The novel moves the hatred forward so that Tong Pass can be a war of filial grief.

Reference: Wikipedia · Ma Teng