RNo direct record — estimated from his capture of Guan YuWu 10 §92
NHit Huang Zhong in the shoulder with an arrow and charged at Guan XingCh. 83 §5Ch. 83 §21
Ma Zhong 馬忠
| Occupation | RGeneral · Major NGeneral · Lieutenant | Faction | Wu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | N? Unverified | Native place | 巴郡 |
| Died | N222 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | NKilled Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R2 |
Profile
Ma Zhong was Major to the Wu general Pan Zhang. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears once each in the Biography of the Lord of Wu and the Biography of Pan Zhang, which do not record his courtesy name or native place. He is a different person from the Shu general Ma Zhong, whose courtesy name was Dexin and who was a man of Langzhong in Baxi. Records, Wu 2 §28Records, Wu 10 §92Records, Shu 13 §29
When Sun Quan attacked Guan Yu in the 24th year of Jian'an (219), Pan Zhang cut off Guan Yu's line of retreat together with Zhu Ran, and in the 12th month of that year Ma Zhong captured Guan Yu, his son Guan Ping, the Area Commander Zhao Lei and others at Zhangxiang. With this Sun Quan at last pacified Jing Province. Records, Wu 2 §26 · 28Records, Wu 10 §92
In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 77 as Pan Zhang's lieutenant who captures Guan Yu at Jueshi, and he appears in 3 of its 120 chapters; his name is in no chapter title. After Guan Yu's death he takes the Red Hare and presents it to Sun Quan, and in Chapter 83 he hits Huang Zhong with an arrow, but later he is stabbed to death by Mi Fang and Fu Shiren, and his head is presented to Liu Bei. Romance, Ch. 77 §9 · 16Romance, Ch. 83 §5 · 26
In the Records
Ma Zhong was Major to the Wu general Pan Zhang. He has no biography of his own in the Records, and appears once each in the Biography of the Lord of Wu and the Biography of Pan Zhang for the capture of Guan Yu. The Records do not record his courtesy name or native place. Records, Wu 2 §28Records, Wu 10 §92
In the 24th year of Jian'an (219) Guan Yu besieged Cao Ren at Xiangyang, and when the Han River suddenly rose he captured all 30,000 foot and horse who had come to the rescue and sent them to Jiangling. Sun Quan asked Lord Cao for leave to attack Guan Yu, and in the intercalary month first sent Lü Meng to take Gong'an by surprise. When Mi Fang, Administrator of Nan Commandery, surrendered his city and Lü Meng occupied Jiangling, Guan Yu returned to Dangyang and held Maicheng to the west. Records, Wu 2 §26–27
When Sun Quan sent someone to entice him, Guan Yu feigned surrender, set up banners and human-shaped dummies on the city wall and fled, but his soldiers all scattered and only a dozen or so horsemen remained. Sun Quan had already sent Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang to cut off his road, and according to the Biography of Pan Zhang, Pan Zhang reached Linju with Zhu Ran and camped at Jiashi. Records, Wu 2 §28Records, Wu 10 §92
In the 12th month Pan Zhang's Major Ma Zhong captured Guan Yu, his son Guan Ping, the Area Commander Zhao Lei and others at Zhangxiang, and Sun Quan at last pacified Jing Province. The Biography of Pan Zhang likewise records that Ma Zhong, a Major under Pan Zhang, captured Guan Yu and also captured Guan Ping, Zhao Lei and others. The Biography of Guan Yu records only that Sun Quan sent generals who beheaded Guan Yu and Guan Ping at Linju, and Ma Zhong's name does not appear. Records, Wu 2 §28Records, Wu 10 §92Records, Shu 6 §12
The Biography of Pan Zhang goes on to record that Sun Quan separated Wu County and Zigui County from Yidu Commandery to create Guling Commandery, made Pan Zhang its Administrator and General Who Spreads Awe, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Liyang. The Records do not record any reward Ma Zhong received, his later deeds, or his death. Records, Wu 10 §92
In the Romance
In Chapter 77 of the Romance, Guan Yu, having slipped out of Maicheng and fleeing along the byway to Linju, beats off Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang, but reaches Jueshi with only a dozen or so followers left. As the fifth watch is nearly over, ambushers spring out on both sides and trip Guan Yu's horse with long hooks and lassos, and Guan Yu, thrown from his horse, is captured by Pan Zhang's lieutenant Ma Zhong. At daybreak Ma Zhong brings Guan Yu under guard before Sun Quan, and Guan Yu, having cursed Sun Quan, is put to death together with his son Guan Ping. Romance, Ch. 77 §7–11 · 13
In the same chapter Ma Zhong takes the Red Hare that Guan Yu rode and presents it to Sun Quan, who gives the horse to Ma Zhong. But the horse refuses its feed for several days and dies. In Chapter 81, Liu Bei, intent on attacking Wu, tells Zhao Yun, who tries to dissuade him, that Fu Shiren, Mi Fang, Pan Zhang and Ma Zhong are all enemies he hates with gnashing teeth. Romance, Ch. 77 §16Romance, Ch. 81 §1–2
In Chapter 83, when Huang Zhong, pursuing Pan Zhang, is trapped by the ambush of Zhou Tai, Han Dang, Pan Zhang and Ling Tong and tries to fall back, Ma Zhong comes out on the hillside with a body of troops and hits Huang Zhong in the shoulder with a single arrow. Huang Zhong is rescued by Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, but because of his great age the arrow wound bursts open and his illness becomes very grave. Romance, Ch. 83 §5–6
In the same chapter, Guan Xing, having beheaded Pan Zhang and recovered his father's Green Dragon Blade, runs into Ma Zhong on his way back. Ma Zhong, in a great rage, charges at Guan Xing, and Ma Zhong's 300 men surround Guan Xing, but when Zhang Bao charges in, Ma Zhong hastily withdraws. Back in camp, Ma Zhong meets Han Dang and Zhou Tai and gathers the defeated soldiers, and camps on a sandbank by the river with Fu Shiren and Mi Fang. Romance, Ch. 83 §19–23
That night Mi Fang overhears soldiers muttering about killing him and Fu Shiren and surrendering to Shu, and he consults Fu Shiren, proposing that since the only man the lord of Shu hates is Ma Zhong, they should kill him and present his head. Around the third watch the two enter his tent, stab Ma Zhong to death, cut off his head, and go to Xiaoting to present it to Liu Bei. Liu Bei, holding up Ma Zhong's head, offers sacrifice before Guan Yu's spirit tablet, and does not spare Mi Fang and Fu Shiren either. Romance, Ch. 83 §23–28
Where the Romance differs
Place of capture: In Chapter 77 of the Romance, ambushers at Jueshi trip Guan Yu's horse with hooks and lassos and Ma Zhong captures Guan Yu. In the Biography of the Lord of Wu in the Records, Ma Zhong captured Guan Yu at Zhangxiang in the 12th month, and the Biography of Pan Zhang records that Pan Zhang had then reached Linju and camped at Jiashi. Romance, Ch. 77 §8–9Records, Wu 2 §28Records, Wu 10 §92
Those captured with him: In Chapter 77 of the Romance, Guan Ping reports that Zhao Lei has already died amid the chaos of battle, and Guan Ping himself is captured not by Ma Zhong but after being surrounded by the troops of Pan Zhang and Zhu Ran, who arrive afterwards. In the Records, Ma Zhong captured Guan Ping, the Area Commander Zhao Lei and others together with Guan Yu. Romance, Ch. 77 §8–9Records, Wu 2 §28Records, Wu 10 §92
The Red Hare: In Chapter 77 of the Romance, Ma Zhong takes Guan Yu's Red Hare, presents it to Sun Quan and receives the horse in return. This episode is absent from the records of Ma Zhong in the Records. Romance, Ch. 77 §16Records, Wu 2 §28Records, Wu 10 §92
The arrow that hit Huang Zhong: In Chapter 83 of the Romance, Ma Zhong hits Huang Zhong, who has taken the field in the war against Wu, in the shoulder with an arrow. In the Biography of Huang Zhong in the Records, Huang Zhong died the year after the First Sovereign placed him in the same rank as Guan Yu and others. Romance, Ch. 83 §5Records, Shu 6 §37
Liu Bei's enemy: In Chapter 81 of the Romance, Liu Bei names Ma Zhong, together with Fu Shiren, Mi Fang and Pan Zhang, among the enemies he hates with gnashing teeth. The Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records says only that Liu Bei, angered by Sun Quan's surprise attack on Guan Yu, attacked Wu, and does not mention Ma Zhong. Romance, Ch. 81 §2Records, Shu 2 §68
Death: In Chapter 83 of the Romance, Ma Zhong is stabbed to death in his tent by Mi Fang and Fu Shiren, and his head is presented to Liu Bei and used in the sacrifice before Guan Yu's spirit tablet. The Records do not record Ma Zhong's death. Romance, Ch. 83 §26 · 28Records, Wu 2 §28Records, Wu 10 §92
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
Records total374 / 1000Rank 763 of 996 · Top 77%Romance total373 / 1000Rank 718 of 1,113 · Top 65%
Romance adaptation index−1Romance total − Records total
- LEA4850+2
- STR4555+10
- INT3835−3
- POL3131±0
- CHA3533−2
- VIR4238−4
- ADP4038−2
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3131±0
- DIS3331−2
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
9 similar abilities — show evidence
RAs Pan Zhang's Major, captured Guan Yu and his son at ZhangxiangWu 10 §92Wu 2 §28
NCaptured Lord Guan with an ambush and surrounded Guan Xing with 300 menCh. 77 §9Ch. 83 §22
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as MajorWu 10 §92
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 83 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a military officerWu 10 §92
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderCh. 83 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWu 10 §92
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 77 §16
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWu 10 §92
NWithdrew on seeing the relief force, but was murdered in his own campCh. 83 §22Ch. 83 §26
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a military officerWu 10 §92
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderCh. 77 §11
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWu 10 §92
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 83 §23
Special — talents Records +0 · Romance +10
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Archery
NSkilled +10 Hit Huang Zhong in the shoulder with a single arrow from the hillsideCh. 83 §5
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (3)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Related events (2)
- Lü Meng's invasion of Jing Province 219 · Command
- Liu Bei Catches His Enemies at Xiaoting 222 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).
Items owned or made (1)
- Red Hare · Horse · 219 · Romance
Ownership and authorship assigned by 3KDEX from source sentences — not yet reviewed (unverified).