Ma Xichong
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| Ma Xichong 馬希崇 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acting Jiedushi of Wu'an Circuit | |||||
| Ruler of Ma Chu | |||||
| Reign | October 22, 951[1][2]-November 16, 951[1][2] | ||||
| Predecessor | Ma Xi'e | ||||
| Successor | None | ||||
| Acting Jiedushi of Wu'an Circuit (權知武安節度兵馬留後事) | |||||
| Tenure | October 22, 951 – November 16, 951 | ||||
| Predecessor | Ma Xi'e (as jiedushi) | ||||
| Successor | Bian Hao (as jiedushi) | ||||
| Born | 912?[3] Likely Changsha | ||||
| Died | Unknown (in or after 956) | ||||
| |||||
| House | Ma | ||||
| Dynasty | Ma Chu | ||||
| Father | Ma Yin | ||||
| Mother | Unknown | ||||
Ma Xichong (traditional Chinese: 馬希崇; simplified Chinese: 马希崇; pinyin: Mǎ Xīchóng) was the sixth and final monarch of China's Ma Chu dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
According to the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, citing another work now lost, the Miscellaneous Records from a Blue Box (青箱雜記, Qingxiang Zaji), Ma Xichong was born in 912. His father was Chu's founder Ma Yin. His mother was not Ma Yin's wife, but was otherwise not named in historical sources, although it is known that Ma Yin's 30th son Ma Xi'e, who was older than he was, was born of the same mother. Ma Yin's 35th son Ma Xiguang, who was born of Lady Chen, was also older.[3]
In 947, then-Chu prince Ma Xifan (Ma Yin's fourth son), who was also born of Lady Chen, died. Ma Xi'e was then the oldest surviving son of Ma Yin's,[4] and arguably should be Ma Xifan's successor under Ma Yin's instructions that his succeed each other based on age.[5] However, most of Ma Xifan's staff members supported Ma Xiguang, who subsequently accepted the title of Prince of Chu. Either prior to Ma Xiguang's ascension or after, Ma Xichong received the title of Tiance Zuo Sima (天策左司馬), as an officer under Ma Xiguang, who also carried the title of Tiance Grand General (天策大將軍). His disposition was described to be treacherous.[4]
During Ma Xiguang's reign
Upon Ma Xiguang's assumption of the throne, Ma Xichong secretly wrote letters to Ma Xi'e, who was then the military governor (Jiedushi) of Wuping Circuit (武平, headquartered in modern Changde, Hunan), trying to incite Ma Xi'e about Ma Xiguang's succession by citing Ma Yin's instructions. He also thereafter often reported to Ma Xi'e on Ma Xiguang's actions and offered to support Ma Xi'e if Ma Xi'e would attack Chu's capital Changsha.[4]
As of late 950, when Ma Xi'e was in fact leading an army to try to capture Changsha, reports were made to Ma Xiguang that Ma Xichong was planning to rebel against him, and suggestions were made to Ma Xiguang that he should kill Ma Xichong. Ma Xiguang declined, however, stating, "If I myself kill my younger brother, how will I see the deceased king [(i.e., Ma Yin)] in the underworld?" He subsequently made Ma Xichong the army monitor of the general Xu Keqiong, who commanded the main Chu troops defending against Ma Xi'e. Xu subsequently turned against Ma Xiguang and surrendered to Ma Xi'e (although it is not clear whether Ma Xichong had any involvement in this), causing Changsha to fall around the new year 951. Ma Xichong thereafter led the staff at headquarters to welcome Ma Xi'e and offer the throne to him. Ma Xi'e subsequently assumed the throne and put Ma Xiguang to death.[6]
During Ma Xi'e's reign
As the Prince of Chu, Ma Xi'e made Ma Xichong his deputy in his role as military governor of, in addition to Wuping, Chu's main circuit Wu'an (武安, headquartered at Changsha), and made him in charge of the headquarters.[6] Ma Xi'e spent day and night feasting, entrusting the matters of the headquarters to Ma Xichong. Ma Xichong governed based on his own likes and dislikes, causing the legal system to break down. Ma Xi'e also favored the guard officer Xie Yanyong (謝彥顒) — a former house servant of his, whose relationship with him appeared to be sexual as Xie was described to have a beautiful face and was frequently seated with Ma Xi'e's concubines — such that, at feasts, Xie had a more honored seat than the generals, was involved in decision-making, and was even daring enough to pat Ma Xichong on the back, leading to Ma Xichong's and the generals' resentment.[1]
Meanwhile, the generals Wang Kui and Zhou Xingfeng took their troops from Changsha and seized control of Wuping's capital Lang Prefecture (朗州), deposing Ma Xi'e's son Ma Guangzan (馬光贊) and installing as military governor, successively, a son of Ma Xie's (and Ma Xichong's) oldest brother Ma Xizhen (馬希振), Ma Guanghui, and then the general Liu Yan. Ma Xi'e considered what to do with the Lang situation. He stationed the officers Xu Wei (徐威), Chen Jingqian (陳敬遷), Lu Gongguan (魯公館), and Lu Mengjun (陸孟俊) northwest of the city to defend against a possible attack from Wuping. These officers and their soldiers, however, resented him for not trying to comfort them. At night on October 22, 951,[2] the officers mutinied, with Ma Xichong's foreknowledge. Ma Xi'e tried to flee, but was captured. Xie was executed by being cut into pieces. The officers declared Ma Xichong to be the acting military governor of Wuping, and delivered Ma Xi'e to Hengshan (衡山, in modern Hengyang, Hunan) to be put under arrest there. As Ma Xichong was aware that Ma Xi'e had whipped Peng Shigao, he had Peng escort Ma Xi'e to Hengshan, and was expecting that Peng would kill him. However, Peng saw through Ma Xichong's plan, and commented, "You want me to be someone who murders his lord!" He thereafter treated Ma Xi'e with respect and escorted him safely to Hengshan.[1] In the aftermaths of the coup, Lu slaughtered the family of the official Yang Zhaoyun (楊昭惲) and seized the Yang family's wealth; one of the Yang family's daughters was beautiful, and Lu presented her to Ma Xichong to become his concubine.[7]