Ma Chao: From Tong Pass to Service Under Liu Bei

Diterbitkan oleh Anthony
pada November 11, 2026

Follow Ma Chao from his western command and the Battle of Tong Pass to Liu Bei’s court, and compare the history with the novel.

Quick Answer: Who Was Ma Chao?

Ma Chao (马超, Mǎ Chāo, died 222 CE) was a military commander in the years when the Han empire broke apart. He fought at Tong Pass (潼关, Tóngguān) and later became a general under Liu Bei (刘备, Liú Bèi).^[1]

Western command: He took over troops formerly led by his father, Ma Teng (马腾, Mǎ Téng).^[3]
Tong Pass: He joined Han Sui (韩遂, Hán Suì) and other western commanders against Cao Cao (曹操, Cáo Cāo) in 211.^[2]
New allegiance: He joined Liu Bei during the campaign that ended with Chengdu’s surrender.^[6]

The historical account and the later novel give different sequences for the battle and Ma Teng’s death.

Four stations trace Ma Chao’s western command, defeat at Tong Pass and change of allegiance.

Ma Chao’s later rank at Liu Bei’s court can obscure the years he spent commanding a force of his own. He first emerged from the regional armies of the late Han. The collapse of his western position brought him south into the campaign that gave Liu Bei a base in Sichuan.

Why Ma Chao Fought at Tong Pass

When Ma Teng took a post at the Han court, Ma Chao remained in the west in command of his father’s troops. Ma Teng and Han Sui had alternated between cooperation and rivalry. In 211 their families’ past quarrels did not prevent Ma Chao from joining Han Sui against a stronger opponent.^[3]

Cao Cao’s biography says that western commanders feared an expedition ordered against Hanzhong might be directed at them. They organized a coalition and faced Cao Cao at Tong Pass. Cao Cao defeated their forces, and Ma Chao withdrew west.^[2]

How Ma Chao Entered Liu Bei’s Service

Ma Chao rebuilt a position for a time in the northwest. Local resistance drove him out, and he took refuge with Zhang Lu (张鲁, Zhāng Lǔ) in Hanzhong. He then sought to enter Liu Bei’s service while Liu Bei was campaigning against Liu Zhang (刘璋, Liú Zhāng) in 214.^[6]

Chen Shou’s account places Ma’s arrival outside Chengdu shortly before Liu Zhang surrendered. The city was already under pressure from Liu Bei’s campaign. In the years that followed, Ma received senior rank in the regime later called Shu-Han (蜀汉, Shǔ Hàn).^[1]

How the Novel Changed Ma Chao’s Story

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ma learns of his father’s death and takes up arms against Cao Cao. That sequence presents the campaign as a son’s act of vengeance.^[5]

The historical records put the battle in 211 and the execution of Ma Teng in 212. The historical sequence puts Ma Teng’s death after the coalition’s defeat.^[2][4]

The historical tradition also contains stories its own editors questioned. Pei Songzhi challenged an anecdote about Ma meeting Guan Yu in Sichuan. Guan Yu was stationed in Jing Province during Liu Bei’s campaign, and Pei used that detail to test the account.^[1]

FAQs About Ma Chao

Who Was Ma Chao’s Father?

Ma Teng was a commander in the western regions of the late Han. He later held an office at court while Ma Chao led his former troops.^[3]

Was Ma Chao One of the Five Tiger Generals?

Yes, in the familiar literary grouping. The earlier history groups Ma with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun in one chapter and gives each a separate career.^[1]