14 Facts About Ma Xifan

Ma Xifan was born in 899, during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, as the fourth son of the warlord Ma Yin.

Ma made Peng the prefect of one of his own prefectures, Chen Prefecture, and, either at that time or later, had Ma Xifan marry Peng's daughter as his wife.

Ma sent his major general Xu Dexun to do so, with Ma Xifan serving as Xu's army monitor.

Ma Xifan apparently did not respond, but the Chu officer Liao Kuangqi stepped out and battled Gao Congsi, killing him.

Ma Xifan thereafter assumed the reins of the Chu state.

Ma Xifan declined, but stripped Ma Xiwang of his command, made him live in a bamboo house, and denied him permission to attend gatherings of the brothers.

Meanwhile, Ma Xifan's younger brother Ma Xigao, born of Lady Hua, had been serving as the military governor of Jingjiang Circuit, and governed the circuit well.

In summer 936, when Southern Han's general Sun Dewei intruded into Chu's Meng and Gui Prefectures, Ma Xifan decided to leave his full younger brother Ma Xiguang temporarily in charge at Changsha, and he headed to the frontline himself with 5,000 soldiers.

Ma Xifan thus established a number of office titles within that office, which he bestowed on his brothers and officers.

Ma Xifan, imitating Emperor Taizong, commissioned 18 staff members to serve as scholars at the Tiance Office.

Ma Xifan encouraged people who committed crimes to pay fines or to carry out military service, in lieu of punishment, such that only the poor and the weak actually get punished.

Ma Xifan refused, and sent doctors to see Ma Xigao.

The doctors, apparently at Ma Xifan's direction, poisoned Ma Xigao to death.

Ma Xifan sent an emissary to Chu, giving Ma Xifan the great title of Shangfu.