Five Dynasties · Eunuch

Ma Yan'gui 馬彥珪

Attested AD 926 - AD 926

Passages: 8
Chapters: 2
Histories: 2

Overview

Ma Yan'gui was an eunuch.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 926 遣宦官馬彥珪…彥珪至蜀
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 210, 216
AD 926 馬彥珪
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 57, passages 161, 166

Key source chapters

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 57 Volume 57 Book of Later Tang 33: Biographies 9: Gao Chongtao 4 passages
New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 14 Volume 14: Taizu of Later Tang's Family 4 passages

Career and standing

eunuch 宦官
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 210

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 210

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Empress Liu (劉皇后) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 212

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 210

References in the histories

Search passages

History

8 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 57Volume 57 Book of Later Tang 33: Biographies 9: Gao Chongtao · 4 passages

即令中官馬彥珪馳入蜀視崇韜去就，如班師則已，如實遲留，則與繼岌圖之。 He immediately dispatched the eunuch Ma Yan'gui to Shu to learn whether Guo Chongtao intended to withdraw. If Chongtao returned with the army, nothing more need be done; if he truly meant to linger, Yan'gui was to join Li Jiji in removing him.

彥珪見皇后曰：「禍機之發，間不容發，何能數千里外復稟聖旨哉！」 Ma Yan'gui told the empress, "When disaster is about to strike, not a moment can be wasted—how can we seek fresh orders from thousands of li away?"

四年正月六日，馬彥珪至軍，決取十二日發成都赴闕，令任圜權知留事，以俟知祥。 On the sixth day of the first month of the fourth year, Ma Yan'gui reached headquarters. They set the twelfth as the day to march from Chengdu for the capital, left Ren Yuan in charge of local affairs, and waited for Meng Zhixiang.

諸軍部署已定，彥珪出皇后教以示繼岌，繼岌曰：「大軍將發，他無釁端，安得為此負心事！ With the army's dispositions complete, Yan'gui showed Li Jiji the empress's order. Li Jiji said, "The army is on the eve of departure, and there is no other provocation—how can I commit so shameful an act!

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 14Volume 14: Taizu of Later Tang's Family · 4 passages

劉皇后涕泣請保全繼岌，莊宗遣宦官馬彥珪往視崇韜去就。 The empress wept for Jiji; Zhuangzong sent Ma Yan’gui to watch Chongtao.

而彥珪將行，見劉皇后曰：「臣見延嗣言蜀中事勢已不可，禍機之作，間不容發，安能三千里往復廩命乎！」 Yan’gui told the empress: “Shu is lost—disaster is instant—no time for orders from home!”

劉皇后以彥珪語告莊宗，莊宗曰：「傳言未審，豈可便令果決？」 She told Zhuangzong; he said: “The rumor is unverified—how can we decide at once?”

彥珪至蜀，出皇后教示繼岌，繼岌曰：「今大軍將發，未有釁端，豈可作此負心事！」 Yan’gui showed the order; Jiji said: “We are marching—how can we murder our marshal!”