Liu Beis evaluation of Ma Su before his death: The historical truth and the underlying reasons

In the ancient history of China, Liu Bei, the ruler of the Shu Han Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, was widely praised for his benevolence and bravery in battle. However, before his death, he left behind a puzzling last will: "Ma Su should not be given significant responsibilities." What were the reasons behind this statement? This article will explore Liu Bei's evaluation of Ma Su and its underlying meanings based on authentic historical records.

Firstly, we need to understand the background of Ma Su. According to the "Records of the Three Kingdoms," Ma Su was a general of Shu Han who was highly regarded by Liu Bei for his outstanding talents. However, before Liu Bei's death, he seemed to have realized some shortcomings in Ma Su. What did Liu Bei actually mean?

To understand Liu Bei's statement, we need to analyze it from two aspects. Firstly, in terms of Ma Su's personality, he was a proud and arrogant individual. The "Records of the Three Kingdoms" describes him as "exceptionally talented, fond of discussing military strategies, and highly esteemed by the prime minister Zhuge Liang." However, it was precisely this arrogant nature that led him to underestimate his enemies and make careless mistakes in the later Battle of Jieting, resulting in a disastrous defeat for the Shu Han army. This validated Liu Bei's words: "Ma Su should not be given significant responsibilities."

Secondly, from the perspective of military talent, although Ma Su possessed certain military abilities, he lacked practical combat experience. Under his command, the Shu Han army was defeated by the Wei general Zhang He in the Battle of Jieting. This defeat not only caused significant losses to Shu Han but also severely hampered Zhuge Liang's plan for the northern expedition. Therefore, Liu Bei's warning before his death, "Ma Su should not be given significant responsibilities," was out of concern for the future of the country.

In summary, there are two reasons why Liu Bei said "Ma Su should not be given significant responsibilities" before his death: firstly, Ma Su's arrogant personality was prone to causing mishaps; secondly, his lack of practical combat experience made him unsuitable for significant responsibilities. This also reminds us that when selecting and using talent, we should comprehensively consider their personality and abilities to avoid causing failures due to improper personnel placement. At the same time, we should also recognize that historical truths are often more complex than superficial phenomena. When evaluating a historical figure, we should maintain an objective attitude and deeply understand the historical background and reasons behind it. Only in this way can we better understand and inherit the excellent historical culture of the Chinese nation.

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