Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period/Ma Tê-kung
MA Tê-kung 馬得功, d. 1663, Ming-Ch'ing general, was a native of Liaotung. He served as brigade general under the Ming and was associated with T'ien Hsiung [q. v.] in betraying the Prince of Fu (see Chu Yu-sung) to the Manchu general, Dodo [q. v.]. He was admitted to the Chinese Bordered Yellow Banner and allowed to retain his same rank in the Ch'ing army stationed at Chinkiang, Kiangsu. In 1646 he was degraded for incorporating rebel forces in his ranks but was reinstated the following year, resuming his activities against the Ming loyalists in Fukien. During Chêng Ch'êng-kung's [q. v.] absence from Amoy in 1651, Ma Tê-kung entered the city and seized his property. Unable to maintain his position when the insurgent general returned, he was indicted the following year by the Board of Punishments on charges of covetousness and military defeat, but was pardoned by the emperor. He was later made general-in-chief of Fukien where he coöperated with Li Shuai-t'ai [q. v.] against the Chêng insurgents. When the latter were driven from Amoy in 1663, Ma Tê-kung pursued them out to sea and was killed in battle. Two years later the name Hsiang-wu 襄武 and rank of marquis of the first class were conferred, and in 1729 his name was entered for worship in the temple of the Zealots of the Dynasty. In 1749 the hereditary rank was designated Shun-ch'in (順勤侯).
[1/254/2b; 2/78/9a; Shêng-ching (盛京) t'ung chih (1736) 341/21b.]
Earl Swisher