Ma Long ( 251–290), courtesy name Xiaoxing was a politician and military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period and Western Jin dynasty period. He was most known for ending Tufa Shujineng's Rebellion in 279, during which he employed unorthodox tactics to defeat the rebels. After the end of the Three Kingdoms, he was made Prefect of Xiping Commandery (西平郡; around present-day Xining, Qinghai) and served the office for more than ten years. He maintained peace in Liang province and was popular among the non-Han people living there. Early career Ma Long was a native of Pinglu County (平陸縣; in present-day Wenshang County, Shandong), Dongping State (東平國). From a young age, he was described as both wise and strong, and he liked to conduct himself with honor and integrity. He began his career as a minor officer in Yan province. In 251, after the failure of Wang Ling's Rebellion, the coffin of Linghu Yu (令狐愚), a co-conspirator of Wang Ling who died two years before the rebellion, was opened for his body to be displayed in the marketplace. No one in Yan province dared to bury his body, but after three days, Ma Long, who falsely claimed that he was a retainer of Linghu Yu, spent his wealth to have Linghu Yu reburied. He then mourned Linghu Yu for three years, even planting pine and cypress trees on the side of his grave. After he finished mourning, Ma Long returned home, and he became a subject of praise in Yan. Ma Long was later appointed as Assistant Officer for Military Affairs. In 269, Emperor Wu of Jin sent out edicts to every province looking for talents to help in his subjugation of the Western Jin's rival state, Eastern Wu. The people of Yan recommended Ma Long, and he grew to become a Marshal-Commander. Tufa Shujineng's Rebellion In 270, a tribal revolt led by the Xianbei chieftain, Tufa Shujineng broke out in Qin and Liang provinces. In 278, Ma Long submitted a petition warning that the Inspector of Liang, Yang Xin, had lost the support of the Qiang and Rong tribes and was going to be defeated. As Ma Long predicted, Yang Xin was defeated and killed by Shujineng and his tribal allies at Wuwei Commandery (武威郡; in present-day Jingyuan County, Gansu). At the beginning of 279, Shujineng captured Liang, causing much worry for Emperor Wu. Emperor Wu held