Ma Chunhua (simplified: 马春花, traditional: 馬春花, pinyin: Mǎ Chūnhuā, jyutping: maa5 ceon1 faa1) was a character in Side Story of the Flying Fox. She was the beautiful daughter of Ma Xingkong, the master of the Feima Armed Escort (飞马镖局), and became entangled with Fukanggan, resulting in a tragic fate.
Biography
Early life
Ma Chunhua was born into an ordinary family, the daughter of Ma Xingkong, a skilled martial artist known as the “Hundred Victories Divine Fist” (百勝神拳). She was described as having a snow-white, crystal-clear oval face, pitch-black eyes, rosy cheeks, and an aura of vibrant youth. She was beautiful, lively, and charming.
Her father intended to marry her to his apprentice Xu Zheng, and after her father’s death, the couple took over the escort business and struggled to make a living.
At the Shang Family Castle
Ma Chunhua’s life took an unexpected turn when she and her father stayed at the Shang Family Castle to recover from injuries. There, she encountered Shang Baozhen, the young master of the castle, who fell in love with her beauty. However, Shang Baozhen’s mother, Lady Shang, had darker motives—she intended to use the marriage to exact revenge for her husband’s death at the hands of Hu Fei’s father.
Encounter with Fukanggan
While at the Shang Family Castle, Fukanggan, a powerful Manchu noble, passed through and caught sight of Ma Chunhua. Struck by her beauty, he arranged to stay at the castle and orchestrated a meeting with her. The two began a secret affair, and Ma Chunhua fell deeply in love with Fukanggan, believing it was true love at first sight.
For Fukanggan, Ma Chunhua was merely a casual romantic encounter during his travels—a way to pass an afternoon. However, for Ma Chunhua, this relationship changed her entire life. She became pregnant with twin sons from this encounter.
Marriage to Xu Zheng
After her encounter with Fukanggan, Ma Chunhua returned to her ordinary life. She eventually married Xu Zheng as her father had intended, though her husband knew that the children were not his. The couple struggled to make ends meet, running the escort business together, but Ma Chunhua never forgot her love for Fukanggan.
Tragic end
Years later, Fukanggan sent Shang Baozhen to bring Ma Chunhua and her sons to Beijing. Ma Chunhua believed she would finally be reunited with her lover and live a life of luxury and happiness. She even specially invited Hu Fei to thank him for his past help.
However, Ma Chunhua was unaware that Fukanggan’s mother, the Prime Minister’s wife, had ordered her execution to protect the family’s reputation. When she arrived in Beijing, she was poisoned and died, never realizing that the man she loved had never truly cared for her.
Personality
Ma Chunhua was depicted as a weak and naive character. She was unable to resist Fukanggan’s charm and was not loyal to Xu Zheng. She was ignorant and foolish, unable to see through Fukanggan’s deception or understand the danger she was in at the Prime Minister’s residence. However, she was not a heartless or materialistic woman—she genuinely believed her love for Fukanggan was true and remained devoted to him until her death.
Relationships
- Ma Xingkong (Father/Master): Her father and martial arts teacher, who intended to marry her to Xu Zheng.
- Xu Zheng (Husband): Her senior martial brother and husband, who knew the children were not his but married her anyway.
- Fukanggan (Lover): The Manchu noble with whom she had a brief affair, resulting in the birth of twin sons.
- Twin sons (Sons): Her sons with Fukanggan, whom she loved deeply.
- Shang Baozhen (Admirer): The young master of the Shang Family Castle who fell in love with her.
- Hu Fei (Friend): The young hero whom she helped when he was captured at the Shang Family Castle.
Legacy
Ma Chunhua’s story represents the tragic consequences of naive love and the power imbalance between the powerful and the weak. Her fate illustrates how a single moment of passion can change an entire life, and how those in power can use and discard others without regard for the consequences. Her story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of romantic idealism and the harsh realities of the world.