Ma Jiajun

Ma Jiajun (simplified: 马家骏, traditional: 馬家駿, pinyin: Mǎ Jiājùn, jyutping: maa5 gaa1 zeon3), also known as Old Man Ji (计老人, Jì Lǎorén), was Hua Hui’s former apprentice who raised Li Wenxiu after her parents’ death in White Horse Neighing in the West Wind. He later died fighting his former master in the Gaochang Maze.

Biography

Apprenticeship under Hua Hui

Ma Jiajun was originally an apprentice of Hua Hui, a skilled martial artist. However, when Hua Hui ordered him to poison a well used by the Kazakhs as part of his revenge plan against the community, Ma Jiajun refused to carry out this act of mass murder.

Betrayal and flight

Rather than following his master’s orders, Ma Jiajun turned against Hua Hui, using poison needles to wound his master. He then fled and went into hiding, adopting the identity of “Old Man Ji” (计老人) and living among the Kazakhs in Kazakh territory.

Raising Li Wenxiu

As Old Man Ji, Ma Jiajun took in the seven-year-old Li Wenxiu after she escaped from the bandits who had killed her parents. He raised her as his own, teaching her Han Chinese customs and language while living among the Kazakh community.

For over a decade, he maintained his disguise, carefully concealing his true identity and his past relationship with Hua Hui. During this time, he developed deep feelings for Li Wenxiu, though he never expressed them, maintaining the role of a guardian and father figure.

Final confrontation

When events led to the Gaochang Maze, Ma Jiajun’s true identity was revealed. He was forced to confront his former master, Hua Hui, in a final battle. Their confrontation proved fatal for both, as they fought to the death in the maze.

Before his death, Ma Jiajun was able to reveal the truth about his identity and his relationship with Li Wenxiu, leaving her with the knowledge of the complex web of relationships that had shaped her life.

Personality and traits

Principled and moral

Ma Jiajun demonstrated strong moral principles when he refused to carry out Hua Hui’s order to poison the well. His refusal to commit mass murder, even at the cost of betraying his master, showed his commitment to ethical behaviour.

Loyal and protective

His devotion to Li Wenxiu was evident in his years of care and protection. He risked his own safety to raise her, maintaining his disguise while living among the Kazakhs who might have been hostile to Han Chinese.

Self-sacrificing

His final confrontation with Hua Hui was an act of self-sacrifice to protect Li Wenxiu, demonstrating the depth of his feelings and his willingness to give his life for her safety.

Martial arts abilities

As an apprentice of Hua Hui, Ma Jiajun was trained in martial arts. He was skilled enough to wound his master with poison needles, though he spent most of his life in hiding rather than actively practicing or demonstrating his martial arts skills.

Relationships

Master

Hua Hui — His former master, whom he betrayed and later fought to the death

Ward

Li Wenxiu — The orphaned girl he raised as Old Man Ji, for whom he developed deep but unexpressed feelings

Behind the scenes

Ma Jiajun’s character represents the theme of hidden identity and the complexity of relationships in the novella. His story explores the tension between loyalty to a master and adherence to moral principles, as well as the pain of unexpressed love.

His relationship with Li Wenxiu mirrors other unrequited love stories in the novella, particularly her own feelings for Supu, creating a pattern of unexpressed emotions and missed connections.

Portrayals

Ma Jiajun has been portrayed in various adaptations of White Horse Neighing in the West Wind, including:

1982 CTV (Taiwan) series: Played by David Chiang (姜大卫)