Ma-licious true crime or political drama? Assassination of Ma Xinyi
Schedule
Sat, 18 Oct, 2025 at 05:00 pm
UTC+08:00Location
library@chinatown | Singapore, SG
In August 1870, Ma Xinyi, the powerful Viceroy of Liangjiang, was cut down in Nanjing – the only governor-general ever assassinated in Qing history. Was it the act of a lone killer, over lust, betrayal, or tied to rival factions and court politics? This talk revisits the dramatic case that has been the topic of movies and drama, exploring Ma’s rise as a Hui Muslim official, his role in rebuilding provinces after the Taiping War, and the storm his death unleashed in Beijing. Through history and speculation, we ask: who wanted Ma gone – and what does this reveal about power in late Qing China?
