Ma Liang is a minor character in the 14th-century historical novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", He joins Liu Bei under Yi Ji's recommendation along with his younger brother Ma Su. Then, he advised Liu Bei to have Liu Qi appointed as Governor of Jing Province to satisfy the people while he conquers the Southern Commandery. During Yi conquest, he stays behind and act as Guan Yu's main civil advisor acting as a voice of reason during the negotiation with Wu and playing weiqi against Guan Yu during Hua Tuo's famous operation.