Lady Peng (Ma Xifan's wife)


Lady Peng , formally Lady Shunxian of Qin, was the wife of Ma Xifan, the third ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Chu.

Background

It is not known when Lady Peng was born. Her father Peng Gan had served as the prefect of Ji Prefecture, late in the Tang Dynasty and early in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, under the warlord Wei Quanfeng, who then controlled four prefectures, including Ji, centered on Fu Prefecture. In 909, when Wei was defeated and captured by the Wu general Zhou Ben, Zhou then followed up by attacking Ji. Peng Gan abandoned Ji and fled to Chu. Chu's prince Ma Yin, appreciating Peng for his faithfulness to Wei, made him the prefect of Chen Prefecture. Either that year or later, he had his son Ma Xifan marry Lady Peng.

During Ma Xifan's reign

In 932, Ma Xifan's older brother Ma Xisheng, who was then the ruler of Chu, died. The Chu generals supported Ma Xifan as his successor. Lady Peng, as his wife, became the lady of the state, and was eventually created by Li Siyuan, the emperor of Later Tang, to be the Lady of Qin. It was said that Lady Peng was ugly in appearance, but capable in governing the household, and Ma Xifan was fearful and respectful of her. She died in 938. It was said that it was after her death that Ma became to overexert in entertainment and licentiousness, spending much of his nights drinking, leading to the beginning of Chu's decline.