Lady Ma () is a character in the classic Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi). She is depicted as the mortal wife of the novel's protagonist, Jiang Ziya, during his early, impoverished years in the mortal realm. Following her death, she is deified in the novel's conclusion as the Broom Star (). While her narrative arc is entirely fictional, her character is believed to have developed from the historical Jiang Ziya's wife.

In Fengshen Yanyi

After leaving Mount Kunlun, Jiang Ziya settles in the mortal world and goes to live with his sworn brother Song Yiren (). Song arranges his marriage to Lady Ma, who is 68 years old at the time.

Lady Ma is concerned about their future livelihood. When she learns that Song Yiren is Jiang Ziya's sworn brother rather than a blood relative, she tells Jiang that they should establish their own means of support rather than depend on Song. Jiang accepts her suggestion and begins trying different occupations. He first makes bamboo colanders and takes them to Chaoge to sell, but cannot sell any. He returns home with the unsold goods, and he and Lady Ma argue over the failure. He next attempts to sell flour, but the flour is scattered after a horse causes him to fall, and he returns home without the goods. The couple quarrel again.

Song Yiren subsequently helps Jiang Ziya open a restaurant. The business also fails. The restaurant receives few customers, and the food and wine spoil after a period of hot weather and rain. Jiang later attempts to trade cattle and sheep, but the government has temporarily prohibited the sale and slaughter of livestock because of a drought-related rainmaking ceremony, causing another loss.

Jiang Ziya eventually obtains a position in the Shang government. He later opposes the construction of the Deer Terrace () and flees after falling out with King Zhou. He returns to Song Yiren's household and prepares to leave for Xiqi. He asks Lady Ma to accompany him, but she refuses to leave Chaoge. She tells him that she is a woman of Chaoge and does not want to leave her home, and asks him to write a divorce document. Jiang Ziya tries to persuade her to go with him, but she insists on the separation and says that she will not regret her decision even if he later becomes wealthy.

Jiang Ziya gives her the divorce document and leaves for Xiqi. Lady Ma remains in the Chaoge area. Near the end of the novel, after the Zhou conquest of the Shang, news of Jiang Ziya's rise reaches her. She has by then married a peasant. After hearing from a neighbor about Jiang's position and success, she becomes ashamed and regrets her earlier decision. She subsequently hangs herself.

In the final chapter, Lady Ma is listed among the deities as the Broom Star (), identified as "Ma Shi, Jiang Ziya's wife" ().

Literary background Ma Shi is a literary character rather than a securely documented historical wife of Jiang Ziya. Early historical sources about Jiang Ziya includes a brief account describing him as a (zhúfū), meaning a husband driven away by his wife. The Zhan Guo Ce describes "Taigong Wang" as "a husband expelled from Qi" (), but does not name the wife or provide the detailed story of Ma Shi found in Investiture of the Gods.

The story of Jiang Ziya and his wife appears in literary works that predate Investiture of the Gods. Chen Hong notes that Wu Wang Fa Zhou Pinghua gives a brief account in which Jiang Ziya's wife leaves him because of his poverty. In Lieguo Zhizhuan (), the story is developed further: Ma Shi complains about Jiang's lack of success, but later accompanies him after his fortunes improve.

Interpretation Liang Guizhi describes Ma Shi as a short-sighted and vulgar woman () and discusses her characterization in the context of traditional views of women in Investiture of the Gods. He also notes contradictions in Jiang Ziya's characterization, particularly in his relationships with Ma Shi and Shen Gongbao.

A 2020 study describes Ma Shi's characterization as contradictory and complex, noting that Investiture of the Gods contains both positive and negative portrayals of her character and actions.

Chen Hong compares the treatment of Ma Shi in Lieguo Zhizhuan and Investiture of the Gods. In Lieguo Zhizhuan, her dissatisfaction with Jiang Ziya's lack of success is followed by her return when his fortunes improve. In Investiture of the Gods, she instead leaves Jiang and later dies after learning of his success.

Chen also notes that Investiture of the Gods expands the earlier accounts of Jiang Ziya's poverty. The novel adds episodes involving his unsuccessful attempts to make a living, including selling bamboo colanders and flour, before his eventual rise.

The difference in Ma Shi's fate is part of this expanded portrayal. In the earlier Lieguo Zhizhuan, she ultimately shares in Jiang's success, whereas Investiture of the Gods makes her decision to leave him permanent and ends her story with her death after learning of his rise.

A 2022 discussion of Jiang Ziya's popular image describes Investiture of the Gods as tending to satirize Ma Shi, particularly in its portrayal of her dissatisfaction with Jiang's poverty and her later regret after his rise.

Later folk tradition In Chinese folk religion, the Broom Star () is associated with bad luck and poverty. The broom also has protective uses in some folk traditions. It is sometimes called the "Ten Thousand Root Evil-Warding Stick" () and placed on windows or lintels to ward off evil spirits. Generally, being called a "Broom Star" is one of the most severe folk insults regarding a person's luck. The paper figure Saoqing Niang () is also depicted holding a broom. In folk custom, it is hung under the eaves or on trees to pray for fine weather.

According to one account, Jiang Ziya told Ma Shi that she could not go wherever there was good fortune (). The story was later associated with the custom of displaying the character 福 on household doors by people seeking to avoid poverty.

Another tradition associates Ma Shi with the Chinese idiom (fùshuǐ nánshōu, "spilled water cannot be retrieved"). In this version, Ma Shi returns after Jiang Ziya has risen to power and asks to resume their marriage. Jiang Ziya has water poured onto the ground and tells her that he will accept her again only if she can gather the water back. She is unable to do so, and he rejects her request.

The spilled-water story is also associated with the Han-dynasty official and his wife in other versions of the tradition. A study of the story notes that the Jiang Ziya version was already recorded in the Song dynasty and closely resembles the Zhu Maichen story.

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