Liu Pengli

Liu Pengli (Chinese: 劉彭離), Prince of Jidong (濟東王), was a 2nd-century BC Han prince. He is one of the earliest serial killers attested by historical sources.

Family

Liu Penglai was the third son of Liu Wu (posthumously known as Prince Xiao of Liang), the grandson of the Emperor Wen and the nephew of the Emperor Jing. Liu Wu's other sons included (in order) Liu Mai, Liu Ming, Liu Ding, and Liu Bushi.

Biography

Liu was created Prince of Jidong in the sixth year of the middle era of the Emperor Jing of Han (144 BC), the year of his father's banishment from the capital and death. The empress dowager Xiaowen grieved greatly for her younger son and, to placate her (and weaken the powerful fief of Liang), Emperor Jing divided Liang in five and granted a part to each of Liu Wu's sons.

Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian relates that, "twenty-nine years later, he was arrogant and cruel and would go out on marauding expeditions with tens of slaves or young men who were in hiding from the law, murdering people and seizing their belongings for sheer sport. Confirmed victims exceeded 100, and these murders were known across the kingdom, so people were afraid of going out of their houses at night. Eventually, the son of one of his victims accused him to the Emperor, and the officials of the court requested that Liu Pengli be executed; however, the Emperor could not bear to have his own nephew killed, and Liu Pengli was made a commoner and banished to the county of Shangyong [now Zhushan in Hubei Province]. In 116 BC, his sovereignty was abolished and his land was reclaimed by the Emperor Jing".