Sima Ai
Encyclopedia
Sima Ai or Sima Yi (277–304), courtesy name Shidu (士度), formally Prince Li of Changsha (長沙厲王), was a Jin Dynasty (265-420)
imperial prince who briefly served as regent
for his brother Emperor Hui
. He was the fifth of the eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes
. Of the eight princes, he alone received praises from historians, for his attempt to reform government and his courtesy to his developmentally disabled
brother the emperor.
Sima Ai was Emperor Wu
's sixth son, born of the same mother as Sima Wei
the Prince of Chu. He was created the Prince of Changsha in 289. When his father died in 290, Sima Ai was praised by many for his display of filial piety. When Sima Wei, at the command of Emperor Hui's wife Empress Jia Nanfeng
, killed the regents Sima Liang
the Prince of Ru'nan and Wei Guan
, Sima Ai participated, and subsequently, when Empress Jia claimed that Sima Wei had forged the edict and executed him, Sima Ai was demoted to the lesser title of Prince of Changshan. Despite this, during the next few years, he received renown for his decisiveness, talents, and humility. When Sima Lun
the Prince of Zhao usurped the throne in 301, Sima Ai was at his principality, and he led his own troops to join the forces of his brother Sima Ying
the Prince of Chengdu against Sima Lun. Once Sima Ying and Sima Jiong
the Prince of Qi were able to defeat and overthrow Sima Lun and restore Emperor Hui, Sima Ai, for his accomplishments, was restored to his original title as the Prince of Changsha.
After overthrowing Sima Lun, Sima Jiong became the regent—as Sima Ying, who was initially named coregent with him, declined and returned to his stronghold of Yecheng
. He became arrogant and extremely controlling, and failed to pay even basic courtesies to Emperor Hui. He also became suspicious of Sima Yong
the Prince of Hejian (the grandson of Emperor Hui's great-granduncle Sima Fu
the Prince of Anping), ecause Sima Yong had initially wanted to support Sima Lun, until he saw that Sima Lun's cause was hopeless. Sima Yong knew of Sima Jiong's suspicion, and started a conspiracy; he invited Sima Ai to overthrow Sima Jiong, believing that Sima Ai would fail; his plan was then to, in conjunction with Sima Ying, start a war against Sima Jiong. Once they were victorious, he would depose Emperor Hui and make Sima Ying the emperor, and then serve as Sima Ying's prime minister. In winter 302, Sima Yong declared his rebellion, and Sima Ying soon joined, despite opposition from his strategist Lu Zhi (盧志). Hearing that Sima Ai was part of the conspiracy as well, Sima Jiong made a preemptive strike against Sima Ai, but Sima Ai was prepared and entered the palace to control Emperor Hui. After a street battle, Sima Jiong's forces collapsed, and he was executed.
Sima Ai became the effective regent, but in order to reduce opposition, he submitted all important matters to Sima Ying, still stationed at Yecheng. As regent, he paid attention to reforming the government, and he saw the importance of formally honoring Emperor Hui while maintaining resemblance to impartial governance. He continued to try to share power with Sima Ying. However, in fall 303, Sima Yong, dissatisfied that his plan did not come to fruition, persuaded Sima Ying to again join him against Sima Ai. While Sima Yong and Sima Ying had overwhelming force, their forces could not score a conclusive victory against Sima Ai. Sima Ai made overtures to try to achieve peace with Sima Ying, but after negotiations, those efforts failed. Sima Yong's forces were about to withdraw in spring 304 when Sima Yue
the Prince of Donghai, the grandson of a great-granduncle of Emperor Hui, believing that Sima Ai could not win this war, arrested him and delivered him to Sima Yong's general Zhang Fang (張方), who executed Sima Ai cruelly by burning him to death. (Before he was executed, Sima Ai was able to write a touching letter of farewell to Emperor Hui.) As Sima Ai cried out in pain, even Zhang's forces were mourning for his fate.
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
imperial prince who briefly served as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
for his brother Emperor Hui
Emperor Hui of Jin
Emperor Hui of Jin, sim. ch. 晋惠帝, trad. ch. 晉惠帝, py. jìn huì dì, wg. Chin Hui-ti , personal name Sima Zhong , courtesy name Zhengdu , was the second emperor of the Jin Dynasty...
. He was the fifth of the eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes
War of the Eight Princes
The War of the Eight Princes or Rebellion of the Eight Kings or Rebellion of the Eight Princes was a civil war for power among princes and dukes of the Chinese Jin Dynasty from AD 291 to AD 306. It was fought mostly in northern China and devastated the country, later triggering the Wu Hu ravaging...
. Of the eight princes, he alone received praises from historians, for his attempt to reform government and his courtesy to his developmentally disabled
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
brother the emperor.
Sima Ai was Emperor Wu
Emperor Wu of Jìn
Emperor Wu of Jin, , personal name Sima Yan , style name Anshi , was the grandson of Sima Yi and son of Sima Zhao. He became the first emperor of the Jin Dynasty after forcing Cao Huan, last ruler of the state of Cao Wei, to abdicate to him. He reigned from 265 to 290, and after conquering the...
's sixth son, born of the same mother as Sima Wei
Sima Wei
Sima Wei , courtesy name Yandu , formally Prince Yin of Chu , was an imperial prince during Jin Dynasty and was the second of the eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes.-Biography:...
the Prince of Chu. He was created the Prince of Changsha in 289. When his father died in 290, Sima Ai was praised by many for his display of filial piety. When Sima Wei, at the command of Emperor Hui's wife Empress Jia Nanfeng
Empress Jia Nanfeng
Empress Jia Nanfeng , nickname Shi , of the Jin Dynasty was the daughter of Jia Chong and first wife of Emperor Hui...
, killed the regents Sima Liang
Sima Liang
Sima Liang , courtesy name Ziyi , formally Prince Wencheng of Ru'nan , was briefly a regent during the reign of Emperor Hui during Jin Dynasty . He was the first of the eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes.-Biography:Sima Liang was the fourth son of Sima Yi, by his...
the Prince of Ru'nan and Wei Guan
Wei Guan
Wei Guan , style name Boyu , formally Duke Cheng of Lanling , was an official of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He served the Jin Dynasty after the end of Cao Wei.-Early life and career:...
, Sima Ai participated, and subsequently, when Empress Jia claimed that Sima Wei had forged the edict and executed him, Sima Ai was demoted to the lesser title of Prince of Changshan. Despite this, during the next few years, he received renown for his decisiveness, talents, and humility. When Sima Lun
Sima Lun
Sima Lun , courtesy name Ziyi , was titled the Prince of Zhao and the usurper of the Jin Dynasty from February 3 to May 30, 301...
the Prince of Zhao usurped the throne in 301, Sima Ai was at his principality, and he led his own troops to join the forces of his brother Sima Ying
Sima Ying
Sima Ying , courtesy name Zhangdu , was a Jin Dynasty imperial prince who served briefly as his brother Emperor Hui's regent and crown prince. He was the sixth of eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes...
the Prince of Chengdu against Sima Lun. Once Sima Ying and Sima Jiong
Sima Jiong
Sima Jiong , courtesy name Jingzhi , formally Prince Wumin of Qi , was an Jin Dynasty imperial prince who briefly served as Emperor Hui's regent after overthrowing the usurper Sima Lun in 301...
the Prince of Qi were able to defeat and overthrow Sima Lun and restore Emperor Hui, Sima Ai, for his accomplishments, was restored to his original title as the Prince of Changsha.
After overthrowing Sima Lun, Sima Jiong became the regent—as Sima Ying, who was initially named coregent with him, declined and returned to his stronghold of Yecheng
Ye, China
Ye or Yecheng was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan....
. He became arrogant and extremely controlling, and failed to pay even basic courtesies to Emperor Hui. He also became suspicious of Sima Yong
Sima Yong
Sima Yong , courtesy name Wenzai , was a Jin Dynasty imperial prince and briefly a regent for Emperor Hui. He was the seventh of eight princes commonly associated with the War of the Eight Princes...
the Prince of Hejian (the grandson of Emperor Hui's great-granduncle Sima Fu
Sima Fu
Sima Fu was a politician of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.-Biography:Sima Fu was a younger brother of Sima Yi, and for this reason he served the state of Cao Wei. It was said that although he did not have the extraordinary abilities of his older brother, he was well...
the Prince of Anping), ecause Sima Yong had initially wanted to support Sima Lun, until he saw that Sima Lun's cause was hopeless. Sima Yong knew of Sima Jiong's suspicion, and started a conspiracy; he invited Sima Ai to overthrow Sima Jiong, believing that Sima Ai would fail; his plan was then to, in conjunction with Sima Ying, start a war against Sima Jiong. Once they were victorious, he would depose Emperor Hui and make Sima Ying the emperor, and then serve as Sima Ying's prime minister. In winter 302, Sima Yong declared his rebellion, and Sima Ying soon joined, despite opposition from his strategist Lu Zhi (盧志). Hearing that Sima Ai was part of the conspiracy as well, Sima Jiong made a preemptive strike against Sima Ai, but Sima Ai was prepared and entered the palace to control Emperor Hui. After a street battle, Sima Jiong's forces collapsed, and he was executed.
Sima Ai became the effective regent, but in order to reduce opposition, he submitted all important matters to Sima Ying, still stationed at Yecheng. As regent, he paid attention to reforming the government, and he saw the importance of formally honoring Emperor Hui while maintaining resemblance to impartial governance. He continued to try to share power with Sima Ying. However, in fall 303, Sima Yong, dissatisfied that his plan did not come to fruition, persuaded Sima Ying to again join him against Sima Ai. While Sima Yong and Sima Ying had overwhelming force, their forces could not score a conclusive victory against Sima Ai. Sima Ai made overtures to try to achieve peace with Sima Ying, but after negotiations, those efforts failed. Sima Yong's forces were about to withdraw in spring 304 when Sima Yue
Sima Yue
Sima Yue , courtesy name Yuanchao , formally Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai , was a Jin Dynasty imperial prince and regent for Emperor Hui and Emperor Huai...
the Prince of Donghai, the grandson of a great-granduncle of Emperor Hui, believing that Sima Ai could not win this war, arrested him and delivered him to Sima Yong's general Zhang Fang (張方), who executed Sima Ai cruelly by burning him to death. (Before he was executed, Sima Ai was able to write a touching letter of farewell to Emperor Hui.) As Sima Ai cried out in pain, even Zhang's forces were mourning for his fate.