Sima Hui, style names

Chinese style name

A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...

 Decao (德操) and Shuijing (水鏡; literally: "Water Mirror"), was a hermit who lived during the late Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 period of Chinese history

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

. He was from Yingchuan (present-day Yuzhou City, Henan

Henan

Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...

), and lived in northern Jing Province (present-day southern Henan

Henan

Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...

 and northern Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

 region). When he met the warlord Liu Bei

Liu Bei

Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...

, he recommended Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....

 and Pang Tong

Pang Tong

Pang Tong was an advisor to Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was nicknamed "Young Phoenix" by his uncle Pang Degong due to his ugly appearance but great capabilities and talent...

 to be Liu's advisors.

Haohao Xiansheng

Sima was known to never mention others' shortcomings or flaws. His reply to both good and bad news would always be "hao" (好; literally: "Good / Yes"). When someone asked him, "How are you?", he replied, "Good." When somebody told him that his son had died, he said, "Very good." His wife chided him for that, saying, "Everyone sees you as a person of good moral conduct, so they're willing to tell you their problems. Why do you say very good when someone tells you that his son had died?" Sima replied, "It's also good to hear what you've just said." This gave rise to the Chinese idiom haohao xiansheng (好好先生; literally: "Mr. Yes").

In fiction

In chapter 37 of Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong

Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...

's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...

, Sima is described to be a carefree, wandering man who is well-versed in many arts. He has a close relationship with Pang Tong

Pang Tong

Pang Tong was an advisor to Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was nicknamed "Young Phoenix" by his uncle Pang Degong due to his ugly appearance but great capabilities and talent...

, and refers to Pang as a younger brother.

Sima is also featured in Chan Mou

Chan Mou

Chan Mou is a comic artist. His first comic ever self-written and self-produced Unhuman , based on the Three Kingdoms period and released in 1996, had won him numerous awards and recognitions.His pen name Chan Mou...

's manhua

Manhua

Manhua are Chinese comics originally produced in China. Possibly due to their greater degree of artistic freedom of expression and closer international ties with Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been the places of publication of most manhua thus far, often including Chinese translations of...

 The Ravages of Time

The Ravages of Time

The Ravages of Time is an on-going Hong Kong manhua series created by Chan Mou. It re-tells the events in the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, with the story largely revolving around the many exploits of a young Sima Yi.The series is known for exercising a large...

as the teacher of the "Eight Enigmas", a group of elite strategists and advisors.

See also

• List of people of the Three Kingdoms