Sima Shi
Encyclopedia
Sima Shi style name
Ziyuan (子元), was a military general and regent of Cao Wei
during the Three Kingdoms
era of Chinese history
. In 249, he assisted his father Sima Yi
in overthrowing the emperor Cao Fang
's regent Cao Shuang
, allowing the Sima family to become paramount authority in the state, and he inherited his father's authority after his father's death in 251. He maintained a tight grip on the political scene and, when the emperor Cao Fang considered action against him in 254, he had Cao Fang deposed and replaced with his cousin Cao Mao
. This tight grip eventually allowed him to, at the time of his death in 255, transition his power to his younger brother Sima Zhao
, whose son Sima Yan
eventually usurped the throne and established the Jin Dynasty
.
After Sima Yan became emperor, he, recognizing Sima Shi's role in his own imperial status, posthumously honored his uncle as the Emperor Jing of Jin (晉景帝), with the temple name Shizong (世宗).
When Sima Yi planned a coup d'état against Cao Shuang in late 248; according to Jin Shu, Sima Yi confided only in Sima Shi, with even his younger brother Sima Zhao excluded from the discussion (although Sima Guang
found this unlikely and, in his Zizhi Tongjian
, opined that Sima Yi planned the coup with both Sima Shi and Sima Zhao). Sima Shi put together a group of 3,000 loyal men without knowledge by Cao Shuang or his associates, and when Sima Yi set to carry out his plans in 249, Sima Shi was able to quickly summon the men to carry out the coup.
Once Sima Yi overthrew Cao Shuang and replaced Cao as regent for the emperor Cao Fang
, he rewarded his son with the title the Marquess of Changpingxiang. Sima Shi became his father's assistant, although there was no particular record of his accomplishments during these years. After Sima Yi died in 251, he took over his father's positions without significant opposition—after his father had, earlier that year, suppressed a failed rebellion by Wang Ling (王淩) and massacred the clans of Wang and his associates.
, whose founding emperor Sun Quan
had recently died and whose current emperor, Sun Liang
, was under the regency of Zhuge Ke
. Zhuge Ke was able to deal Sima Shi's forces a major blow, but Sima Shi maintained himself well by making humble admissions of faults to the public and promoting the generals who tried to stop his campaign. In 253, after Sima Shi defeated Zhuge Ke in a major battle, his reputation was established, while Zhuge Ke's own was undermined (due to Zhuge Ke's failure to admit fault), and Zhuge soon fell while Sima's power was affirmed.
In 254, Sima Shi made a violent move to consolidate his power, at Cao Fang's expense. Cao Fang had endeared himself to the minister Li Feng
(李豐), and there had been suspicious by Sima Shi that they were plotting against him. He summoned and interrogated Li Feng, and when Li refused to disclose his conversations with the emperor, Sima Shi beat him to death with a sword handle and then accused Li Feng and his friends Xiahou Xuan
(夏侯玄) and Zhang Ji (張緝) of treason, and had them and their families executed. Cao Fang was further forced to depose of his wife Empress Zhang
, who was Zhang Ji's daughter. These moves further terrorized the officials into submission.
Cao Fang was very angry about the deaths of Li Feng and Zhang Ji, and later in 254, his associates submitted a plan to him—that when Sima Shi's brother Sima Zhao would arrive at the palace for an official visit before heading to his defense post at Chang'an
, to kill Sima Zhao and seize his troops, and then use those troops to attack Sima Shi. Cao Fang was apprehensive and paralyzed, and did not implement the plan, but news was still leaked to Sima Shi. Sima Shi then forced Cao Fang to step down, although Sima spared his life and gave him his old title of the Prince of Qi. When Sima Shi notified Cao Fang's stepmother Empress Dowager Guo
that he intended to make Cao Pi
's brother Cao Ju (曹據), the Prince of Pengcheng, emperor, however, she managed to persuade him that such a succession would be improper—that since Cao Ju was the uncle of her husband Cao Rui
, such a succession would leave Cao Rui effectively sonless with no heir. Sima Shi was forced to agree with her, and he made, as she suggested, Cao Mao emperor instead. (Cao Mao, although 13 years old at the time, was known for his intelligence, and Empress Dowager Guo might have believed that he, alone of the princes and dukes, might have had a chance of counteracting the Simas.)
, Anhui
), along with another general Wen Qin
(文欽), raised a rebellion against the Simas, but were quickly crushed by Sima Shi's army. Wuqiu Jian was killed, and his clan was slaughtered. Wen Qin and his sons fled to Eastern Wu.
The campaign had its tolls on Sima Shi, however. He was ill with an eye disorder at the time that Wuqiu Jian and Wen Qin's rebellion started, and had just had an eye surgery. He was initially therefore reluctant to lead the forces himself and wanted his uncle Sima Fu
to lead the forces against Wuqiu Jian and Wen Qin. At the urging of Zhong Hui
and Fu Gu (傅嘏), he led the troops himself, which was important in the victory against Wuqiu Jian, but during one of the raids made by Wen Qin's son Wen Yang (文鴦), Sima Shi, in his anxiety, aggravated the eye that he had just had the operation in—causing his eye to pop out—and his conditions soon deteriorated greatly. Less than a month after he put down the rebellion, he died while at Xuchang (許昌, in modern Xuchang
, Henan
), with his brother Sima Zhao in attendance to succeed him.
of Koei's Dynasty Warriors
video games series.
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...
Ziyuan (子元), was a military general and regent of Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
during the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
era 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...
. In 249, he assisted his father Sima Yi
Sima Yi
Sima Yi was a general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is perhaps best known for defending Wei from Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions...
in overthrowing the emperor Cao Fang
Cao Fang
Cao Fang , formally known as Duke Li of Shaoling, was the third emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He retained the title Prince of Qi after he was deposed by the regent Sima Shi...
's regent Cao Shuang
Cao Shuang
Cao Shuang , style name Zhaobo , was a military general, politician and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the son of Cao Zhen...
, allowing the Sima family to become paramount authority in the state, and he inherited his father's authority after his father's death in 251. He maintained a tight grip on the political scene and, when the emperor Cao Fang considered action against him in 254, he had Cao Fang deposed and replaced with his cousin Cao Mao
Cao Mao
Cao Mao , formally known as the Duke of Gaogui, was the fourth emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a grandson of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi. Described as intelligent and studious, Cao Mao made repeated attempts to seize back state power...
. This tight grip eventually allowed him to, at the time of his death in 255, transition his power to his younger brother Sima Zhao
Sima Zhao
Sima Zhao was a military general, politician and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, whose son Sima Yan
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...
eventually usurped the throne and established the Jin Dynasty
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...
.
After Sima Yan became emperor, he, recognizing Sima Shi's role in his own imperial status, posthumously honored his uncle as the Emperor Jing of Jin (晉景帝), with the temple name Shizong (世宗).
Career up to 251
It is not known when Sima Shi was born, but it is known that he was Sima Yi's oldest son, born of Sima Yi's wife, Lady Zhang Chunhua (張春華). When he was young, he was known for the elegance in his conduct and his intelligence. As his father was an important Cao Wei official, Sima Shi himself climbed up the ranks of officials fairly rapidly.When Sima Yi planned a coup d'état against Cao Shuang in late 248; according to Jin Shu, Sima Yi confided only in Sima Shi, with even his younger brother Sima Zhao excluded from the discussion (although Sima Guang
Sima Guang
Sīmǎ Guāng was a Chinese historian, scholar, and high chancellor of the Song Dynasty, jinshi 1038.-Life, profession, and works:...
found this unlikely and, in his Zizhi Tongjian
Zizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
, opined that Sima Yi planned the coup with both Sima Shi and Sima Zhao). Sima Shi put together a group of 3,000 loyal men without knowledge by Cao Shuang or his associates, and when Sima Yi set to carry out his plans in 249, Sima Shi was able to quickly summon the men to carry out the coup.
Once Sima Yi overthrew Cao Shuang and replaced Cao as regent for the emperor Cao Fang
Cao Fang
Cao Fang , formally known as Duke Li of Shaoling, was the third emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He retained the title Prince of Qi after he was deposed by the regent Sima Shi...
, he rewarded his son with the title the Marquess of Changpingxiang. Sima Shi became his father's assistant, although there was no particular record of his accomplishments during these years. After Sima Yi died in 251, he took over his father's positions without significant opposition—after his father had, earlier that year, suppressed a failed rebellion by Wang Ling (王淩) and massacred the clans of Wang and his associates.
During Cao Fang's reign
Sima Shi was a capable politician and administrator, but he also quickly wanted to prove his military reputation. In 252, he made a major attack against Eastern WuEastern Wu
Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
, whose founding emperor Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
had recently died and whose current emperor, Sun Liang
Sun Liang
Sun Liang was the second emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the founding emperor Sun Quan's youngest son and heir...
, was under the regency of Zhuge Ke
Zhuge Ke
Zhuge Ke , style name Yuanxun , was a military general and regent of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Zhuge Jin and nephew of Zhuge Liang. He succeeded Lu Xun after the latter's death...
. Zhuge Ke was able to deal Sima Shi's forces a major blow, but Sima Shi maintained himself well by making humble admissions of faults to the public and promoting the generals who tried to stop his campaign. In 253, after Sima Shi defeated Zhuge Ke in a major battle, his reputation was established, while Zhuge Ke's own was undermined (due to Zhuge Ke's failure to admit fault), and Zhuge soon fell while Sima's power was affirmed.
In 254, Sima Shi made a violent move to consolidate his power, at Cao Fang's expense. Cao Fang had endeared himself to the minister Li Feng
Li Feng
Li Feng , style name Anguo , was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a trusted official of the emperor Cao Fang, and did not follow the regent Sima Shi's wishes...
(李豐), and there had been suspicious by Sima Shi that they were plotting against him. He summoned and interrogated Li Feng, and when Li refused to disclose his conversations with the emperor, Sima Shi beat him to death with a sword handle and then accused Li Feng and his friends Xiahou Xuan
Xiahou Xuan
Xiahou Xuan , style name Taichu , was a minister of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the son of Xiahou Shang. Xiahou Xuan's mother was Cao Shuang's aunt , and thus he was close to Cao Shuang's faction. Despite this, he survived the overthrow and execution of Cao...
(夏侯玄) and Zhang Ji (張緝) of treason, and had them and their families executed. Cao Fang was further forced to depose of his wife Empress Zhang
Empress Zhang (Cao Fang)
Empress Zhang, personal name unknown, was an empress of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was the second wife of Cao Fang, the third ruler of Cao Wei....
, who was Zhang Ji's daughter. These moves further terrorized the officials into submission.
Cao Fang was very angry about the deaths of Li Feng and Zhang Ji, and later in 254, his associates submitted a plan to him—that when Sima Shi's brother Sima Zhao would arrive at the palace for an official visit before heading to his defense post at Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
, to kill Sima Zhao and seize his troops, and then use those troops to attack Sima Shi. Cao Fang was apprehensive and paralyzed, and did not implement the plan, but news was still leaked to Sima Shi. Sima Shi then forced Cao Fang to step down, although Sima spared his life and gave him his old title of the Prince of Qi. When Sima Shi notified Cao Fang's stepmother Empress Dowager Guo
Empress Guo (Ming)
Empress Guo , personal name unknown, formally known as Empress Mingyuan , was an empress of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was married to Cao Rui , the second emperor of Cao Wei; she was his third wife and second empress...
that he intended to make Cao Pi
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
's brother Cao Ju (曹據), the Prince of Pengcheng, emperor, however, she managed to persuade him that such a succession would be improper—that since Cao Ju was the uncle of her husband Cao Rui
Cao Rui
Cao Rui , formally known as Emperor Ming of Wei, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi according to Liu Song dynasty historian, Pei Songzhi, but was a son of Yuan Xi according to modern...
, such a succession would leave Cao Rui effectively sonless with no heir. Sima Shi was forced to agree with her, and he made, as she suggested, Cao Mao emperor instead. (Cao Mao, although 13 years old at the time, was known for his intelligence, and Empress Dowager Guo might have believed that he, alone of the princes and dukes, might have had a chance of counteracting the Simas.)
During Cao Mao's reign
Despite Empress Dowager Guo's intentions and Cao Mao's own intelligence, they made very little impact in trying to stem the tide of the Simas' growing power. In reaction to the removal of Cao Fang, in 255, the general Wuqiu Jian, the commander in the important eastern city of Shouchun (壽春, in modern Lu'anLu'an
Lu'an , is a prefecture-level city in western Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, with a population of 5,612,590 inhabitants at 2010 census. Its built up area is home to 1,482,729 inhabitants spread out on 2 urban districts...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
), along with another general Wen Qin
Wen Qin
Wen Qin , style name Zhongruo , was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He served as the protector of Yang Province. Enraged at Sima Shi on the displacement of the emperor Cao Fang, then starting a rebellion with Guanqiu Jian. During the rebellion, Wen...
(文欽), raised a rebellion against the Simas, but were quickly crushed by Sima Shi's army. Wuqiu Jian was killed, and his clan was slaughtered. Wen Qin and his sons fled to Eastern Wu.
The campaign had its tolls on Sima Shi, however. He was ill with an eye disorder at the time that Wuqiu Jian and Wen Qin's rebellion started, and had just had an eye surgery. He was initially therefore reluctant to lead the forces himself and wanted his uncle 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...
to lead the forces against Wuqiu Jian and Wen Qin. At the urging of Zhong Hui
Zhong Hui
Zhong Hui was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Zhong Yao, a calligrapher and politician of Wei....
and Fu Gu (傅嘏), he led the troops himself, which was important in the victory against Wuqiu Jian, but during one of the raids made by Wen Qin's son Wen Yang (文鴦), Sima Shi, in his anxiety, aggravated the eye that he had just had the operation in—causing his eye to pop out—and his conditions soon deteriorated greatly. Less than a month after he put down the rebellion, he died while at Xuchang (許昌, in modern Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, 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...
), with his brother Sima Zhao in attendance to succeed him.
Family
- Father: Sima YiSima YiSima Yi was a general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is perhaps best known for defending Wei from Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions...
- Mother: Zhang ChunhuaZhang ChunhuaZhang Chunhua was the wife of the Cao Wei general Sima Yi during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was known to be wise and capable, but also ruthless at times.-Biography:...
- Spouses:
- Lady Xiahou HuiLady Xiahou HuiXiahou Hui , formally known as Empress Jinghuai, was a noble lady of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was the daughter of Xiahou Shang and wife of the regent Sima Shi....
, daughter of Xiahou ShangXiahou ShangXiahou Shang was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a distant nephew of Xiahou Yuan and father of Xiahou Xuan and Lady Xiahou Hui.-Biography:...
, bore five daughters, poisoned to death in 234, posthumously honoured as Empress Jinghuai - Lady Wu (吳氏), daughter of Wu ZhiWu ZhiWu Zhi , style name Jizhong , was a politician of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. During the late Han Dynasty, he served as an adviser to Cao Pi, a son of the warlord Cao Cao. Cao Pi was vying with his younger brother Cao Zhi for the succession to their father's...
, divorced in an unknown year - Yang Huiyu, sister of Yang HuYang HuNot to be confused with Yang Hu :zh:阳虎/陽虎, the Spring and Autumn retainer-usurper in the state of Lu.Yang Hu , style name Shuzi , was a military general during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history...
, died in 278
- Lady Xiahou Hui
- Children:
- Five daughters
- Foster children:
- Sima YouSima YouSima You , style name Taiyou , was the second son of the Cao Wei regent Sima Zhao during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Sima You became the heir to his uncle, Sima Shi, who at the time was childless...
, nephew, Prince Xian of Qi, continued Sima Shi's family line
- Sima You
Modern references
Sima Shi first appears as a playable character in the seventh installmentDynasty Warriors 7
is a hack and slash video game and the seventh official installment of the Dynasty Warriors series. It is developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game has been confirmed to be PS3 exclusive in Japan. The story is based on Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
of Koei's Dynasty Warriors
Dynasty Warriors
is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
video games series.