Sima Shi

Historical Record

Sima Shi, styled Ziyuan, was the eldest son of Sima Yi, the powerful Cao Wei minister of the Three Kingdoms period. His life is recorded in official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms. In the seventh month of the third year of Jiaping (251 CE), after the death of the Grand Tutor Sima Yi, Sima Shi was appointed General Who Stabilizes the Army and Director of the Masters of Writing, taking hold of Cao Wei's military and political authority. ^c:4810 In the first month of the following year he was promoted to General-in-Chief. ^c:4811

In the eleventh month of winter in the fourth year of Jiaping (252 CE), Sima Shi dispatched the General Who Conquers the South Wang Chang, the General Who Conquers the East Hu Zun, the General Who Guards the South Guanqiu Jian, and others to campaign against Eastern Wu; but in the twelfth month the Wu General-in-Chief Zhuge Ke crushed the Wei army at Dongguan, and the Wei forces withdrew in defeat. ^c:4811 In the face of defeat, Sima Shi showed the bearing to take responsibility, saying: "I did not heed the words of Gongxiu (Zhuge Dan), and so it came to this. This is my fault—what crime have the generals?" He pardoned the generals and only stripped his younger brother Sima Zhao (then Army Supervisor) of his title. This act won the admiration of the people of Wei. ^c:4811

In the first month of spring in the sixth year of Jiaping (254 CE), the General Who Guards the East Guanqiu Jian and the Inspector of Yangzhou Wen Qin raised troops in revolt in Huainan. Sima Shi personally led a great army to suppress them. ^c:740 During the campaign he adopted the strategy of the Chamberlain for Ceremonials Fu Gu, reasoning that since the families of the Huainan soldiers were all in the interior, cutting off their route home would surely cause the rebel army to fall apart. ^c:8586 He also heeded the advice of the Army Supervisor Wang Ji, advancing swiftly to seize Nandun and sever Guanqiu Jian's supply line. ^c:8587 On the jihai day of the intercalary month, Sima Shi defeated Wen Qin at Lejia, and Wen Qin fled to surrender to Wu. On the jiachen day, the Commandant of Anfeng Ford slew Guanqiu Jian and sent his head to the capital. ^c:740

After putting down the rebellion of Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin, Sima Shi fell ill and died at Xu Chang. On the dingsi day of the second month, his younger brother Sima Zhao succeeded to his position as General-in-Chief and Director of the Masters of Writing. ^c:740 During his tenure, Sima Shi deposed Cao Fang and enthroned Cao Mao, further consolidating the power of the Sima clan.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sima Shi is drawn more vividly and takes part in many events with no basis in history. He first appears in Chapter 94, when, together with his younger brother Sima Zhao, he comforts their father Sima Yi, who sighs at not being valued by the ruler of Wei. When Sima Yi learns that Meng Da intends to rebel, Sima Shi advises his father to write a memorial in haste to report it to the Son of Heaven; but Sima Yi, judging that waiting for an imperial edict to travel back and forth would take too long, decides to strike first. ^c:741

In the clashes with Zhuge Liang, Sima Shi several times campaigned alongside his father. In Chapter 102, Zhuge Liang laid a scheme to lure the enemy; Sima Yi saw through it and dispatched Sima Shi and Sima Zhao with troops to relieve the forward camp. ^c:742 In the same chapter, when Sima Yi wished to lead his two sons personally to raid the Shu camp, Sima Shi remonstrated that his father should not risk himself in person and suggested sending another general first. Sima Yi took his advice and sent Qin Lang to raid the camp; Qin Lang fell into the trap and died. ^c:8558 In Chapter 103, Sima Shi advised Sima Yi to give battle to Zhuge Liang, but Sima Yi insisted on holding firm and not coming out. ^c:743 At the battle of Shangfang Valley, Sima Shi expressed his admiration for Sima Yi's stratagem of feinting east to strike west. ^c:744

After Zhuge Liang's death, Sima Shi and Sima Zhao followed Sima Yi in pursuing the Shu army, only to fall for the empty-fort ruse Zhuge Liang had set after his death—"the dead Zhuge frightened off the living Zhongda." ^c:745 In the campaign against Gongsun Yuan, Sima Shi and Sima Zhao both followed Sima Yi to war, besieging Gongsun Yuan and his son in Liaodong and finally capturing and killing them. ^c:746

In the novel, Sima Shi also clashed with Jiang Wei. In Chapter 107, when Jiang Wei attacked Yongzhou, Sima Shi led troops to intercept him but was defeated within three bouts and driven back by the repeating crossbows handed down by the Marquis of Wu. ^{c:747 c:748}

After Sima Yi's death, Sima Shi and Sima Zhao monopolized the government. The ruler of Wei, Cao Fang, plotted with Xiahou Xuan, Li Feng, and Zhang Ji to do away with Sima Shi, but Sima Shi saw through it. He had the three cut in two at the waist and their clans exterminated, then deposed Cao Fang and enthroned Cao Mao. ^{c:749 c:8565 c:750 c:752}

In suppressing the rebellion of Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin, the novel adds the episode of Sima Shi going to war while ill with an eye ailment (a tumor). ^c:754 He adopted the advice of Wang Su and Zhong Hui and personally led the army to put down the revolt. During the campaign his eye ailment worsened, and at night he often saw apparitions of Li Feng, Zhang Ji, and Xiahou Xuan; he finally fell ill and died at Xu Chang, charging Sima Zhao on his deathbed not to lightly trust others and to keep hold of the great power. ^c:755

Key Relationships

* Cao Wei (serves): Sima Shi was a senior minister of Cao Wei, successively General Who Stabilizes the Army and General-in-Chief, holding military and political power and serving as the actual ruler of late Cao Wei. ^c:4810
* Cao Fang (enemy_of): Sima Shi deposed Cao Fang from the throne and enthroned Cao Mao, further consolidating the power of the Sima clan. ^c:752
* Guanqiu Jian (enemy_of): Guanqiu Jian raised troops in revolt; Sima Shi personally led a great army to suppress the rebellion and ultimately slew Guanqiu Jian. ^c:740
* Sima Yi (kin_of): Sima Shi was the eldest son of Sima Yi, inheriting his father's power as the second-generation holder of the Sima clan's authority. ^c:4810
* Sima Zhao (kin_of): Sima Shi's younger brother, who succeeded to his position after Sima Shi fell ill and died, continuing to hold the great power of Cao Wei. ^c:740
* Zhuge Ke (enemy_of): At the battle of Dongguan, Zhuge Ke crushed the Wei army dispatched by Sima Shi. ^c:4811
* Li Feng, Zhang Ji, Xiahou Xuan (enemy_of): The three plotted to do away with Sima Shi, but he saw through it and put them to death ^{c:749 c:8565 c:750} (novel only).
* Jiang Wei (enemy_of): In the novel, Sima Shi clashed with Jiang Wei but was defeated by him ^c:747 (novel only).

Iconic Scenes

* Taking responsibility after the defeat at Dongguan: After the Wei army's great defeat at Dongguan, Sima Shi took the blame upon himself, saying "This is my fault—what crime have the generals?" and pardoned the generals, winning the admiration of the people of Wei. ^c:4811 This displayed his magnanimity and leadership as a commander.
* Suppressing the rebellion of Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin: Sima Shi personally led a great army to put down the Huainan rebellion, displaying decisive military skill and political acumen. He adopted the advice of Fu Gu and Wang Ji and swiftly dissolved the rebel army. ^{c:740 c:8586 c:8587}
* Deposing Cao Fang and enthroning Cao Mao: After seeing through the plot of Cao Fang and others, Sima Shi decisively deposed Cao Fang and enthroned Cao Mao, further consolidating the power of the Sima clan and laying the foundation for the establishment of the Jin dynasty. ^c:752
* Going to war gravely ill and dying as the eye ailment worsened: In the novel, Sima Shi went to war while ill during the suppression of the Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin rebellion; as his eye ailment worsened, he often saw apparitions at night of those he had put to death, and finally fell ill and died at Xu Chang, charging Sima Zhao on his deathbed to keep hold of the great power ^{c:754 c:755} (novel only). This episode highlights his tenacity and obsession with power and adds drama to the transfer of authority within the Sima clan.