Sima You

Historical Record

Sima You, styled Dayou, left no clear record of his life in the surviving historical biographies. As a result, we cannot obtain reliable information from the official histories about his origins, early experiences, political career, or final fate. This leaves his true historical face blurred in the long river of history, and his specific role and influence at the turn of the Wei and Jin cannot be ascertained. ^c:803

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sima You, as the second son of Sima Zhao, is given a vivid literary image. He first appears in Chapter 119, when Sima Zhao, for his achievements in the conquest of Shu, is enfeoffed as Prince of Jin by the ruler of Wei, Cao Huan. The novel describes Sima You as "mild in temperament, respectful, frugal, and filial," much beloved by his father Sima Zhao. ^c:803

Romance of the Three Kingdoms particularly stresses the contest for heir between Sima You and his elder brother Sima Yan. Because Sima Shi had no son, Sima Zhao made Sima You his heir as Sima Shi's successor, to continue his line. Sima Zhao once said, "The realm is in truth my elder brother's realm," and so was inclined to make Sima You his heir. This idea, however, met strong opposition from the ministers at court. Shan Tao remonstrated on the grounds that "to set aside the elder and establish the younger is contrary to ritual and inauspicious." Jia Chong, He Zeng, Pei Xiu, and others also strongly remonstrated, pointing out that the eldest son Sima Yan "is intelligent and martial, with talent surpassing the age; his reputation already flourishes, and with such an imperial mien he is no countenance of a subject." The Grand Commandant Wang Xiang and the Minister of Works Xun Yi further warned Sima Zhao with the lesson that "in former ages, establishing the younger often brought the state to ruin." Under the ministers' repeated remonstrances, Sima Zhao finally gave up the notion of making Sima You his heir and instead established his eldest son Sima Yan. ^c:803

The novel's shaping of Sima You stresses his mild, respectful, and frugal character, as well as his special status as Sima Zhao's second son and Sima Shi's heir. This portrayal not only displays the struggle for power within the Sima clan but, through the ministers' remonstrances, reflects the society's broad acceptance of the principle of primogeniture. These episodes, however, have no corresponding record in the histories and belong to the literary invention and artistic embellishment of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. ^c:803

Key Relationships

* Sima Shi (kin_of): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sima You was made heir by Sima Zhao to his brother Sima Shi, to continue Sima Shi's line. This relationship has no clear record in the histories and is set up by the novel to enrich the character's background and the conflict of the plot (novel only). ^c:803
* Sima Zhao (father and son): Sima You was the second son of Sima Zhao and much beloved by him. Because of his mild temperament and his respectful, frugal, and filial nature, Sima Zhao once considered making him his heir. This father-son relationship is the key factor driving the contest for heir in the novel (novel only). ^c:803
* Sima Yan (brothers): Sima You was the younger brother of Sima Yan. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms the two are rivals for the position of heir; although Sima You himself did not actively contend, his very existence directly brought about the confirmation of Sima Yan's status as heir (novel only). ^c:803

Iconic Scenes

* Sima Zhao hesitates over establishing an heir: In Chapter 119 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, because Sima Shi had no son and Sima You was "mild in temperament, respectful, frugal, and filial," Sima Zhao was inclined to make Sima You his heir. This idea, however, met strong opposition from a host of ministers—Shan Tao, Jia Chong, He Zeng, Pei Xiu, Wang Xiang, Xun Yi, and others. They pointed out the harm of setting aside the elder for the younger and stressed Sima Yan's "intelligence and martial vigor" and "talent surpassing the age." Under the ministers' repeated remonstrances, Sima Zhao finally gave up the notion of making Sima You his heir and instead established Sima Yan. This scene is Sima You's most important appearance in the novel, directly shaping his mild and frugal image and revealing the problem of power succession within the Sima clan (novel only). ^c:803