Sima Zhao

Historical Record

Sima Zhao, styled Zishang, was an important statesman and military commander of late Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period, playing a pivotal role in the Wei court throughout his life. Born of the Sima clan, he was the second son of Sima Yi and the younger brother of Sima Shi. Sima Zhao's political career began after his father Sima Yi launched the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs, and he gradually came to hold real power in Wei. In the first month of the second year of Zhengyuan (255 CE), the General Who Guards the East Guanqiu Jian and the Inspector of Yangzhou Wen Qin rebelled, and the General-in-Chief, King Jing of Sima (Sima Shi), led an army to suppress them. In this campaign Sima Shi fell ill and died at Xu Chang. ^c:4850 Sima Zhao was then appointed General-in-Chief and Director of the Masters of Writing, succeeding to his brother's authority and further consolidating the Sima clan's rule over Wei. ^c:4850

In the second year of Ganlu (257 CE), the Grand General Who Guards the East, Zhuge Dan, raised troops in revolt at Shouchun, and Sima Zhao personally led a great army to suppress him. In the course of the campaign Sima Zhao displayed outstanding military skill and strategic vision. He adopted Wang Ji's advice, taking a strategy of encirclement rather than a hasty assault, and finally drove Zhuge Dan into a corner. ^c:8849 Although some argued for a swift attack, Sima Zhao held that "the city is strong and the troops many; to assault it would surely exhaust our strength, and should there be an outside foe, we would be caught between enemies within and without—this is the road to peril." ^c:8852 In the end, after months of siege, the city's provisions ran out; Zhuge Dan's subordinate commanders Jiang Ban, Jiao Yi, and Wen Qin and his sons surrendered or were killed one after another, and Zhuge Dan himself was slain while trying to break out. ^c:8851 The victory at Shouchun thoroughly removed the threat to Wei's east and further raised Sima Zhao's prestige. After the battle, Sima Zhao adopted a lenient policy toward the surrendered Wu soldiers, killing none and settling them in the nearby commanderies of the Three Rivers, showing a side of benevolent rule. ^c:8852

In the fourth year of Jingyuan (263 CE), Sima Zhao dispatched Zhong Hui, Deng Ai, and others on a large-scale invasion of Shu, finally destroying Shu Han. In the course of the conquest, however, friction arose between Zhong Hui and Deng Ai. Zhong Hui secretly accused Deng Ai of plotting rebellion, and Sima Zhao thereupon issued an edict to bring Deng Ai in by prison cart. ^c:8853 Sima Zhao well knew that Zhong Hui might also harbor disloyalty; he once said to Jia Chong, "Once I reach Chang'an, the matter will settle itself." ^c:8855 Sure enough, Zhong Hui launched a rebellion in Chengdu, but it was soon put down, and both Zhong Hui and Deng Ai perished in the affair. ^c:4852 In the first year of Xianxi (264 CE), Sima Zhao was advanced to Prince of Jin, enfeoffed with ten commanderies and granted the Nine Bestowals. He posthumously named his father Sima Yi King Xuan of Jin and his brother Sima Shi King Jing of Jin. ^c:4852 These acts laid the foundation for his eventual supplanting of Wei and founding of the Jin. During his tenure, although Sima Zhao did not proclaim himself emperor, he already held the supreme power of Wei in fact, paving the way for the establishment of the Western Jin.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sima Zhao is drawn more vividly and dramatically, with particular emphasis on his ambition—"Sima Zhao's heart is known to every passerby." He first appears in Chapter 94, alongside his elder brother Sima Shi at the side of their father Sima Yi, showing a keen grasp of the situation and lofty ambitions. ^c:806 At the Battle of Jieting, Sima Zhao campaigned with his father and offered his own view on Jieting's defenses, judging that Ma Su, camping his troops atop the hill, would be easy to break—a contrast with Sima Yi's caution that also reflects his boldness in his youth. ^c:807

The novel repeatedly depicts Sima Zhao campaigning with his father Sima Yi, as during Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions, when he and Sima Shi led troops to relieve the forward camp. ^c:808 In the classic episode of "the dead Zhuge frightened off the living Zhongda," Sima Zhao did not understand Sima Yi's decision to withdraw, thinking Zhuge Liang might have no troops—an aside that also sets off Zhuge Liang's cunning. ^c:8844 In the campaign to pacify Gongsun Yuan, Sima Zhao and Sima Shi together aided Sima Yi, finally capturing and killing Gongsun Yuan and his son and further consolidating the Sima clan's military power. ^c:810

After Sima Shi fell ill and died, Sima Zhao succeeded to his brother's authority, becoming General-in-Chief and Director of the Masters of Writing, and from then on held the great power of Wei. ^{c:4853 c:4855} The novel dwells on the gradual unmasking of Sima Zhao's usurping heart. He often went escorted by three thousand armored elite officers, settling matters directly without reporting to the court. ^c:4856 His confidant Jia Chong repeatedly schemed for him, sounded out men's hearts, and even directly provoked Zhuge Dan into rebellion. ^c:4856 In suppressing Zhuge Dan's rebellion, Sima Zhao followed Jia Chong's advice and took the Empress Dowager and the Son of Heaven along on campaign to forestall any upheaval at court. ^c:8803 After Shouchun fell, he adopted Zhong Hui's advice and released the Wu soldiers as a show of leniency—which accords with the historical record. ^c:8811

The most controversial event in the novel is the death of Cao Mao. In open court Sima Zhao pressed Cao Mao to enfeoff him as Duke of Jin and grant the Nine Bestowals, and using Cao Mao's "Hidden Dragon Poem" as a pretext, he threatened him. ^c:813 In the end Cao Mao, unwilling to endure the humiliation, led his followers to attack Sima Zhao but was killed by Cheng Ji. Though Sima Zhao feigned grief, his usurping heart was already laid bare. ^c:8816 Although Jia Chong and others urged him to accept abdication and proclaim himself emperor at once, Sima Zhao likened himself to "King Wen, who held two-thirds of the realm yet served the Yin," declaring that he was in no hurry to take the throne but would leave that great task to his son Sima Yan—fully displaying his far-sighted calculation and political skill. ^c:814

Key Relationships

* Cao Wei (serves): Sima Zhao held office under the Cao Wei regime all his life, but his ultimate aim was to supplant Cao Wei. Through a series of political and military actions he progressively hollowed out the Cao Wei emperor and grasped the real power of the state, laying the foundation for the establishment of the Jin dynasty. ^c:4850
* Zhuge Dan (enemy_of): Zhuge Dan was Sima Zhao's chief opponent in pacifying the Huainan rebellion. Resentful of Sima Zhao's monopoly of power, Zhuge Dan rose in revolt but was finally defeated and slain by Sima Zhao's army, a battle that further consolidated Sima Zhao's position. ^{c:804 c:8803}
* Sima Yi (kin_of): Sima Zhao was the second son of Sima Yi, inheriting his father's political legacy and stratagem. On his deathbed Sima Yi charged the two brothers Sima Shi and Sima Zhao to govern the state well ^c:4853 (novel only).
* Sima Shi (kin_of): Sima Zhao was the younger brother of Sima Shi. After Sima Shi died, Sima Zhao succeeded to his brother's authority as General-in-Chief and continued the Sima clan's policy of monopolizing power. ^{c:4850 c:4855}
* Cao Mao (lord_of): Cao Mao was the emperor of Wei but was in fact controlled by Sima Zhao. In the end, unwilling to endure Sima Zhao's monopoly of power, Cao Mao tried to resist but was killed by Sima Zhao's confidant Cheng Ji ^{c:813 c:8816} (novel only).
* Jia Chong (ally_of): Jia Chong was Sima Zhao's confidant counselor, repeatedly scheming for him and playing an important part especially in the killing of Cao Mao ^{c:813 c:8813} (novel only).
* Zhong Hui (ally_of): Zhong Hui was an important general of Sima Zhao who rendered great service in the conquest of Shu. Yet Zhong Hui later launched a rebellion in Chengdu and was finally put down. ^{c:4852 c:8853}
* Deng Ai (ally_of): Deng Ai was likewise an important general under Sima Zhao who performed outstandingly in the conquest of Shu, but was later falsely accused of rebellion by Zhong Hui and ultimately killed. ^{c:4852 c:8853}

Iconic Scenes

* Succeeding to his brother's authority as General-in-Chief: After Sima Shi fell ill and died, Sima Zhao was appointed General-in-Chief and Director of the Masters of Writing, formally taking over the Sima clan's supreme power in Wei—an important turning point in his political career. ^c:4850
* Pacifying Zhuge Dan's rebellion: Sima Zhao personally led a great army to put down Zhuge Dan's revolt at Shouchun, displaying outstanding military skill and strategic vision. The victory further consolidated the Sima clan's rule. ^{c:804 c:8849}
* "Sima Zhao's heart is known to every passerby": This saying comes from Cao Mao's appraisal of Sima Zhao's usurping ambition. In the novel, Cao Mao gathered his ministers, tearfully decried Sima Zhao's usurping heart, and tried to march against him ^c:813 (novel only).
* The killing of Cao Mao: Unwilling to endure Sima Zhao's monopoly of power, Cao Mao tried to resist but was finally killed by Sima Zhao's confidant Cheng Ji. This event fully exposed Sima Zhao's cold ruthlessness and usurping ambition. ^{c:813 c:8816} (novel only).
* Conquering Shu and destroying Han: Sima Zhao dispatched Zhong Hui, Deng Ai, and other generals on a large-scale invasion of Shu, finally destroying Shu Han. This was a major military achievement of Sima Zhao's and laid the foundation for the establishment of the Jin dynasty. ^c:4859
* Advancement to Prince of Jin: In the first year of Xianxi, Sima Zhao was advanced to Prince of Jin and posthumously enfeoffed his father and brother, marking the Sima clan's coming within a single step of supplanting Wei and founding the Jin. ^c:4852
* Escaping the trap at Iron Cage Mountain: In a clash with Jiang Wei, Sima Zhao was once trapped by Jiang Wei at Iron Cage Mountain, the water source dried up and he faced a desperate plight. But in the novel, through prayer, he miraculously obtained water and finally escaped the trap. ^{c:8799 c:8800} (novel only).