Sima Yi (司馬懿) | 24 Histories

Overview

Sima Yi was an Ancestor of Jin (Sima Yi).

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Temple name	Emperor Xuan of Jin	晉宣	Jìn Xuān

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 179 to AD 251 宣皇
Directly stated · Book of Song 55, passage 54
AD 249 晉宣不內迫曹爽
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 2, passage 169
AD 208 to AD 251 曹、馬之勢
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 73

Key source chapters

Book of Song, Chapter 55 Volume 55 Biographies 15: Zang Dao, Xu Guang, F Long 2 passages
Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 60 Volume 60 Book of Later Tang 36: Biographies 12: Li Xiji, Wang Jian, Li Jingyi, Lu Rubi, Li Dexiu, Su Xun 1 passage
Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 2 Volume 2 Annals 2: Emperor Gao of Southern Qi 2 1 passage

Events and relationships

Invoked as model of usurping ministerial power
Allusion · Comparand · With Wang Chao (王超)
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 73
Relation Rival of · Person Cao Shuang (曹爽)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 2, passage 169

References in the histories

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 60Volume 60 Book of Later Tang 36: Biographies 12: Li Xiji, Wang Jian, Li Jingyi, Lu Rubi, Li Dexiu, Su Xun · 1 passage

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〈（《北夢瑣言》：唐末，鳳翔判官王超，推奉李茂貞，挾曹、馬之勢，箋奏文檄，恣意翱翔。 (Northern Dreams, Trivial Tales: Late in Tang, Fengxiang aide Wang Chao backed Li Maozhen and wielded power like Cao Cao and Sima Yi; his memorials and battle letters ranged freely wherever he chose.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 2Volume 2 Annals 2: Emperor Gao of Southern Qi 2 · 1 passage

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晉宣不內迫曹爽，豈有定霸浮橋？ Sima Yi would never have seized power at the Floating Bridge had Cao Shuang not driven him to it.

Book of Song, Chapter 55Volume 55 Biographies 15: Zang Dao, Xu Guang, F Long · 2 passages

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故上及征西，以備六世之數，宣皇雖為太祖，尚在子孫之位，至於殷祭之日，未申東向之禮，所謂子雖齊聖，不先父食者矣。 Sacrifice therefore extended up to the Western Campaign lord to complete six generations; although Emperor Xuan was the Great Ancestor, he still occupied the position of a descendant, and on the day of the great seasonal sacrifice the rite of facing east had not yet been accorded him — illustrating the rule that even a sage son does not take precedence over his father at the offering.

若宣皇既居群廟之上，而四主禘祫不已，則大晉殷祭，長無太祖之位矣。 If Emperor Xuan already stands above the other temples while the four lords continue forever in the great seasonal sacrifice, then in Jin's great seasonal rites the Great Ancestor's place will remain permanently empty.