Sima Yun

Sima Yun
司馬允
Prince of Huainan (淮南王)
Reign22 December 289[1] - c.September 300
Prince of Puyang (濮阳王)
Reign5 October 277[2] - 22 December 289
Born272[3]
Diedc.September 300[4]
Luoyang, Henan
Issuethree sons, including Sima Yu (司马郁; Prince of Qin) and Sima Di (司马迪; Prince of Han)[5]
Names
Family name: Sima (司馬)
Given name: Yun (允)
Courtesy name: Qindu (钦度)
Posthumous name
Zhongzhuang (忠壮)
HouseHouse of Sima
FatherEmperor Wu of Jin
MotherLady Li
In this Chinese name, the family name is Sima.

Sima Yun (simplified Chinese: 司马允; traditional Chinese: 司馬允; 272 - c.September 300), courtesy name Qindu (钦度),[6] posthumously known as Prince Zhongzhuang of Huainan, was an imperial prince of the Western Jin dynasty, and a son of Emperor Wu of Jin. Besides his heritage, Sima Yun was best known for his failed uprising against Sima Lun, then regent of Yun's half-brother Emperor Hui.

Background and life under Emperor Wu

Sima Yun was born to Emperor Wu and his concubine Lady Li in 272; his full younger brother was Sima Yan (司马晏; 281 - 14 July 311[7]), Prince Xiao of Wu[8] and father to the future Emperor Min of Jin. Like many of Emperor Wu's sons, Sima Yun was made an imperial prince in October 277; he was about five at the time and so remained in the imperial capital Luoyang. His first princely title was Prince of Puyang; his princely title was changed to Prince of Huainan in December 289, just about five months before Emperor Wu's death in May 290. At the same time, he was also made Chief Controller of Yangzhou (扬州) and Jiangzhou (江州).

During Emperor Hui's reign

Sima Yun's half-brother Emperor Hui was developmentally disabled; his reign saw a series of regents who ruled on his behalf. Sima Yun's activities during the regencies of Yang Jun, Yun's granduncle Sima Liang and Wei Guan (who were co-regents), and Emperor Hui's wife Empress Jia Nanfeng, were poorly documented.

After Emperor Hui's crown prince Sima Yu was deposed in February 300, there were proposals to make Sima Yun crown prince. However, court officials did not agree to the choice of crown prince.[9] Empress Jia then ordered Sima Yu's assassination in April. The crown prince's fate lost Jia much support, and she was soon overthrown by Emperor Hui's grand-uncle Sima Lun in May.

In c.September 300, after Lun attempted to take his military authority away, Sima Yun rebelled against Lun with only 700 men in Luoyang. Lun was nearly killed in the fighting, but one of his supporters Fu Yin (伏胤) pretended to defect to Yun and killed him, ending his rebellion.[10][11] His three sons, including Sima Yu (司马郁; Prince of Qin) and Sima Di (司马迪; Prince of Han) were also killed with him, and several thousands were implicated and executed.[12][13]

References

  1. ^ ([太康十年十一月]甲申，....；濮阳王允为淮南王，都督扬、江二州诸军事；并假节之国。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.82.
  2. ^ ([咸宁三年]八月，癸亥，....又封皇子玮为始平王，允为濮阳王，...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.80
  3. ^ Sima Yun's biography in Book of Jin recorded that he was 29 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died.
  4. ^ Vol.83 of Zizhi Tongjian and vol.04 of Jin Shu recorded that Sima Yun was killed in the 8th month of the 1st year of the Yong'kang era; the month corresponds to 31 Aug to 29 Sep 300 in the Julian calendar.
  5. ^ Jin Shu, vol.04 and Zizhi Tongjian, vol.83
  6. ^ (淮南忠壮王允，字钦度，...) Jin Shu, vol.64
  7. ^ ([永嘉五年六月]戊戌，[刘]曜杀太子诠、吴孝王晏、...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.87. Vol.64 of Jin Shu recorded that Sima Yan was 31 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died.
  8. ^ (李夫人生淮南忠壮王允、吴孝王晏。) Jin Shu, vol.64
  9. ^ (太子遹之废也，将立淮南王允为太弟，议者不合。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.83
  10. ^ di Cosmo 2009, p. 117.
  11. ^ ([永康元年]秋，八月，转允为太尉，外示优崇，实夺其兵权。允称疾不拜。秀遣御史刘机逼允，收其官属以下，劾以拒诏，大逆不敬。允视诏，乃秀手书也，大怒，收御史，将斩之，御史走免，斩其令史二人。厉色谓左右曰：“赵王欲破我家！”遂帅国兵及帐下七百人直出，大呼曰：“赵王反，我将讨之，从我者左袒。”于是归之者甚众。允将赴宫，尚书左丞王舆闭掖门，允不得入，遂围相府。允所将兵皆精锐，伦与战，屡败，死者千馀人。太子左率陈徽勒东宫兵，鼓噪于内以应允。允结陈于承华门前，弓弩齐发，射伦，飞矢雨下。主书司马眭秘以身蔽伦，箭中其背而死。伦官属皆隐树而立，每树辄中数百箭，自辰至未，中书令陈淮，徽之兄也，欲应允，言于帝曰：“宜遣白虎幡以解斗。”乃使司马督护伏胤将骑四百持幡从宫中出。侍中汝阴王虔在门下省，阴与胤誓曰：“富贵当与卿共之。”胤乃怀空板出，诈言有诏助淮南王。允不之觉，开阵内之，下车受诏；胤因杀之，并杀允子秦王郁、汉王迪，坐允夷灭者数千人。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.83
  12. ^ (允三子皆被害，坐允夷灭者数千人。) Jin Shu, vol.64
  13. ^ As Sima Yun's son Sima Yu was also killed with him, the title of Prince of Qin was later granted to Sima Ye (the later Emperor Min of Jin).

Sources

  • di Cosmo, Nicola (2009), Military Culture in Imperial China, Harvard University Press
  • Fang, Xuanling: Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
  • Sima, Guang: Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance (Zizhi Tongjian)