Royals › Monarch / Emperor
Sima Zhao
Cao Wei regent, second son of Sima Yi, who took over from his brother Sima Shi, conquered Shu Han in 263 and became King of Jin, clearing the way for his son's dynasty
In a side chamber of a palace, a yellow ceremonial robe embroidered with a dragon hangs on a wooden stand, its hem worked with waves and rocks, before a carved folding screen, while a black lacquer chest sits on a low table by a lattice window and no person is in view.
Also known as Zi Zishang
- Roles
- Monarch / Emperor
Sima Zhao, courtesy name Zishang, was the second son of Sima Yi and younger brother of Sima Shi. When Sima Shi died in 255 he succeeded him as grand general and took control of the Wei government. In 257 Zhuge Dan rose at Shouchun, and Sima Zhao, bringing the Wei emperor with him, took the city the next year. In 260 the young emperor Cao Mao led his palace servants against him and was stabbed to death by the officer Cheng Ji; according to the Annals of Han and Jin (Han Jin chunqiu), Cao Mao had said before the attack that Sima Zhao's ambition was plain to every passer-by, now a proverb. In 263 Sima Zhao sent Zhong Hui and Deng Ai against Shu, whose ruler Liu Shan surrendered, and in 264 he was made King of Jin. He died in 265; that year his son Sima Yan took the throne from the last Wei emperor, founded the Jin and honoured him as Emperor Wen with the temple name Taizu.
Life and times
Dates 211 CE–265 CE