Wu Di (Western Jin)

Life before the founding of the Jin Empire

Sima Yan was born in 236 to Sima Zhao and his wife Wang Yuanji , the daughter of the Confucian scholar Wang Su (王肅), and was their eldest son. The first appearance of Sima Yan in the historical arena took place in 260. At that time, the troops loyal to his father, led by Jia Chun, suppressed the attempt of Emperor Cao Mao to seize the real power and killed him. Sima Yan, with the rank of a mid-level military general, was authorized by his father to escort the new emperor Cao Huang to the capital of Luoyang . In 263, when, after the conquest of Shu Han, Sima Zhao was awarded the title of Jin-hou , Sima Yan became his heir. From time to time, Sima Zhao doubted whom to make an heir, Sima Yan or Sima Yu , adopted by his brother Sima Shi , who did not have his own sons. Given the role of his brother in the acquisition of power by the Sim family, Sima Zhao believed that it would be more appropriate to regain the power of his family line. However, many high-ranking officials supported Sima Yan, and Sima Zhao agreed. After raising the title of Sima Zhao in 264 to Jin-wang (i.e. the last step to seizing the throne), Sima Yan was made heir.

In 265, Sima Zhao died without formally taking imperial power. Later that year, Sima Yan forced Cao Huang to abdicate and founded the Jin Empire.

Early Reign: The Formation of the Jin Political System

Wu-di immediately tried to avoid the fatal weakness inherent, in his opinion, of the Wei Empire: the princes of the imperial family lacked power. Immediately after the capture of the throne (265), he made many of his uncles, sons, siblings, and cousins ​​princes. Each of them had an independent military command and complete power within their principalities. After the War of the Eight Princes and the loss of northern China, this system remained the Jin Institute for the duration of the dynasty, and was then adopted by subsequent Southern Dynasties.

Another problem that Wu-di saw in the political system of the departed Wei empire was its severity in criminal law. He intended to make a more merciful punishment system. However, she got to know the key benefits of these changes, as it quickly became clear that mercy appeared to varying degrees. While the noble, often committing crimes, received only reproaches, for the commoners there was no significant reduction in sentences. This led to a huge corruption and wasteful life of the nobility, and the poor did not receive help from the government. For example, in 267, it became known that several high-level officials had conspired with a district judge to take possession of the people's land. Wu-di refused to punish officials, at the same time brutally showing the judge.

Wu-di faced two main military problems almost immediately - the constant aggression of the forces of the hostile East Wu (during the reign of Emperor Sun Hao ) and the uprising of the Xianbi and Qiang in the provinces of Qinzhou (秦州) and Liangzhou (涼州, modern Gansu ). Most officials were alarmed by the uprising of the Syanbi and Qiang, as well as other non-Han peoples. The Huns , who settled in modern Shanxi in 216 after the liquidation of their state Cao Cao , were under the watchful eye of Chinese officials who feared their military might. These officials advised Wu-di to try to suppress the Syanbi and Qiang uprising before the possible conquest of East W. However, despite sending many generals to fight the Xianbi and Qiang, W-di, supported by generals Yang Hu , Wang Jun and strategist Zhang Hua , throughout From the early days of his rule, he prepared the southern and eastern border regions for a war against East W. He was particularly inspired by reports of the brutality and stupidity of Sun Hao under the rule of East W. Moreover, officials supporting the war with W often referred to then urged to act quickly. They claimed that if Sun Hao was overthrown or dies, East Wu would be harder to conquer.

However, after the major xianbi uprising led by Tufa Shujinen (禿髮 ​​樹 機能), which began in 270 in Qin Province, Wu-di focused on Tufa because he defeated Generals Jin. In 271, the shanyu hunnu Liu Meng (劉 猛) also rebelled, and while his short rebellion lasted, Wu-di's attention was far distracted from East W. In 271, Jiaozhou province (交 州, modern northern Vietnam), which swore allegiance to Jin at its foundation, was returned by East U. In 272, the East General U Woo Chan (步 闡), fearing punishment by Sun Hao because of slander, tried to surrender the important city of Xiling to Jin (西陵, in modern Ichan , Hubei ), but the Jinsky auxiliary troops were stopped by General Lou Kang , who returned Seely Mr. and killed Bu Chan. In the light of these failures, Yang Hu began reconciliation with Lu Kang and treated the border settlers of East Wu well, prompting them to approve of Jin.

When Wu Di ascended the throne (265), he gave his mother Wang Yuanji the title of Dowager Empress. In 266, he honored his aunt Yang Huiyu (the wife of Sima Shi) with the same, given the achievements of his uncle. In the same year, Wu-di made his wife Yang Yan the Empress. In 267, he made the crown prince of her eldest son, Sima Zhong , based on the Confucian principle of succession to the throne as the eldest son of the emperor’s wife. However, this choice ultimately greatly contributed to the political instability and decline of the Jin Dynasty, as Crown Prince Zhong seemed underdeveloped and unable to learn the important knowledge necessary for governance. Then Wu-di made, perhaps, an even more fatal mistake: in 272 he chose Zhong as his wife - Jia Nanfeng , the strong-willed daughter of the noble Jia Chun . Since then, Sima Zhong has been under the close control of Crown Princess Jia. Before dying (year 274), Empress Jan was worried that the new Empress, whoever she was, would be ambitious and replace the Crown Prince. Therefore, she asked the emperor to marry her cousin Yang Zhi . He agreed.

In 273, U-di wanted to choose beauties from all over the empire. Most carefully, he examined the daughters of officials. He also ordered that no one in the empire marry until the election process is complete.

Middle Period: Unification of the Chinese Empire

In 276, U-di became seriously ill, which led to a succession crisis. Crown Prince Zhong was the rightful heir, but officials and commoners hoped that the gifted brother of Emperor Sima Yu , van Qi, would inherit the throne instead. After recovering, U-di got rid of several military commanders from among the officials who believed that he intended to approve the candidacy of Sima Yu, but did not take any other punitive actions.

At the end of the year, Yang Hu reminded Wu of his plan to conquer East W. Most officials still preoccupied with the Tufa uprising were opposed. However, Yang Hu was supported by Du Yu and Zhang. W-di seriously considered their advice, but did not implement it at that time.

In the same year 276, in accordance with the promise of the late Empress Yang, Wu-di married her cousin Yang Zhi and made her Empress. The father of the new empress, Yang Jun , became a leading official in the administration, which was overly proud.

In 279, General Ma Long (馬隆) finally crushed the Tufa uprising. Wu-di concentrated his efforts on East Wu and instructed his uncle Sima Zhou , Wang Hun (王 渾), Wang Rong , Hu Feng (胡 奮), Doo Yu and Wang Jun to attack from six directions. The largest armies were in Wang Hun and Wang Jun. Each Jin army quickly advanced and captured border cities according to plan. The fleet of Wang Jun, heading east down the Yangtze River , freed the river from the fleets of East W. Prime Minister of the East Wu Zhang Ti (張 悌) created the last line of defense, trying to defeat Wang Hun, but was defeated and killed. Wang Hun, Wang Zun and Sima Zhou reached Jianye. In the spring of 280, Sun Hao was forced to surrender. Wu gave Sun Hao the title of Guiming Hou . The integration of the former territory of East U, apparently, occurred relatively smoothly.

After the fall of East, Wu-wi issued a decree by which provincial governors were no longer responsible for military affairs and became only civilian governors, the regional police disbanded, despite the resistance of General Tao Huang (陶 璜) and important official Shan Tao . It turned out that later on during the uprising of the five barbarian tribes this created problems, since the regional governors could not quickly raise troops for resistance. The emperor also rejected the advice to gradually evict non-Han people outside the empire.

Late reign: preparing the ground for disaster

In 281, Wu-di took 5,000 women from Sun Hao Palace to his palace, after which he became even more concerned about the feasts and enjoyment of women, rather than important government affairs. It is believed that there were many beauties in the palace, and the emperor did not know with whom to sleep. So he rode a small cart pulled by goats, and wherever they stopped, he also stopped. In order for the goats to stop precisely at them, many women laid bamboo leaves and salt outside their bedrooms. In fact, the empress’s father Yang Jun and her uncles Yang Yao (楊 珧) and Yang Ji (楊 濟) began to rule.

U-di began to worry more often that after his death the throne would be taken by his brother Sima Yu (Yu-van). In 282, he sent Yu-van to his principality, despite the lack of evidence that Yu-van had such ambitions. Angry, Yu-wan became ill and died (in 283).

As soon as U-di became ill (in 289), he began to think about whom to make regent. The emperor considered Yang Jun and his uncle Sima Liang , who had the title of Runan-wang , the most respected among the imperial princes. As a result, Yang Jun became afraid of Sima Liang and sent him to the main city of Xuchang . Several other imperial princes were also sent to other important cities. Since 290, U-di decided to make both Yang Jun and Sima Liang both regents. However, after writing the will, it was captured by Yang Jun, who replaced him with another, where only he was named the regent. Soon after this, U-di died, leaving the empire to an underdeveloped and incapable son and noble intentions to shed each other's blood in the struggle for power. He himself did not see the disastrous consequences of his reign, but soon they appeared.

• Taishi (泰始 taì shǐ) 265—274
• Xianning (咸寧 xían níng) 275-280
• Taikan (太康 taì kāng) 280—289
• Taishi (太 熙 taì xī) January 28, 290 - May 17, 290

• Father
  • Sima Zhao , Jin Wen-Wang, who was posthumously revered as Wen-di, the son of Sima Yi
• Mother
  • Wang Yuanji (王 元 姬)
• Wives
  • Empress Yang Yan (c 266, d. 274), mother of Gui-wan, Emperor Hui-di, Jian-wang and Princess Pingyang, Xinfeng and Yangping
  • Empress Yang Zhi (p. 276, d. 290), cousin of Empress Yang Yan, mother of Hui-wan
• The main concubines
  • Zuo Fen (左 芬), poetess
  • Hu (胡芳), daughter of Hu Feng (胡 奮), mother of Princess Wan
  • Zhuge Wan (諸葛 婉)
  • Shen, mother of the Wang Jing, Wei and Aya
  • Xu, Xiang-wang's mother
  • Gui, Ji-Wan's mother
  • Zhao, mother of Yu-wang
  • Zhao, mother of Yan-wang
  • Lee, the mother of the Vani Yun and Yan
  • Yan, mother of Gai-Wan
  • Chen, Xia-Wang's mother
  • Zhu, Mo-wang's mother
  • Cheng, mother of Ying-wang
  • Wang Yuanji (王 媛 姬), the mother of Emperor Huai-di
  • Xie Tszyu (謝 玖), later a concubine of Hui-di
  • Zhao Can (趙 粲)
• Children
  • Sima Gui (司馬 軌), died early, given the posthumous title of Dao-wan from Pilin (289)
  • Sima Zhong (司馬 衷), Crown Prince (since 267), later Emperor Hui-di
  • Sima Jian (司馬 柬) (p. 262), first van Rongnan (p. 270), later van Nanyang (p. 276), then Qin Xian-wang (p. 289, d. 291)
  • Sima Ching (司馬 景), Huai-Wang Chengyang (p. 269, d. 270)
  • Sima Wei (司馬 瑋) (p. 271), first made by Shiping Wang, then Chusky Ying-wang (since 289, executed by Empress Jia Nanfeng in 291)
  • Sima Xian (司馬 憲), Shan-Wang Chengyang (from 270 ?, d. 273?)
  • Sima Zhi (司馬 祉) (p. 271), Chun-van Donghai (p. 273 and d. 273)
  • Sima Yu (司馬 裕) (p. 271), Ay-van Shiping (p. 277 and d. 277)
  • Sima Yan (司馬 演) (different tone of pronunciation of the name from father and brother), Ay-van Dai (p. 289)
  • Sima Yun (司馬 允) (p. 272), first van Puyang (p. 277), later Zhongzhuang-wan Huainani (p. 289, killed by Sima Lun in 300)
  • Sima Gai (司馬 該) (p. 272), Huai-Wan Xindu (p. 277, d. 283)
  • Sima Xia (司馬 遐) (p. 273), Kang-wang Qinghe (p. 289, d. 300)
  • Sima Mo (司馬 謨) (p. 276), Ai-van Ruiyin (d. 286)
  • Sima Ai (司馬 乂) (p. 277), Li-wan Changshi (from 289, demoted to Wang Changshan in 291, restored to 301, Killed by Sima Yun in 304)
  • Sima Ying (司 馬穎) (p. 279), first van Chengdu (p. 289), later the crown prince (p. 304), then again demoted to Chengdu van (in 304, was forced to commit suicide in 306)
  • Sima Yan (司馬 晏) (b. 283) (different pronunciation of the name from father and brother), Xiao-wang Wu (from 289), downgraded to Wang Bintu in 300, then van Dai, rebuilt as wang Wu in 301, killed Han Zhao troops in 313
  • Sima Chi (司馬 熾), first van Yuzhan (since 290), then the crown prince (since 304), later emperor Huai-di
  • Sima Hui (司馬 恢) (p. 283, d. 284), posthumously made by Shan-wang Bohai
  • As well as eight other sons who died at an early age
  • Princess Changshan
  • Princess Changguan
  • Princess Pingyang
  • Princess Xinfeng
  • Princess Yanping
  • Princess Wannian
  • Princess Xiangcheng
  • Princess Wani
  • Princess Yingyang
  • Princess Rongyang
  • Princess Fanchana

• The official biography of Jin Wu-di in The Jin Book ( Chinese )