Ming Di (East Jin)

Born in 299, Sima Shao was the eldest son of Lanye-wang (琅邪 王) Sima Zhuya , but his mother was the concubine Xun, and the official wife Yu Manmo who did not remain childless. A year later, the concubine Xun gave birth to Sima Zhuy another son - Sima Pou. Envious, Yu Manmu drove out the newly-born Xun, and took up raising children on her own.

When the emperor Ming-di appointed Sima Zhuy to the highest state posts, he placed Sima Shao at the head of the defense of Guanglin . When the emperor was captured by the Huns , and Sima Zhui proclaimed himself Jin-wang , he first wanted to declare his official heir to his more beloved Sima Pou. However, Wang Dao pointed out that the eldest of the sons was traditionally declared the heir, and in 316, Sima Shao was declared the official heir of Sima Zhui, maintaining this status and after in 318, Sima Zhui proclaimed himself emperor with the throne name Yuan-di.

Being in the status of an heir, Sima Shao became known for surrounding himself with talented people, considering them as friends, and not as subordinates. When in 322, Wang Dun rebelled against Yuan-di, and captured the capital Jiankan , then Sima Shao wanted to rush there in the last battle, but one of his associates - Wen Jiao - did not allow this, cutting the girth of the horse. When Emperor Yuan-di was forced to submit to Wang Dong, Wang Dun wanted to remove Sima Shao from the post of heir to the throne, falsely accusing him of sons of disrespect, but Wen Jiao acted ahead of the curve and publicly spoke about the sonly piety of Sima Shao, undermining confidence in the charges Wang Dong. At the beginning of 323, Emperor Yuan-di died from the experiences caused by all these upheavals, and Sima Shao ascended the throne as Emperor Ming-di.

First, Ming-di found his mother, Ms. Xun, and settled her in the palace. However, due to the fact that he respected his late stepmother (who died in 312 and was posthumously awarded the title of Empress), he did not give his mother the title of “Dowager Empress”.

Wang Dun did not respect the new emperor, and was about to usurp the throne. In the summer of 323, he transferred his headquarters from Wuchang to Gusha , closer to the capital, and also took control of the capital province. In 324, he became ill, and decided to throw off the Jin dynasty so that his adopted son Wang Ying could become emperor. However, he forgot that the Jiancan governor Wen Jiao is a supporter of the emperor, and he warned Ming-di both about Wang Dong's plans and about his illness. Van Dao, who also remained loyal to the emperor, announced to the imperial troops the false news of the death of Van Dun, which enhanced their spirit, and the emperor reinforced them with experimental units recalled from the northern border. As a result, when Wang Dun sent his troops to the capital, the attack was repelled. Hearing of the defeat, Wang Dun passed away.

In the fall of 325, Emperor Ming-di fell ill. Since his son, Syma Yan, was only 4 years old, he created a regency council to govern the country after his death, in which the various groups existing at the court were balanced. Soon after, he died at the age of only 26 years.

• Yongchang (永昌 Yǒngchǎng) 322—323
• Tainin (太 寧 Tàiníng) 323—325

• L. N. Gumilyov "Huns in China" // in collection. “History of the Hunnu People” - Moscow: DI-DIK Institute, 1997. ISBN 5-87983-066-2
• The official biography of the Jin Ming-di in the “ Jin Book ” ( Chinese )