Sima Zhao 司馬昭

In Chen Shou's main text, Sima Zhao's deeds first appear in the 2nd year of Zhengyuan (255). In the 1st month of that year, when Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin rebelled, the General-in-Chief Sima Jingwang (Sima Shi) set out on a campaign to the east, and Sima Wenwang, General of the Guards, followed the main army as its rear force. The brothers' sister was the wife of Xun Yi (荀霬), and the two were also close friends of Chen Tai. Records, Wei 4 §54Records, Wei 28 §96Records, Wei 10 §49Records, Wei 22 §55

When Sima Jingwang died at Xuchang, Sima Wenwang took overall command of the Six Armies. The court issued an edict ordering the General of the Guards to stay for the time being at Xuchang and the Master of Writing Fu Gu to lead the armies back, but Zhong Hui plotted with Fu Gu to have Fu Gu submit a memorial, and they returned at once together with the General of the Guards and camped south of the Luo River. In the 2nd month the court then made Sima Wenwang General-in-Chief and Intendant of the Affairs of the Imperial Secretariat to assist the government. Records, Wei 28 §96–97Records, Wei 21 §96Records, Wei 4 §55

In the 8th month of that year, when Jiang Wei of Shu defeated Wang Jing, Inspector of Yong Province, at Taoxi and surrounded the city of Didao, Sima Wenwang said, 'Zhuge Liang too always cherished this ambition, but in the end he could not achieve it,' and judged that the best plan was for Chen Tai, General Who Conquers the West, to go to the rescue quickly. When Chen Tai asked for no more troops and sent few reports, Sima Wenwang praised him to Xun Yi (荀顗), saying that this was just how a commander-in-chief and senior general ought to be. In the 1st year of Ganlu (256) he was granted the ceremonial robes and crown, and the title of Grand Commander and the yellow battle-axe were added. Records, Wei 4 §57 · 61 · 77Records, Wei 22 §52–53

In the 5th month of the 2nd year of Ganlu (257), when the court summoned Zhuge Dan, General-in-Chief Who Conquers the East, to be Minister of Works, Zhong Hui, then in mourning, hurried to warn that Zhuge Dan would not obey, but Wenwang did not change it, since the order had already been carried out. Zhuge Dan rebelled, killed Yue Chen, Inspector of Yang Province, and asked Wu for help. Wenwang decided to lead the punitive campaign in person, and in the 6th month, when the imperial carriage reached Xiang County, he led the inner and outer armies, 260,000 men, and camped at Qiutou. Records, Wei 4 §56Records, Wei 28 §35–37 · 98Records, Wei 13 §24

He had Wang Ji, Chen Qian and others encircle the city on all sides in a double ring, and put Shi Bao and Zhou Tai in charge of mobile forces to guard against Wu's relief army. To those who urged a swift assault he replied that since the city was strong and its defenders many, he would pin them down with a sure plan and subdue them without stirring. Following Zhong Hui's plan, he used a stratagem of sowing discord to induce Quan Yi and others to open the city gate and come out, and when Wen Yang and Wen Hu, whose father Wen Qin had been killed by Zhuge Dan, came over to him, he rejected the army officers who wanted them killed, pardoned them and had them ride around the city calling out. Records, Wei 28 §37–38 · 99–100 · 40–41 · 43

In the 2nd month of the 3rd year of Ganlu (258) he went to the siege lines in person, advanced from all sides and took Shouchun, and Zhuge Dan was beheaded by the troops of Hu Fen, Major under the General-in-Chief. An edict renamed Qiutou as Wuqiu to display his achievement, and in the 5th month he was ordered to be Chancellor of State and Duke of Jin with the Nine Bestowments, but Wenwang declined nine times and the matter was dropped. After Shouchun fell he wanted to send light troops deep into Wu to shake it, but gave up the idea when Wang Ji remonstrated. Records, Wei 4 §88–90Records, Wei 28 §41–42Records, Wei 27 §68–70

In the 5th month of the 5th year of Ganlu (260), Cao Mao, Duke of Gaogui Village, summoned Wang Chen, Wang Ye and Wang Jing to put a plan into action, but Wang Chen and Wang Ye rushed to inform the General-in-Chief. Cao Mao went out through the Yunlong Gate, drew his sword himself and entered among the ranks of troops, where he was struck down and killed by the vanguard. According to the Empress Dowager's decree, she had said several times that he ought to be deposed, but the General-in-Chief had restrained her, saying he was still young and would mend his ways. Records, Wei 4 §98–101

Wenwang submitted a memorial saying that he had ordered the soldiers not to harm the Duke, but that Cheng Ji, Retainer of the Crown Prince, had rashly rushed into the ranks and harmed him, and so military law had been applied; and he handed Cheng Ji's family over to the Commandant of Justice. When the Empress Dowager decreed that Cao Mao be buried with the rites of a commoner, he joined Sima Fu and others in asking for the rites of a king. He sent Sima Yan to welcome the Duke of Changdao Village, Cao Huan (then named Cao Huang), and in the 6th month, when Cao Huan took the throne, he was granted the posts of Chancellor of State and Duke of Jin with the Nine Bestowments, ten million cash and ten thousand bolts of silk, but firmly declined, and he also declined the orders of the 2nd year of Jingyuan (261) and of the 2nd month of its 4th year (263). Records, Wei 4 §102–105 · 107–110 · 113–114 · 121 · 123

As Jiang Wei repeatedly troubled the border, Wenwang reckoned that Shu was a small state with an exhausted people and meant to raise a great army, and he went over the terrain and the strategic situation with Zhong Hui, who was of the same mind. In winter of the 3rd year of Jingyuan (262) he made Zhong Hui General Who Guards the West and Commander of All Military Affairs in Guanzhong, and had the provinces build ships as if he meant to attack Wu. When Shao Ti, Clerk of the Western Bureau, advised against it on the grounds that Zhong Hui had no family ties to hold him, Wenwang replied that everyone said Shu could not be attacked and only Zhong Hui shared his view, and that if Zhong Hui harboured other intentions after destroying Shu, he would only bring destruction on his own clan. In autumn of the 4th year of Jingyuan (263) he directed the whole campaign against Shu, and that year Liu Shan surrendered to Deng Ai. Records, Wei 28 §102 · 131–133 · 67Records, Wei 4 §127

In the 10th month of that year an order came again raising his position and rank, and this time there is no record of his declining. When Deng Ai made appointments to office, claiming to act on the emperor's authority, Wenwang sent the Army Supervisor Wei Guan to tell him to wait for approval. When Zhong Hui reported that Deng Ai was rebelling, Wenwang had Deng Ai brought back in a cage cart, ordered Zhong Hui to advance to Chengdu, and had Deng Ai's army admonished with an order in his own hand. He then informed Zhong Hui that he was sending Jia Chong into the Xie Valley and would himself lead 100,000 men to camp at Chang'an. In the 1st month of the 1st year of Xianxi (264) Zhong Hui raised troops, declaring that he would depose Wenwang, and was killed by his own men; by the time Wenwang's army reached Chang'an, it was already all over. Records, Wei 4 §126 · 128Records, Wei 28 §79 · 121 · 123–124 · 128 · 134–135

In the 3rd month of the 1st year of Xianxi he was raised to King of Jin and received twenty commanderies as his fief; in the 5th month he proposed restoring the five ranks of nobility, and later he made Sima Yan Heir of Jin. He sent Xu Shao and Sun Yu, men of Wu captured at Shouchun, to admonish Sun Hao, and enfeoffed Qiao Zhou of Shu as Marquis of Yangcheng Precinct. In the 5th month of the 2nd year of Xianxi (265) he was permitted twelve strings of jade beads on his crown and the banners of the Son of Heaven, and on the day xinmao of the 8th month he died as Chancellor of State and King of Jin. Sima Yan, who succeeded him, received the abdication of Wei in the 12th month of that year. Records, Wei 4 §128–129 · 142–144 · 145–148 · 150Records, Wu 3 §51Records, Shu 12 §75

The appraisals that remain in Chen Shou's main text are all the words of others. An edict of the 10th month of the 1st year of Xianxi said that, thanks to the loyalty and martial valour of the chief minister, Shu had been pacified in a single campaign, and an edict of the 5th month of the 2nd year of Xianxi said that the martial achievements of the Chancellor of State and King of Jin had shaken even the distant frontiers. The assessment in the Annals of the Three Young Emperors records that the King of Chenliu merely faced south in reverent humility while the chief minister ran the government. Records, Wei 4 §139–140 · 146 · 153