Sima Xiao

Sima Xiao (司馬虓; 270 - c.December 306), courtesy name Wuhui (武会),^[5] was a Western Jin imperial prince. He was a cousin of Sima Yue, Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai, a regent for Emperor Hui and Emperor Huai, and sided with Sima Yue when Yue became active in the War of the Eight Princes.

Sima Xiao 司馬虓
Prince of Fanyang (范阳王)
Tenure	31 August 278[1] - c.December 306
Successor	Sima Li[2]
Born	270[3]
Died	c.December 306[4]
Issue	None
House	Jin dynasty
Father	Sima Sui

In this Chinese name, the family name is Sima.

Background

Sima Xiao was the son of Sima Sui (司馬绥; posthumously known as Prince Kang of Fanyang (范阳康王)^[6]), who was the youngest son of Sima Yi's brother Sima Kui (司馬馗), making Xiao a second cousin of Jin's founding emperor Emperor Wu. Sima Sui was a younger brother of Sima Tai (司馬泰; posthumously known as Prince Wenxian of Gaomi (高密文献王)), father of Sima Yue, Sima Teng, Sima Lue and Sima Mo.

When Sima Sui died in August 278,^[7] Sima Xiao inherited the title of Prince of Fanyang at the age of eight. When Sima Xiao was young, he was noted to be studious and articulate in conversations. Among members of the Sima clan, he, his cousin Sima Mo (Prince of Nanyang), and Sima Rui (the future Emperor Yuan) were praised.^[8]

During Emperor Hui's reign

In May 290, when Sima Xiao was about 20 years old, Emperor Wu died. Emperor Wu's successor, Emperor Hui was developmentally disabled; his reign saw a series of regents who ruled on his behalf. Xiao's activities during the regencies of Yang Jun (father of Emperor Wu's second wife Empress Yang Zhi), Sima Liang and Wei Guan (who were co-regents), Empress Jia Nanfeng (Emperor Hui's first wife) and Sima Lun (Prince of Zhao) were poorly documented.

War of the Eight Princes

After Sima Jiong was killed in battle against Sima Ai in January 303, Liu Kun and his family went to serve Sima Xiao. While Emperor Hui of Jin was held hostage in Chang'an, Sima Xiao approached Zu Ti and invited Zu to serve him, but he declined.^[9]

In c.August 305, Sima Yue sent out a proclamation throughout the regions east of Luoyang calling for a campaign against Sima Yong. He cited that Zhang Fang had forcibly moved Emperor Hui to Chang'an and aimed to bring him back to Luoyang. His brothers and several other prominent governors such as Wang Jun and Sima Xiao all joined him, and he also began handing out new appointments to his allies without the emperor's assent. Among the forces in the east, only the Inspector of Yu province, Liu Qiao and the self-declared Inspector of Yan province, Sima Mao sided with Sima Yong after Yue attempted to remove them from their positions in c.September, with Liu Qiao accusing the prince of overstepping his authority.^[10]

Liu Qiao sent his troops to block Yue from advancing west at Xiao County. On 20 November, Yong appointed Zhang Fang commander of 100,000 troops and sent him to assist Liu Qiao. Soon, Liu Qiao captured Xuchang from Sima Xiao, prompting him to flee to Ji province. Due to the early setbacks, a general of Yue, Chen Min, received permission to go east to recruit more soldiers. However, once there, Chen Min instead rebelled and took control of the Jiangnan region.^[11]

In Ji province, Sima Xiao received some elite Xianbei and Wuhuan cavalry forces from Wang Jun. With them, Xiao and his general, Liu Kun launched a successful counterattack on Yong and Liu Qiao's forces in January 306, killing Shi Chao at Xingyang. Xiao's forces then routed Sima Mao at Linqiu (廩丘, in present-day Puyang, Henan) and forced him to flee back to his fief in Dongping. Then, they won a great victory over Liu Qiao at Qiao Commandery, causing his army to collapse.^[12]

After Sima Yue defeated Sima Yong later in 306 and welcomed Emperor Hui back to Luoyang on 28 June,^[13] for his merits in the war, in c.September 306, Sima Xiao was appointed Minister of Works and transferred to Yecheng.^[14]

After his victory, Sima Yue put out an order for Sima Ying's arrest, and Sima Ying fled with his sons Sima Pu (司馬普) the Prince of Lujiang and Sima Kuo (司馬廓) the Prince of Zhongdu, attempting to flee to Gongshi Fan (公師藩), when he was intercepted by Feng Song (馮嵩) the governor of Dunqiu Commandery (頓丘, roughly modern Puyang, Henan) and taken to Yecheng. Sima Xiao imprisoned Sima Ying but did not wish to kill him.

Death

Sima Xiao died of a sudden illness at Yecheng in c.December 306, just about two months after his appointment. After his death, his secretary Liu Yu (劉輿; brother of Liu Kun^[15]), worried that there were still many of Sima Ying's supporters in the city, forged an edict ordering Sima Ying to commit suicide. Sima Ying's two sons were also killed with him.

References

1. ([咸宁四年]秋七月...癸巳，范阳王绥薨。) Jin Shu, vol.03
2. As Sima Xiao was sonless when he died, Sima Mo's son Sima Li was made Prince of Fanyang. Sima Li was later killed with Sima Mo at Chang'an. (无子，养模子黎为嗣，黎随模就国，于长安遇害。) Jin Shu, vol.37.
3. Sima Xiao's biography in Book of Jin recorded that he was 37 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died of a sudden illness in the 3rd year of the Yong'xing era. (永兴三年暴疾薨，时年三十七。) Jin Shu, vol.37. The 3rd year of the Yong'xing era is the same year as the 1st year of the Guang'xi era.
4. Both Emperor Hui's biography in Book of Jin and vol.86 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Sima Xiao died before Sima Ying in the same month (10th month of the 1st year of the Guang'xi era). The month corresponds to 22 Nov to 21 Dec 306 in the Julian calendar.
5. (虓字武会，...) Jin Shu, vol.37
6. Jin Shu, vol.37
7. Sima Sui's biography in Book of Jin recorded that he was appointed Prince of Fanyang when Emperor Wu ascended the throne (in February 266), was Prince of Fanyang for about 15 years and died in 279. (泰始元年受封，在位十五年。咸宁五年薨，...) Jin Shu, vol.37.
8. (少好学，与元帝及范阳王虓俱有称于宗室。) Jin Shu, vol.37 (biography of Sima Mo). (少好学，驰誉，研考经记，清辩，能言论。) Jin Shu, vol.37 (biography of Sima Xiao)
9. (從惠帝北伐，王師敗績於蕩陰，遂退還洛。大駕西幸長安，關東諸侯范陽王虓、高密王略、平昌公模等競召之，皆不就。) Jin Shu, vol.62. Other princes Zu declined to serve under included Sima Lüe (司馬略) and his younger brother Sima Mo (司馬模).
10. ([永兴二年]秋，七月，越传檄山东征、镇、州、郡云：“欲纠帅义旅，奉迎天子，还復旧都。”东平王楙闻之，惧；长史王修说楙曰：“东海，宗室重望；今兴义兵，公宜举徐州以授之，则免於难，且有克让之美矣。”楙从之。越乃以司空领徐州都督，楙自为兖州刺史；诏即遣使者刘虔授之。是时，越兄弟並據方任，於是范阳王虓及王浚等共推越为盟主，越辄选置刺史以下，朝士多赴之。成都王颖既废，河北人多怜之。颖故将公师籓等自称将军，起兵於赵、魏，众至数万。初，上党武乡羯人石勒，有胆力，善骑射。并州大饥，建威将军阎粹说东嬴公腾执诸胡於山东，卖充军实。勒亦被掠，卖为茌平人师懽奴，懽奇其状貌而免之。懽家邻於马牧，勒乃与牧帅汲桑结壮士为群盗。及公师籓起，桑与勒帅数百骑赴之。桑始命勒以石为姓，勒为名。籓攻陷郡县，杀二千石、长史，转前，攻邺。平昌公模甚惧；范阳王虓遣其将苟晞救邺，与广平太守谯国丁绍共撃籓，走之。八月，辛丑，大赦。司空越以琅邪王睿为平东将军，监徐州诸军事，留守下邳。睿请王导为司马，委以军事。越帅甲士三万，西屯萧县，范阳王虓自许屯於荥阳。越承製以豫州刺史刘乔为冀州刺史，以范阳王虓领豫州刺史；乔以虓非天子命，發兵拒之。虓以刘琨为司马，越以刘蕃为淮北护军，刘舆为颖川太守。乔上尚书，列舆兄弟罪恶，因引兵攻许，遣其长子祐将兵拒越於萧县之灵壁，越兵不能进。东平王楙在兖州，徴求不已，郡县不堪命。范阳王虓遣苟晞还兖州，徙楙都督青州。楙不受命，背山东诸侯，与刘乔合。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86. The 7th month of the 2nd year of the Yong'xing era corresponds to 7 Aug to 4 Sep 305, while the 8th month corresponds to 5 Sep to 4 Oct.
11. di Cosmo 2009, p. 132.
12. ([永兴二年十二月]刘琨说冀州刺史太原温羡，使让位於范阳王虓。虓领冀州，遣琨诣幽州乞师於王浚；浚以突骑资之，撃王阐於河上，杀之。琨遂与虓引兵济河，斩石超於荥阳。刘乔自考城引退。虓遣琨及督护田徽东撃东平王楙於廪丘，楙走还国。琨、徽引兵东迎越，撃刘祐於谯；祐败死，乔众遂溃，乔奔平氏.) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86
13. ([光熙元年]六月，丙辰朔，帝至洛阳，復羊後。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86
14. ([光熙元年]八月，以司空越为太傅，录尚书事；范阳王虓为司空，镇邺；平昌公模为镇东大将军，镇许昌...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86. The month corresponds to 26 Aug to 23 Sep 306 in the Julian calendar. At the same occasion, Sima Yue changed his post from sikong to taifu, while Sima Mo was appointed Grand General Who Guards the East and transferred to Xuchang.
15. Jin Shu, vol.62

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