In 249 AD, Sima Yi successfully launched the Gaopingling Rebellion and usurped the power of Cao Wei, leaving a deep mark on history. Sima Shi became a general and continued to dominate the affairs of the Wei state. However, in 255 AD, Sima Shi died of illness in Xuchang at the age of forty-eight. A puzzling question arises: why did Sima Shi pass on his power to Sima Zhao instead of his own son Sima You when he was dying?
1. The inheritance system and the succession of adopted sons.
Sima Shi did not have a biological son, but had five daughters, so he passed on his second son, Sima You, to Sima You. In ancient history, there were many ways to inherit a family business. Even if the primogeniture system is emphasized, in the absence of a biological son, the adopted son is also eligible to inherit the family business. Similar situations are not uncommon in history, such as Zhuge Liang's brother Zhuge Jin passed his second son Zhuge Qiao to Zhuge Liang.
2. Sima You's age and ability.
However, why did Sima Shi not choose his own son Sima You, but passed on the power to Sima Zhao?On the one hand, Sima You was not yet ten years old when Sima Shi died, and in the face of the complex environment and fierce struggles within Cao Wei, it was obvious that a young child was not up to the task. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the young Emperor Shao of the Han Dynasty was deposed by Dong Zhuo, Sima Yi usurped power, and Cao Fang was also deposed because of his youth. Sima You's age made it impossible for him to cope with political struggles, which may have been considered by Sima Shi.
3. Sima Shi's deathbed background and Sima Zhao's experience.
After the Gaopingling Rebellion, Sima Yi and Sima Shi encountered fierce resistance from Cao Wei's forces, especially in the Huainan Three Rebellions. Sima Yi quelled the Huainan First Rebellion, but when he pacified the Huainan Second Rebellion, Sima Shi died of illness due to being attacked by Wenyang. This sudden situation made Sima Shi's death seem hasty. In order to ensure the stability of the family's position, Sima Shi chose to inherit the family business with his experienced and capable younger brother Sima Zhao.
Fourth, Sima Zhao's military exploits and political achievements.
In his early years, Sima Zhao followed Sima Yi to resist the Northern Expedition of Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of the Shu Han Dynasty, and had many military exploits. Beginning in 249 AD, Sima Zhao was directly involved in Cao Wei's internal struggles, including the Gao Pingling Rebellion. Sima Zhao's experience and track record made him the most suitable candidate to inherit power. He not only skillfully defused the offensive from Shu Han and Eastern Wu internally, but also sent Zhong Hui, Deng Ai and other generals to successfully eliminate Shu Han in 263 AD, laying the foundation for Sima Yan to replace Cao Wei and establish the Western Jin Dynasty.
5. Sima You's fate.
For Sima You, he is Sima Zhao's biological son. Even if Sima Shi passed the throne to Sima You, the final result could be that Sima Zhao would take power on his behalf. However, after the establishment of the Western Jin Dynasty, Sima You and his brother Sima Yan were canonized as the king of Qi and held important positions. However, calls for Sima You's succession from inside and outside the court raised a series of questions. The ministers Xun Miao and Feng Zhen took the opportunity to slander and exclude Sima You from the court, and finally he became ill due to resentment, and died of vomiting blood in the fourth year of Taikang (283) at the age of thirty-six.
In the long course of history, Cao Wei's power schemes were complicated, and Sima Shi's deathbed succession became a mystery in history. Through in-depth analysis, we can see that Sima Shi's decision-making took into account multiple factors such as the status of the family, the reality of the political struggle, and the ability of the heir. With his outstanding military exploits and experience, Sima Zhao successfully inherited the power of Sima Shi and laid the cornerstone of the Western Jin Dynasty. And Sima You's fate has become an embarrassing scene in history.
Sima Shi's decision to pass on the throne to Sima Zhao on his deathbed has become a controversial topic in history. This decision was made in the political and family context of the time, showing deep and complex considerations. The article analyzes in detail the reasons for Sima Shi's succession, and makes an in-depth analysis from multiple aspects such as the inheritance system, Sima You's age, Sima Shi's dying background, and Sima Zhao's experience and military exploits.
First, the inheritance system has a profound impact on the inheritance of power. In the absence of a biological son, Sima Shi chose to pass on his second son Sima You to Sima You, which was a reasonable way to inherit the family business in line with ancient times. This method of inheritance is not uncommon in history, such as the example of Zhuge Jin passing his second son Zhuge Qiao to Zhuge Liang mentioned in the article, reflecting the common practice of ancient families in order to continue the bloodline and protect the interests of the family.
Secondly, Sima You's age became a consideration for Sima Shi's succession. The young Sima You was clearly incompetent in the midst of political struggles and internal complexities, and Sima Shi may have feared that he would not be able to effectively maintain his family status and power. This comparison with historical examples in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, such as the deposition of Emperor Shaodi of the Han Dynasty, makes Sima Shi's decision more understandable and reasonable.
Third, the particularity of Sima Shi's dying background also had a profound impact on the succession. The article pointed out that Sima Shi died of illness due to an attack while quelling the Huainan Second Rebellion, which made his death seem relatively hasty. In this sudden situation, in order to ensure the stability of the family's position, Sima Shi chose his younger brother Sima Zhao, who has experience and ability, to inherit the power, which is also a realistic consideration.
Finally, the article highlights Sima Zhao's outstanding performance after inheriting power. Sima Zhao's military exploits and experience made him the most suitable candidate to inherit the power. He succeeded in consolidating the power and status of the Sima family, and even sent generals to successfully eliminate Shu Han in later periods, laying a solid foundation for the establishment of the Western Jin Dynasty.
In the commentary, this article provides a detailed interpretation of historical events, analyzes the reasons for Sima Shi's succession from multiple dimensions, and provides readers with an in-depth understanding of the logic behind Sima Shi's decision. Such an analysis not only helps us understand history, but also provokes deep thinking about topics such as power inheritance and family relationships.
Disclaimer: The above content information is ** on the Internet, and the author of this article does not intend to target or insinuate any real country, political system, organization, race, or individual. The above content does not mean that the author of this article agrees with the laws, rules, opinions, behaviors in the article and is responsible for the authenticity of the relevant information. The author of this article is not responsible for any issues arising from the above or related issues, and does not assume any direct or indirect legal liability.
If the content of the article involves the content of the work, copyright**, infringement, rumors or other issues, please contact us to delete it. Finally, if you have any different thoughts about this event, please leave a message in the comment area to discuss!