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Sima Mo (司馬模) (died c.October 311), courtesy name Yuanbiao (元表), was a Western Jin imperial prince. He was the youngest brother of Sima Yue, Prince Xiaoxian of Donghai, a regent for Emperor Hui and Emperor Huai. He was also the father of Sima Bao, who briefly contended for the position of emperor after Emperor Min was captured by Han-Zhao forces.

Background

Sima Mo was the youngest son of Sima Tai (司馬泰; posthumously known as Prince Wenxian of Gaomi (高密文献王)), who was a son of Sima Yi's brother Sima Kui (司馬馗), making Mo a second cousin of Jin's founding emperor Emperor Wu.

When Sima Mo was young, he was noted to be studious. Among members of the Sima clan, he, his cousin Sima Xiao (Prince of Fanyang), and Sima Rui (the future Emperor Yuan) were praised. Sima Mo's first title was Duke of Pingchang. Despite their distant relationship to the emperor's family, Mo and his brothers, Sima Yue, Sima Teng and Sima Lue were all renowned members of the imperial clan.

War of the Eight Princes

On 4 February 305, as part of the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong's plan to reconcile with Sima Yue and end the civil war, he appointed Sima Mo as General Who Stabilizes The North and Chief Controller of Ji province, tasked with guarding the city of Ye. Ye had just been sacked and abandoned by the Chief Controller of You province, Wang Jun, so Sima Yue was able to send his brother to the city.

Despite Sima Yong's efforts, war eventually broke out in late 305 when Sima Yue began a coalition against him. Sima Mo sided with his brother, but early in the campaign, his base was threatened by a popular revolt led by Gongshi Fan. Many of Mo's followers intended to join the revolt, causing him to panic, but the Administrator of Guangping, Ding Shao (丁邵) led his army to assist him, as did Sima Xiao's general, Gou Xi. The Jin army forced the rebels to retreat, and Mo was so grateful for Ding Shao that he erected a monument at Ding Shao's hometown to commemorate his deeds.

With Gongshi Fan away, Sima Mo sent his general, Song Zhou (宋冑) to attack Heqiao (河穚; southwest of present-day Mengzhou, Henan). Song Zhou led a brutal campaign against Sima Yong's general, Lou Bao (樓褒), and after defeating him, Mo sent another general, Feng Song (馮嵩) to join Song Zhou in his march on Luoyang. The two generals then joined Sima Yue in his final push against Sima Yong's base in Chang'an, helping him return Emperor Hui of Jin back to Luoyang.

Administration of Guanzhong

For his merits in the war, in c.September 306, Sima Mo was appointed Grand General Who Guards the East and transferred to Xuchang. Two months later, his peerage was promoted to the Prince of Nanyang. In early 307, Sima Yue offered the government position of situ to Sima Yong, who was able to reclaim Chang'an and hole up in the city. Yong, believing he had been pardoned, left his city for Luoyang, but when he got to Xin'an (新安, near Luoyang), he was intercepted by Sima Mo's general Liang Chen (梁臣) and strangled to death. On 18 May 307, after Sima Yue moved his base to Xuchang, he also repositioned his brothers to guard key locations. Sima Mo was appointed Grand General who Conquers the West and Chief Controller of Qin, Yong, Liáng and Yi provinces, and was garrisoned at Chang'an to replace Sima Yong in guarding the Guanzhong region.

During his tenure, Guanzhong suffered from a great famine and epidemic. Many of Guanzhong's inhabitants began eating each other as bandits ran rampant in the region. Sima Mo planned on melting down copper statues and bronze tripods into cooking utensils to sell them in exchange for food, but his followers advised against it. Sima Yue thought that Mo was not capable in the role he was in, and attempted to recall him to Luoyang, where he would serve as Minister of Works. However, Mo's advisor, Chunyu Ding (淳于定) persuaded his prince to stay, so Mo ignored Yue's order and remained at Chang'an. Yue, who was in the east at the time fighting against the Han-Zhao dynasty, was unable to take action against his brother.

In 309, a native from Pingyang (平陽; in modern Linfen, Shanxi), Liu Mangdang (劉芒蕩) proclaimed himself as a descendant of the Han dynasty and allied himself with the tribes around Mount Malan (馬蘭山) in Beidi Commandery to raise an army. Sima Mo sent Chunyu Ding to quell the rebellion, and he had Mangdang and all his followers executed.

In early 311, Mo recommended for his son, Sima Bao to be appointed General of the Household Gentlemen of the West and Colonel of Eastern Qiang Tribes and had him stationed at Shanggui. The Inspector of Qin province, Pei Bao (裴苞), opposed the decision, so Mo sent his general, Chen An to attack him. Pei Bao fled to the administrator of Anding Commandery (安定郡, present-day Zhenyuan, Gansu province), Jia Ya, who sheltered him. The Inspector of Yong province Ding Chuo (丁綽) had previously slandered Jia Ya to Sima Mo, so he also sent another general, Xie Ban (謝班), to campaign against him. Jia Ya retreated to the Lu River, but he later recaptured Anding and killed Xie Ban with the help of the chieftains Peng Dangzhong (彭蕩仲) and Dou Shou (竇首). He also forced Ding Chuo to flee, so the emperor pardoned Jia Ya and appointed him as the new Inspector of Yong province.

Death

In April 311, Sima Yue died of illness near Xuchang, and the imperial army under him was annihilated by Han forces the following month. In July that same year, Emperor Huai of Jin was captured by Han after the fall of the capital Luoyang in the Disaster of Yongjia. Although Yue had entrusted him to an important position, Sima Mo did not appear to have lent his brother assistance in averting the crisis. In response to the fall of Luoyang, he merely sent his general, Zhao Ran to defend the strategic city of Puban (蒲坂; southwest of present-day Yongji, Shanxi). However, after Sima Mo denied his request to be appointed the Administrator of Pingyi, an angered Zhao Ran surrendered his forces to Han instead.

In c.October 311, Han sent Zhao Ran and Liu Can to attack Sima Mo at Chang'an. Zhao Ran defeated the prince at Tong Pass before marching as far as Xiagui (下邽, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi). As the Han forces besieged Chang'an, Mo sent Chunyu Ding out to fight them, but was defeated. The granaries and warehouses in Chang'an were empty, and many of Mo's soldiers and generals had fled. At the advice of Wei Fu (韋輔), Sima Mo decided to surrender to Zhao Ran, hoping to be spared. However, Zhao Ran instead denounced his former superior for his crimes and sent him to Liu Can, who had him executed.

After Sima Mo's death, his subordinates, most notably Qu Yun and Suo Chen, fled to Anding Commandery, where they allied with Jia Ya and restored imperial authority in Chang'an by installing Emperor Min of Jin as crown prince in October 312. Sima Bao also survived his father in Qin province, where he later attempted to claim the imperial title for himself before dying in 320.

References

1. (九月，....平昌公模为南阳王。) Jin Shu, vol.04. The month corresponds to 24 Oct to 21 Nov 306 in the Julian calendar.
2. Sima Mo's eldest son Sima Bao was born in 294. Thus, Sima Mo's birth year should be in 280 or before.
3. (九月，粲杀模。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.87. The month corresponds to 29 Sep to 28 Oct 311 in the Julian calendar. Emperor Huai's biography in Jin Shu dated the event to the 8th month of that year; in vol.04 of Zizhi Tongjian Kaoyi, Sima Guang cited a letter by Liu Kun indicating Sima Mo (referred to as "Pingchang" in the letter, presumably because of his previous title of Duke of Pingchang) was killed in the 9th month.
4. (南阳王模，字元表) Jin Shu, vol.37
5. (泰四子：越、腾、略、模。) Jin Shu, vol.37
6. Sima Mo and Sima Xiao were both grandsons of Sima Kui, per vol.37 of Book of Jin. As Sima Xiao was sonless when he died in c.December 306, 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.
7. (少好学，与元帝及范阳王虓俱有称于宗室。初封平昌公。) Jin Shu, vol.37. It is unknown if Sima Mo was made Duke of Pingchang during the reign of Emperor Wu or Emperor Hui.
8. (十二月，丁亥，诏太弟颖以成都王还第；更立豫章王炽为皇太弟。帝兄弟二十五人，时存者惟颖、炽及吴王晏。晏材质庸下；炽冲素好学，故太宰颙立之。诏以司空越为太傅，与颙夹辅帝室，王戎参录朝政。又以光禄大夫王衍为尚书左仆射。高密王略为镇南将军，领司隶校尉，权镇洛阳。东中郎将模为宁北将军，都督冀州诸军事，镇邺。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.85. On the same day, Sima Ying was removed as crown prince and replaced by Sima Chi (the future Emperor Huai). Sima Mo's elder brother Sima Lüe, who inherited their father's title of Prince of Gaomi, was appointed as General who Pacifies the South.
9. (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 their cousin Sima Xiao was made sikong and stationed at Ye.
10. That year had a leap 8th month.
11. (九月，.....进东赢公腾爵为东燕王，平昌公模为南阳王。) Jin Shu, vol.04. The month corresponds to 24 Oct to 21 Nov 306 in the Julian calendar. At the same occasion, Mo's brother Teng was promoted from Duke of Dongying to Prince of Dongyan.
12. (太傅越以诏书徴河间王颙为司徒，颙乃就徴。南阳王模遣其将梁臣邀之於新安，车上扼杀之，並杀其三子。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86
13. (庚辰，东海王越出镇许昌。以征东将军、高密王简为征南大将军、都督荆州诸军事，镇襄阳；改封安北将军、东燕王腾为新蔡王、都督司冀二州诸军事，镇邺；以征南将军、南阳王模为征西大将军、都督秦雍梁益四州诸军事，镇长安。) Jin Shu, vol.05. At the same occasion, Sima Yue sent himself to garrison Xuchang. His third brother Sima Lüe (referred to here as "Jian" as his courtesy name was "Yuanjian") was made General who Attacks the South, Chief Controller of Jing Province and was garrisoned at Xiangyang. Sima Yue's second brother Sima Teng was made Prince of Xincai, and took over Sima Mo's previous position of Chief Controller of Ji Province, while being garrisoned at Ye. He was also made Chief Controller of Si Province.
14. (初，太傅越以南阳王模不能绥抚关中，表征为司空。将军淳于定说模使不就征，模从之；表遣世子保为平西中郎将，镇上邽，秦州刺史裴苞拒之。模使帐下都尉陈安攻苞，苞奔安定，太守贾疋纳之。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.87
15. (賈疋，字彥度，武威人，魏太尉詡之曾孫也。少有志略，器望甚偉，見之者莫不悅附，特為武夫之所瞻仰，願為致命。初辟公府，遂曆顯職，遷安定太守。雍州刺史丁綽，貪橫失百姓心，乃譖疋于南陽王模，模以軍司謝班伐之。疋奔瀘水，與胡彭蕩仲及氐竇首結為兄弟，聚眾攻班。綽奔武都，疋復入安定，殺班。湣帝以疋為驃騎將軍、雍州刺史，封酒泉公。) Book of Jin, Volume 60. Ding Chuo was not mentioned in Zizhi Tongjian.
16. (南阳王模使牙门赵染戍薄板，染求冯翊太守不得而怒，帅众降汉，汉主聪以染为平西将军。八月，聪遣染与安西将军刘雅帅骑二万攻模于长安，河内王粲、始安王曜帅大众继之。染败模兵于潼关，长驱至下邽。凉州将北宫纯自长安帅其众降汉。汉兵围长安，模遣淳于定出战而败。模仓库虚竭，士卒离散，遂降于汉。赵染送模于河内王粲；九月，粲杀模。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.87.
17. (初，南陽王模以從事中郎索綝爲馮翊太守。綝，靖之子也。模死，綝與安夷護軍金城麴允、頻陽令梁肅，俱奔安定。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 87. Note that Emperor Min did not declare himself emperor until July 313, when he received the news of Emperor Huai's execution in March that year.

• Fang, Xuanling: Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
• Sima, Guang: Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance (Zizhi Tongjian)

• 311 deaths
• Jin dynasty (266–420) generals
• Jin dynasty (266–420) imperial princes