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Sima Yang (司馬羕; 284 – 29 March 329), courtesy name Yannian (延年), was an imperial prince of the Jin dynasty. A son of Sima Liang, Prince Wencheng of Runan, and grandson of Sima Yi, Yang was known for being one of the few princes of the Sima clan to went south to Jiankang in the aftermath of the Disaster of Yongjia, as well as a supporter of Su Jun during the latter's rebellion against the Eastern Jin. After the rebellion's failure, he was either forced to commit suicide or executed.

Background and life during the Western Jin era

Sima Yang was born in 284 during the reign of his cousin Emperor Wu of Jin; he was also born late in Liang's life. During the later part of the Tai'kang era (c.285 - 289), he was made Duke of Xiyang County. In May 290, Emperor Wu died. With his death, Sima Liang became embroiled in court politics as Emperor Wu's successor and son Emperor Hui was developmentally disabled. In May 291, after the ouster and killing of Emperor Hui's first regent Yang Jun in April, Sima Liang was made co-regent with Wei Guan. Just a few months later in July, Sima Liang and Wei Guan were killed by Sima Wei; Sima Yang's elder brother Sima Ju (司马矩) was also killed. Then aged seven, Sima Yang managed to escape with assistance from his maternal relative Pei Kai. The day after Liang's and Wei's deaths, Sima Wei was killed after Emperor Hui's empress Jia Nanfeng plotted against him. On 28 September 291, Yang was made a prince. During the War of the Eight Princes, he was once reduced to the status of a commoner on accusations that he was part of Sima Ai's (Prince of Changsha) clique, but was later restored to his princely status after Emperor Hui's return to Luoyang in June 306; Emperor Hui later died in January 307. During the Yongjia era (307–312) of the reign of Emperor Hui's successor and half-brother Emperor Huai, his fiefdom eventually grew to 35000 households. However, with the growing chaos in Northern China, he eventually had to abandon his fiefdom and follow Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai and Emperor Huai's regent. With Sima Yue's death in April 311 and the Disaster of Yongjia in July, Sima Yang fled south to join Sima Rui, the Prince of Langya (and future Emperor Yuan of Jin), together with his younger brother Sima Zong (司馬宗) the Prince of Nandun.

Life under Emperors Yuan and Ming

Sima Rui took the title "King of Jin"—a title previously used by Sima Zhao and Emperor Wu while they were regents of Cao Wei—rather than emperor on 6 April 317. He created his son Sima Shao crown prince on 1 May of the same year. Under Sima Rui as King of Jin, Sima Yang was allowed to appoint his own officials. He also had a private army of about 1000 soldiers, and 100 cavalrymen. Together with Sima Zong, Yang was ordered to settle refugees to populate Zhongzhou (中州) and the remote areas of Jiangxi. On 7 February 318, Liu Cong, the emperor of Han-Zhao, executed Emperor Min. About two and a half months later, on 23 April, news of Emperor Min's execution reached Jiankang. Sima Rui then declared himself emperor three days later.

In January 323, Emperor Yuan died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Ming. After Wang Dun, who had the upper hand in his struggle against Emperor Yuan, died in August 324 and his rebellion subsequently quelled, Sima Yang was made Grand Commandant in c.November.

In early October 325, Emperor Ming became gravely ill; on 12 October, a number of high-level officials, including Sima Yang (who was then taizai), Yu Liang, Wang Dao, Bian Kun (卞壼), Xi Jian, Lu Ye (陸瞱), and Wen Jiao formed the regency council.

Involvement with Su Jun and death

Emperor Ming died on 18 October 325 and was succeeded by his young son Emperor Cheng. With his death, his empress Yu Wenjun's elder brother Yu Liang began to increase his power. As Empress Dowager Yu became regent on 2 November, Yu Liang became effectively the most powerful official in the administration. He changed from the lenient policies of Wang (who was prime minister during Emperor Ming's reign) to stricter applications of laws and regulations, which offended the officials accustomed to Wang's lenience. Further, he became apprehensive of the generals Tao Kan and Zu Yue – neither of whom was mentioned in the list of honors and promotions announced by Emperor Ming's will and believed that Yu had erased their names from the will – and Su Jun, who had allowed many criminals to join his army. On 20 November 326, Sima Yang's nephew Sima You (司马祐) the Prince of Ru'nan died. Later that month or in early December, Yu Liang alienated public opinion by falsely accusing Sima Yang's brother Sima Zong of treason and killing him and demoting Sima Yang to Prince of Yiyang County (弋阳县王).

In December 327, Su Jun and Zu Yue declared their rebellion. Su quickly arrived at the capital Jiankang in early March 328 and captured it. Yu Liang was forced to flee. Meanwhile, Su granted himself and Zu various titles on 5 March and allowed his troops to pillage the capital. On the same day, Su Jun issued a general pardon, but said pardon did not include Yu Liang and his brothers; Sima Yang was restored to his previous title of Prince of Xiyang after he praised Su.

However, Su Jun was killed in November 328, and his rebellion began to falter. In March 329, imperial forces recaptured the capital, and Sima Yang met his end; his sons Sima Bo (司马播) and Sima Chong (司马充) and grandson Sima Song (司马崧) were also killed.

References

1. (冬，十月，....南顿王宗自以失职怨望，又素与苏峻善，庾亮欲诛之，宗亦欲废执政。御史中丞钟雅劾宗谋反，亮使右卫将军赵胤收之。宗以兵拒战，为胤所杀，贬其族为马氏，三子绰、超、演皆废为庶人。免太宰西阳王羕，降封弋阳县王...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.93. The month corresponds to 11 Nov to 10 Dec 326 in the Julian calendar.
2. While Emperor Cheng's annals in Book of Jin referred to Sima Yang as Prince of Yiyang County when recording his death, vol.94 of Zizhi Tongjian referred to him as Prince of Xiyang when recording his death.
3. Sima Yang's biography in Book of Jin recorded that he was eight (by East Asian reckoning) when his father was killed in Jul 291.
4. Zizhi Tongjian, vol.94.
5. (羕字延年。) Jin Shu, vol.59
6. Jin Shu, vol.59
7. Jin Shu, vol.07 and Zizhi Tongjian, vol.94
8. Sima Liang was born before 227, which meant that he was at least 58 years old when Yang was born.
9. (太康末，封西阳县公，拜散骑常侍。) Jin Shu, vol.59
10. (矩字延明。拜世子，为屯骑校尉，与父亮同被害。) Jin Shu, vol.59
11. (亮之被害也，羕时年八岁，镇南将军裴楷与之亲姻，窃之以逃，一夜八迁，故得免。及玮诛，进爵为王，历步兵校尉、左军骁骑将军。) Jin Shu, vol.59
12. (八月....己巳，进西阳公羕爵为王) Jin Shu, vol.04.
13. (永兴初，拜侍中。以长沙王乂党，废为庶人。惠帝还洛，复羕封，...) Jin Shu, vol.59
14. (永嘉初，拜镇军将军，加散骑常侍，领后军将军，复以邾、蕲春益之，并前三万五千户。随东海王越东出鄄城，遂南渡江。) Jin Shu, vol.59. Sima Rui's grandfather Sima Zhou and Yang's father Sima Liang were full brothers.
15. (与兄羕俱过江。) Jin Shu, vol.59
16. xin'mao day of the 3rd month of the 1st year of the Jian'wu era, per Emperor Yuan's biography in Book of Jin. Vol.90 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded the same date for the event.
17. the first bing'chen day after Sima Rui became King of Jin, i.e. of the 4th month of the 1st year of the Jian'wu era, per Emperor Yuan's biography in Book of Jin. Vol.90 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded the same date for the event.
18. (元帝承制，更拜抚军大将军、开府，给千兵百骑，诏与南顿王宗统流人以实中州，江西荒梗，复还。及元帝践阼，进位侍中、太保。) Jin Shu, vol.59
19. (十二月戊戌，帝遇弑，崩于平阳，...) Jin Shu, vol.05. Vol.90 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded the same death date.
20. (三月，癸丑，愍帝凶问至建康，...丙辰，王即皇帝位，....) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.90. Per the Book of Jin (in volumes 6 and 28), during the Tai'an era (302 - 303) of Emperor Hui's reign, a nursery rhyme went "Five horses swarm across the river; one horse turned into a loong". Of the five imperial princes which converged at Jiankang, three had direct relations: Sima Yang (Prince of Xiyang), his brother Sima Zong (Prince of Nandun), and their nephew Sima You (Prince of Ru'nan and son of their elder brother Sima Ju). (太安中，童谣曰：“五马游渡江，一马化为龙。”后中原大乱，宗藩多绝，唯琅邪、汝南、西阳、南顿、彭城同至江东，而元帝嗣统矣。) Jin Shu, volume 28.
21. (及王敦平，领太尉。) Jin Shu, vol.59
22. (冬，十月，....西阳王羕领太尉，...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.93. The month corresponds to 3 Nov to 2 Dec 324 in the Julian calendar.
23. (秋，...闰月，....壬午，帝引太宰羕、司徒导、尚书令卞壶、车骑将军郗鉴、护军将军庾亮、领军将军陆晔、丹杨尹温峤，并受遗诏辅太子，更入殿将兵直宿；复拜壶右将军，亮中书令，晔录尚书事。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.93
24. (秋，九月，癸卯，太后临朝称制。以司徒导录尚书事，与中书令庾亮、尚书令卞壶参辅朝政，然事之大要皆决于亮。....初，王导辅政，以宽和得众。及庾亮用事，任法裁物，颇失人心。豫州刺史祖约，自以辈不后郗、卞，而不豫顾命，又望开府复不得，及诸表请多不见许，遂怀怨望。及遗诏褒进大臣，又不及约与陶侃，二人皆疑庾亮删之。历阳内史苏峻，有功于国，威望渐著，有锐卒万人，器械甚精，朝廷以江外寄之；而峻颇怀骄溢，有轻朝廷之志，招纳亡命，众力日多，皆仰食县官，运漕相属，稍不如意，辄肆忿言。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.93
25. (冬十月，...丙寅，卫将军、汝南王祐薨。) Jin Shu, vol.07
26. Sima Zong and Sima Yang were cousins of Sima Jin (Emperor Yuan's father) and were thus regarded as elders of the clan, despite their relatively young age.
27. (十一月，豫州刺史祖约、历阳太守苏峻等反。) Jin Shu, vol.07. The month corresponds to 30 Nov to 29 Dec 327 in the Julian calendar.
28. According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin and vol.94 of Zizhi Tongjian, Su Jun granted himself and Zu Yue the titles on the dingsi day of the 2nd month of the 3rd year of the Xianhe era of Emperor Cheng's reign; the date corresponds to 5 Mar 328 in the Julian calendar. Jin Shu, vol.07.
29. (丁巳，峻称诏大赦，惟庾亮兄弟不在原例。以王导有德望，犹使以本官居己之右。祖约为侍中、太尉、尚书令，峻自为骠骑将军、录尚书事，许柳为丹杨尹，马雄为左卫将军，祖涣为骁骑将军。弋阳王羕诣峻，称述峻功，峻复以羕为西阳王、太宰、录尚书事。). Zizhi Tongjian, vol.94
30. Zizhi Tongjian, vol.94

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

• 284 births
• 329 deaths
• Jin dynasty (266–420) imperial princes
• People executed by the Jin dynasty (266–420)
• 4th-century executions