The Sima Family Monopolizing State Power
2 min readIn 226，the dying Cao Pirequested Sima Yi（179-251）to assist Crown Prince Cao Rui（204-239），who later became Emperor Ming，in governing the Wei Kingdom，and since then the powerful Sima family controlled the court.
Emperor Sun Quan of the Han nationality，with Zhongmou as his courtesy name，came from Fuchun county in Wu Prefecture（present Fuyang in Zhejiang Province）.He was the founder of the Wukingdom during the Three kingdoms Period and reigned for 23 years from 229 to 252 During the 13-year reign of Cao Rui，Sima Yi tried his best to fulfill his responsibility；however，nosooner had Cao Ruidied in 239 than Sima Yis political ambition began to grow with each passing day.
The eight-year-old Emperor Cao Fang（232-274，originally Prince of Qi，adopted son of Cao Rui）promoted both Sima Yiand Cao Shuang（Cao Cao’s grandnephew）to the position of Palace Attendant in charge of military and political affairs.In order to arrogate all power to himself，Sima Yimounted a coup detat and killed his rival Cao Shuang in 249.
After Sima Yi died in 251，his sons Sima Shi（208-255）and Sima Zhao（211-265）continuedto monopolize power.The domineering Sima Shi even dethroned Cao Fang and made his cousin Cao Mao（241-260）emperor.
Sima Shi soon died of illness，and power fell into the hands of his brother Sima Zhao.On ordinary days Sima Zhao always wore an imperial robe and posed as a monarch，hence the idiom of”SimaZhao’s ill intent is known to all.”In 260 he assassinated Cao Mao and had Cao Huan（246-302，grandson of Cao Cao）crowned.By the yearend of 265，29-year-old Sima Yan–eldest son of Sima Zhao–dethroned Cao Huan and proclaimed himself emperor，thus founding the Western Jin Dynasty.
