The Strategic Genius of Sima Shi

In 255 CE, the Cao Wei dynasty faced its gravest internal crisis since the Gaoping Tombs Incident. Sima Shi, eldest son of the dynasty’s true powerbroker Sima Yi, now confronted a rebellion led by the formidable general Guanqiu Jian in Huainan. What followed would become a masterclass in psychological warfare – and ultimately trigger the first domino in the Sima clan’s eventual unraveling.

Sima Shi deployed a three-pronged strategy:
– Zhuge Dan advanced from Anyang
– Hu Zun cut off retreat routes
– His main force entrenched at Runan

This reflected Sun Tzu’s principle of “scattered ground” versus “death ground” – forcing rebels to fight far from home while their families remained under imperial control.

The Night That Changed History

The campaign’s turning point came unexpectedly at Lejia. Wen Qin’s 18-year-old son Wen Yang launched a daring night assault so terrifying that:
– Sima Shi’s wounded eye (from recent tumor surgery) ruptured
– The general muffled his screams by biting his blanket
– His immobile composure prevented army-wide panic

This moment revealed Sima Shi’s extraordinary military instincts. Unlike Cao Xiu’s disastrous defeat at Shiting from similar “night fright,” Sima Shi’s composure saved his army.

The Domino Effect

Though victorious, the campaign proved fatal:
1. Sima Shi died weeks later at 47 – decades short of Sima clan life expectancy
2. His lack of male heirs forced adoption from brother Sima Zhao
3. This created succession tensions between Sima Yan and Sima You
4. The “Yan-You rivalry” would later destabilize the Jin dynasty

The Architect of a Dynasty

In just 4.5 years of rule, Sima Shi:
– Neutralized the Wu strategist Zhuge Ke
– Consolidated loyalties among Wei’s second-generation officials
– Crushed central opposition through the Li Feng purge
– Established the Sima clan’s unchallengeable authority

His death marked a critical inflection point. The subsequent power transfer to Sima Zhao, though smooth, planted seeds for future crises.

Legacy of a Lost Vision

The Huainan rebellion’s true impact became clear decades later:
– Sima You’s excellence haunted Emperor Wu’s reign
– Succession compromises weakened imperial authority
– The very meritocracy Sima Shi built became its undoing

As the Jin dynasty collapsed into War of the Eight Princes, observers noted the tragedy – the night at Lejia didn’t just cost Sima Shi an eye, but perhaps the Sima clan’s entire historical legacy. The founder’s vision died with him in 255, leaving only political calculations in its wake.