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| “ | It is not that I fear to go out, nor that I relish the insults, but I have the Emperor's command to hold on and may not disobey. | „ |
| ~ Sima Yi. |
| “ | The mind shall vanquish the sword! | „ |
| ~ Sima Yi's victory quote. |
| “ | Come, my nemesis. Let us see which of us possesses the superior strategies! | „ |
| ~ Sima Yi encounter Zhuge Liang. |
| “ | Imbecile | „ |
| ~ Sima Yi's favourite quote |
Sima Yi (司馬懿), style name: Zhongda (仲達), is a Three Kingdoms historical figure who was known to originally be a vassal to the Wei kingdom, helping his Lord Cao Cao in his ambitions as a very brilliant tactian. He then serves Cao Cao's son, Cao Pi. He served as the arch-nemesis of Zhuge Liang. However, it was often stated by Cao Cao that Sima Yi never had much intention of serving below someone, a fact that came to fruition during the aftermath of Zhuge Liang's Five Northern Campaigns against Wei when Sima Yi took control of the falling Wei empire, and went on to establish the foundation of the upcoming Jin dynasty.
He is often considered one of the main antagonists in the later parts of the 14th-century Chinese classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by the late Luo Guanzhong, and its multiple adaptations. Historically, he and Zhuge Liang didn't exactly have the well-established rivalry seen in most fictional accounts. His wife is Zhang Chunhua, while his two historical children are Sima Shi and Sima Zhao. He is also a father-in-law of Wang Yuanji.
He was voiced by the late Tsuyoshi Takeshita and Ryōtarō Okiayu in the Japanese version, and by Paul Lucas, Lex Lang, Richard Cansino, Kyle Hebert, Richard Epcar, and D. Padraic in the English version.
History[]
Service under Cao Cao and Cao Pi[]
Sima Yi started serving the Wei forces as a simple vassal, albeit a genius one that puts his allies to shame. He works his way up the ranks, due to his repeated successes and strategies against both of Cao Cao's main rivals, the Shu forces and the Wu forces. After Cao Cao's death, he is appointed as supreme warlord by emperor, Cao Pi.
Meanwhile in Shu, the legendary and unparalleled military genius, Zhuge Liang, starts to feel threatened by Sima Yi and begins an expedition into Wei. Cao Pi's vassals advised Pi to against Sima Yi taking control of military authority due to Sima Yi's potentially dangerous ambition, but Sima Yi was the only strategist who could match Zhuge Liang's genius on even terms so the emperor of Wei had little choice.
Battle of Wuzhang Plains[]
After many battles and years, Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi's rivalry reaches a stand off at the Battle of the Wuzhang Plains. During this legendary battle. Zhuge Liang falls gravely ill, and decides to end the battle quickly. Sima Yi, knowing that without Zhuge Liang the Shu forces are nothing, plans for a long, drawn out battle, hoping for Zhuge Liang's death.
After Zhuge Liang dies, Sima Yi wins the battle but at the same time admits defeat as Zhuge Liang managed trick him one final time before his demise by making him think he was alive, which causing Sima Yi to retreat his army. Although they were rivals, Sima Yi has great respect for Zhuge Liang, and orders a memorial in honor of his fallen rival.
Mid-Career[]
A few years later, Shu is conquered as Zhuge Liang is no more to help them and his student and Zhuge Liang's son unable to defend the country due to the foolish ruling of Liu Bei's son, and Wei looks as if it will unify the entire land. However, Sima Yi, along with his sons, see this as an opportunity to overthrow Cao Pi's incompetent son Cao Rui to take power for themselves; as fears of Cao Pi's vassals had come to pass and vindicated.
Although the Cao family is the ruling family, the Sima family are actually the ones that have garnished the most power, including the army. Upon the coup, Sima Yi would furthered of taken powers and executed Cao Shuang along with his family. After Sima Yi's dies from the poison wind, a Chinese term for a sickness that involves the suffer being weakned over time and eventually dies, the Sima's sons successfully conquer Shu, and his grandson Sima Yan overthrow the Wei Empire, and establish the Jin Empire.
Seeing that Jin rule is inevitable, Wu surrenders, which is also because of its blundering ruler, Sun Quan's grandson Sun Hao. China is unified under the Jin Empire.
But ironically, Jin fell into infighting civil war due to Sima Yan's extravagance richness, giving power to Sima family member, appointing an inadequate successor Sima Zhong worse than Liu Shan and arrange a marriage between Sima Zhong and Jia Nanfeng, daughter of Jia Chong, lead to the Sima family killing each other called "Eight Princes of civil war" and the "Uprising of Five Barbarians", plunged China into centuries of civil war.
Other Media[]
Sima Yi appears as a major antagonist in the 2010 TV Series Three Kingdoms portrayed by Ni Dahong, serving as the secondary antagonist in episodes 43-73, the main antagonist in episodes 74-94, and the villain protagonist in the last episode. He also appears as the main protagonist of the 2017 TV Series The Advisors Alliance portrayed by Wu Xiubo and the deuteragonist of the 2018 TV Series Secret of the Three Kingdoms portrayed by Elvis Han.
Trivia[]
- Sima Yi appears as one of the playable characters in the Dynasty Warriors video game series.
- Sima Yi is one of the recurring boss characters in the Knights of Valour game series.
- Ironically, after Jin dynasty united the land, his grandson Sima Yan laying the seeds for the Jin dynasty's collapse by sharing power to his family and appointing inadequate successor Sima Zhong worse than Liu Shan and arrange a marriage between Sima Zhong and Jia Nanfeng, daughter of Jia Chong, lead to the Sima family killing each other for power and throne and the forigern barbarians invade China, plunged China into centuries of civil war. More ironically is his two other sons Sima Liang (mother Lady Fu) and Sima Lun (mother Lady Bai his favourite concubine) also become two of Eight Princes civil war.
- He was probably an sincere Taoist.
External Links[]
- Sima Yi on the Koei Wiki.
- Sima Yi on the Historica Wiki.
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Wei Empire Wu Empire Shu Empire Jin Empire Other Villains Lu Bu's Army Nanman Tribe Yellow Turbans Yuan Shao's Army Zhong Dynasty Others | ||
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Wei Empire Wu Empire Shu Empire Jin Empire Other Villains Lu Bu's Army Nanman Tribe Yellow Turbans Yuan Shao's Army Zhong Dynasty Others Guest Characters | ||
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Major Villains Other Villains Dynasty Warriors Samurai Warriors Evil Organization | ||