Sima Zhou was an imperial prince and general from Cao Wei into the Western Jin. The Book of Jin calls him Prince Wu of Langye, with the given name Zhou and the courtesy name Zijiang, and Wikidata's Chinese label is also 司馬伷, so the title stays his personal name. This entry records his life as 227 to 283, which agrees with the Book of Jin saying that he died at fifty-seven.[1][3]
Family
Chinese Wikipedia says he was the fourth son of Sima Yi and his mother was Lady Fu. He was a half-brother of Sima Shi, Sima Zhao and Sima Gan and a full brother of Sima Liang, Sima Jing and Sima Jun, and he was the grandfather of Emperor Yuan of Jin, Sima Rui. His wife was the eldest daughter of Zhuge Dan, and they had Sima Jin, Sima Dan and Sima Yao.[2]
Under Cao Wei
The Book of Jin says that in the early Zhengshi years he was made Marquis of Nan'an Pavilion. He had talent and a good name early, started as general who pacifies the north and guarded Ye, where he was praised for calming people, and rose to mounted attendant, was advanced to Marquis of Dongwu district, and became general of the right and inspector of Yan province. When the five ranks were first set up he was made Earl of Nanpi, and he became general who campaigns against the captives with credentials.[3] Chinese Wikipedia adds that in 260, when Cao Mao and Wang Jing plotted against Sima Zhao, Sima Zhou, then colonel of the Tun cavalry, attacked Cao Mao together with Jia Chong. They met Cao Mao at the East Carriage-Stopping Gate, and Cao Mao's men shouted at Sima Zhou's, who ran away.[2]
Under Western Jin
When Emperor Wu took the throne he made Sima Zhou Prince of Dongguan with ten thousand six hundred households. When the court began to set up the two ministers, an edict told the princes to choose their own magistrates, and he sent a memorial declining it, which was refused. He entered the court as vice director of the right in the secretariat and general who comforts the army, then went out as general who guards the east with credentials over military affairs in Xu province, replacing Wei Guan at Xiapi. The Book of Jin says he defended the area well, won the full effort of his troops, and was feared by the men of Wu. He was given the rank of acting as the three excellencies and his title was changed to Prince of Langye, with Dongguan added to his state.[3]
The conquest of Wu
In the campaign against Wu he led tens of thousands out through Tuzhong, and Sun Hao sent a letter with his seals and ribbons to Sima Zhou to ask for surrender. The edict praised him: he had commanded his forces and held Tuzhong in succession so that the enemy could not rescue one another, had sent the chancellor of Langye Liu Hong and others to press toward the river and frighten the enemy into sending envoys with false seals, and had his chief clerk Wang Heng take troops across the river, break the border guards and capture the commander Cai Ji, with some fifty or sixty thousand killed or surrendered. Zhuge Jing and Sun Yi came back and begged for death. For this his two sons were made pavilion marquises with three thousand households each and he was given six thousand bolts of silk. Soon he was also put in charge of Qing province and given the dress of an attendant, and advanced to grand general with the rank of acting as the three excellencies.[3]
Later years and death
The Book of Jin judges that, as a close relative of high rank and with the merit of conquering Wu, he still restrained himself and was respectful and frugal, without a trace of pride; his subordinates gave their best and the people remembered his teaching. When he was gravely ill the emperor sent bedding, clothing, money, silk and grain, and an attendant to ask after him. He died in the fourth year of Taikang at fifty-seven. On his deathbed he asked to be buried beside his mother, the dowager consort, and to divide his state among four sons, and the emperor agreed. His son Prince Gong, Sima Jin, succeeded him, and the second son Sima Dan was made Prince of Wuling, Sima Yao Prince of Dong'an and Sima Cui Prince of Huailing. Chinese Wikipedia gives the date of his death as the jihai day of the fifth month of the fourth year of Taikang, 12 June 283.[3][2]