Sima Wang

Historical Record

According to the surviving historical biographies, records of Sima Wang (styled Zichu) are lacking. In official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, there is no clear mention of Sima Wang's life, appointments, or specific contributions. From the standpoint of historiography, therefore, Sima Wang is not a figure of notable record. Whether he truly existed in history, or what specific role he played, cannot be ascertained.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sima Wang, as a clan elder kinsman of Sima Zhao, is cast as a general who plays an important role in the clashes between Wei and Shu. He first appears while garrisoning Changcheng; facing Jiang Wei's assault, he at first chose to abandon his camp and retreat into the city, shutting the gates and not coming out.^[1] Jiang Wei used fire-arrows, fire-cannon, and incendiary attacks, once bringing Changcheng to a crisis; within the city Sima Wang and his men "wailed aloud, their cries heard for miles around,"^[1] showing his helplessness in the face of adversity. Yet Sima Wang did not merely hold fast; he displayed an understanding of battle formations. When Deng Ai was trapped by Jiang Wei's "Long-Snake Earth-Rolling Formation," Sima Wang, drawing on his experience discussing formations with Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan during his youthful travels and studies in the south of Jing, accurately judged the formation's weak point and struck from the northwest, successfully rescuing Deng Ai.^[2]

Thereafter Sima Wang cooperated often with Deng Ai. In one military operation in which Jiang Wei sought to take Taoyang, Sima Wang and Deng Ai jointly analyzed the situation. Sima Wang once suspected that Jiang Wei was feinting east while really aiming at Mount Qi, but Deng Ai held that Jiang Wei did indeed target Taoyang, intending to store up grain and forage and link up with the Qiang.^[3] Sima Wang adopted Deng Ai's plan, leading troops to lie in ambush at Taoyang, lowering banners and silencing drums and throwing the four gates wide open, in coordination with Deng Ai's ambush at Houhe, in an attempt to win a great victory.^[3] When Deng Ai received the edict to invade Shu, Sima Wang was again ordered to go and check the Qiang.^[4] These episodes are all the novel's literary shaping of Sima Wang and have no corresponding record in the histories.

Key Relationships

* Sima Zhao (kin_of): In the novel Sima Wang is clearly identified as a clan elder kinsman of Sima Zhao^[1], a kinship that gave him a certain standing in the Cao Wei camp and brought him into important military operations.
* Cao Wei (serves): As a general of Cao Wei, Sima Wang took part repeatedly in defensive battles during Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions, serving Cao Wei. He garrisoned Changcheng and, together with Deng Ai, resisted the assaults of Shu Han.^[1]
* Deng Ai (advises_in): There was an important relationship of cooperation and counsel between Sima Wang and Deng Ai. He not only came to Deng Ai's rescue in his peril^[2] but also joined Deng Ai in analyzing the enemy and devising strategy in military planning, as in the campaign over Jiang Wei's bid for Taoyang, where he adopted and carried out Deng Ai's plan.^[3]

Iconic Scenes

* Holding fast at Changcheng and being besieged (novel only): Sima Wang first appears garrisoning Changcheng; facing Jiang Wei's fierce assault, he chose to abandon his camp and retreat into the city, shutting the gates and not coming out. The city was once besieged by Jiang Wei's incendiary attacks, and the Wei soldiers within "wailed aloud"^[1]—a scene that shows Sima Wang's passivity and predicament under military pressure.
* Rescuing Deng Ai within the formation (novel only): When Jiang Wei deployed the "Long-Snake Earth-Rolling Formation" to trap Deng Ai, Sima Wang, by virtue of his understanding of formations, accurately judged the weak point and struck from the northwest, successfully rescuing Deng Ai.^[2] This scene highlights Sima Wang's military skill and mastery of formations and laid the basis for his cooperation with Deng Ai.
* Plotting the Battle of Taoyang with Deng Ai (novel only): When Jiang Wei attacked Taoyang, Sima Wang and Deng Ai together analyzed the situation and, adopting Deng Ai's plan, led troops to lie in ambush at Taoyang in an attempt to ambush Jiang Wei.^[3] This scene displays Sima Wang's participation in and execution of military strategy and further deepened his strategic cooperation with Deng Ai.