Sima Lang (171–217),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theob ...

Boda, was a government official who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the eldest among the eight sons of

Sima Fang Sima Fang (149–219), courtesy name Jiangong or Wenyu, was an official who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty of China. Through his second son Sima Yi, he was an ancestor of the ruling Sima clan of the Jin dynasty (266–420) of China. Life ...

, who served as the Intendant of the Capital () during the reign of Emperor Ling, He was described as a big and tall man (approximately 1.91 metres). In his early years, he took the tests required to serve as an official in the Han government and briefly held the position of a civil service cadet. In 189, when the warlord

Dong Zhuo Dong Zhuo () (died 22 May 192), courtesy name Zhongying, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. At the end of the reign of the Eastern Han, Dong Zhuo was a general and powerful minist ...

seized control of the Han central government, Sima Lang managed to escape with his family and return to his hometown. Later in 202, Sima Lang reentered government service and served in the central government, then under the control of the warlord Cao Cao. In his early career, Cao Cao served as a district security chief in the imperial capital

Luoyang Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang ...

after Sima Lang's father Sima Fang, then the Intendant of the Capital, recommended him for the job. Now that Cao Cao had become the ''de facto'' head of the central government, he wanted to repay Sima Fang's favour by treating Sima Lang well. Over the subsequent years, he appointed Sima Lang to various positions as either a county prefect or county chief. When he held office, Sima Lang adopted policies which benefited the common people, and thus earned their respect in return. In 208, after he assumed office as Imperial Chancellor, Cao Cao recruited Sima Lang to be his Registrar (). Some time later, Cao Cao appointed Sima Lang as the Inspector () of

Yan Province Yan Province or Yanzhou was one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), it covered roughly present-day southwestern Shandong, eastern Henan, and the northwestern corner of Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ...

. Sima Lang performed well in office and gained much respect from the people in Yan Province. Despite his accomplishments, however, he never ceased to praise his younger brother, Sima Yi. He went so far as to say, "I don't even come close to matching his abilities." In the year 217, Sima Lang accompanied Cao Cao's generals

Xiahou Dun Xiahou Dun () (died 13 June 220), courtesy name Yuanrang, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.''Sanguozhi'' vol.9. He served for a few months under Cao Ca ...

and Zang Ba on a military campaign against a rival warlord, Sun Quan. During the campaign, an epidemic broke out in the army and many soldiers fell sick. While distributing medicine to the soldiers, Sima Lang caught the disease himself and became ill too. He eventually succumbed to his illness and died. Sima Lang had a son, Sima Yi (司馬遺; note the different Chinese character for ''Yi'' from the one in Sima Yi's name), who died prematurely so he had no heir. However, some time later,

Sima Wang Sima Wang (205–271), courtesy name Zichu, was an imperial prince and military general of the Jin dynasty of China. He previously served in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. Life Sima Wang was the second son of Sima Fu ...

, one of Sima Lang's nephews, was transferred to Sima Lang's lineage (i.e. "adopted" as Sima Lang's son) to continue Sima Lang's family line.

Notes

References

* Chen, Shou (3rd century). '' Records of the Three Kingdoms'' (''Sanguozhi''). * Pei, Songzhi (5th century). '' Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms'' (''Sanguozhi zhu''). {{DEFAULTSORT:Sima, Lang 171 births 217 deaths Officials under Cao Cao Politicians from Jiaozuo Han dynasty politicians from Henan

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