釋氏稽古略 2.5

2.5

His taboo name was Rui. He was the son of Sima Jin, Prince of Langya, and a great-grandson of Emperor Xuan. At age fifteen, he inherited the enfeoffment as Prince of Langya. In the first year of Yongjia of Emperor Huai, he became General Who Pacifies the East, garrisoning Jianye. In the fourth year of Jianxing of Emperor Min, Chang'an could not be held, and Emperor Min was forced into exile. The Prince then mobilized his troops for a northern expedition. In the second month of the dingchou year, he assumed the throne as Prince of Jin at Jiankang. For the first time, he appointed the full array of civil and military officials, erected the ancestral temple, and established the state altars. He proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the reign era to Jianwu. In the twelfth month, Emperor Min was murdered. In the third month of the wuyin year, the ill tidings reached Jiankang. The Prince donned the untrimmed sackcloth mourning garb and dwelled in a mourning hut. Soon afterwards, he ascended the imperial throne, proclaimed a general amnesty, and changed the reign era to Daxing. He established the Prince's heir apparent Shao as Crown Prince. At this time, following a period of mourning and turmoil, the Jiangdong region was newly founded. Diao Xie had long served at the central court and was thoroughly versed in old precedents; He Xun was a paragon of Confucian scholars of his age and was well versed in rites and music. Whenever there were doubtful matters, decisions were sought from them. The Emperor reigned for six years, dying at forty-seven years of age.