Yang Huiyu

Yang Huiyu (羊徽瑜, onyomi: Youkiyu) is Sima Shi Wife and the Sister of Yang Hu and Xin Xianying Cai Wenji Niece while her mother was a daughter of the Han dynasty historian and musician Cai Yong.

Historical Information
Yang Huiyu (214–278, style name: Empress Jingxian,) Sima Shi Wife and Yang Hu’s sister as usual not nearly enough is recorded about her. Her name was Yang Huiyu, and she was his half-sister (by the same father). Born in 214, she was seven years older than Yang Hu. Though not a great deal about her early life is recorded, Yang Huiyu is described in the Jinshu as an intelligent and virtuous woman, as well as a lady of great beauty. She was likely close to her aunt, the famous intellectual Xin Xianying.

Yang Huiyu married Sima Shi sometime after 234. The exact year of their marriage is not recorded, though it was likely in the late 230s. Though Sima Shi had five daughters from his first marriage, he had no children with Yang Huiyu. At her urging, he adopted his nephew Sima You (born 246) to be his heir. Sima You and his stepmother were extremely close, and he was noted as being an especially filial son. Yang Huiyu and her husband were also a very close pair. It is recorded that she used her intellect to assist him with his various plans during his rise and reign, though the specifics of her suggestions are not recorded.

After Sima Shi’s death, Yang Huiyu relocated to Hongxun palace, where she lived for several years. Though she was not particularly close to Sima Zhao, Sima Yan held great respect for her. When he became emperor, he made Yang Huiyu Empress Dowager, a title she shared with Sima Yan’s mother, Wang Yuanji. She was often called the Hongxun Dowager to differentiate her from Wang Yuanji, the Chonghua Dowager. When Wang Yuanji passed away in 268, Yang Huiyu took over her duties as Dowager. Yang Huiyu followed in the footsteps of Lady Bian and Wang Yuanji, serving as a somewhat distant but powerful figure in Sima Yan’s court. Though she did not often involve herself in court politics directly, Sima Yan sought her advice on many affairs. Her opinion carried substantial weight in Jin and she was held in great esteem by the state’s various ministers.

When Sima Yan became emperor, he posthumously enfeoffed Sima Shi as Emperor Jing. Though he made Yang Huiyu Dowager, he did not grant any such enfeoffment to Sima Shi’s first wife, Xiahou Hui. Yang Huiyu thought that this was a mistake and urged Sima Yan to enfeoff her. Eventually, Sima Yan accepted her advice and enfeoffed the woman as Empress Huai, as posthumous name meaning “cherished”. Yang Huiyu also secured enfeoffment for her female relations. In 274, her stepmother Lady Cai was posthumously granted Jiyang as a fief and given the posthumous name Mu.

Yang Huiyu served as a powerful figure in the Jin government for over a decade. She ultimately passed away in 278 at the age of 65, a few months before her younger brother. She was given the posthumous name Empress Xian. She was buried in Junping field, just outside of Luoyang, with Sima Shi. Her son Sima You was also a central figure in Jin, eventually serving as Grand Commander.