During the Three Kingdoms period, some powerful ministers appeared in various countries, the most famous of which were Zhuge Liang, the chancellor of the Shu Han Dynasty, and Sima Yi, the Prince of Cao Wei. The abilities of both people are very outstanding, and they can be said to be the wizards of the world. For thousands of years, people have admired Zhuge Liang, calling him "the first person since the two Han Dynasties, three generations and then the first person". However, people have a very bad impression of Sima Yi, believing that he is an old and cunning ambitionist. Why is the evaluation of the two people so disparity in later generations?
First, political opponents are treated differently
Whether it is Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi, they all have their own political enemies in China. Zhuge Liang's opponent was Li Yan, while Sima Yi's opponent was Cao Shuang. There was a power struggle between Zhuge Liang and Li Yan, and Li Yan had always asked Zhuge Liang for officials and power, and Zhuge Liang had always tolerated each other for the country and did not have an attack. It was not until 231 that Li Yan was deposed by Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang did not execute Li Yan, but continued to appoint Li Yan's son. Three years later, Zhuge Liang fell ill and died, and Li Yan died of illness.
Zhuge Liang subdued people with virtue, while Sima Yi used intrigue and trickery to deceive his political enemy Cao Shuang and then massacred him. In 249, Sima Yi took advantage of Cao Shuang's departure and launched the Gaopingling Rebellion, taking control of the capital Luoyang. Later, Sima Yi deceived Cao Shuang into guaranteeing his life safety, thus relieving Cao Shuang of his military powers. Unexpectedly, Sima Yi did not do what he said, but instead went on a killing spree, executing Cao Shuangmanmen, and his henchmen were also killed.
Second, attitudes towards power are different
Before his death, Liu Bei handed over the supreme power of the state to Zhuge Liang and said to him: "If the heir can be supplemented, it can be supplemented; if he is not talented, the king can take his own favor." It can be said that at this time, Zhuge Liang was like Yi Yin and Huo Guang at that time, and had the power to depose the emperor. However, Zhuge Liang did not abuse his power, and everything he did was for the Shu Han regime. Ma Mo was Zhuge Liang's close confidant, but Zhuge Liang still killed him with tears and did not bend the law for personal gain.
Sima Yi, on the other hand, used power as a personal tool to attack, retaliate, and even kill those who were not dependent on him, and used it to control the Cao Wei regime. For example, Sikong Wang Ling was a loyal vassal of Cao Wei, but in the end he could not escape Sima Yi's persecution and was forced to commit suicide. At the same time, Sima Yi also forced the Chu king Cao Biao to die, detained all of Cao Wei's clans in Yicheng, and ordered the relevant departments to monitor them and prevent them from making friends.
Third, the highest ideal of life is different
In the "Table of Renunciation", Zhuge Liang clearly put forward the highest ideal of his life, that is, "reviving the Han Room and returning to the old capital". Throughout his life, Zhuge Liang struggled to realize this ideal. As for personal fame and fortune, he did not look at it at all. When Zhuge Liang was alive, he did not train his own sons to take over the position of chancellor. When the Qianlong Emperor commented on Zhuge Liang, he said, "About his life, it is also known that the word gongzhong is only two words, and there is no self in the public, there is no self in loyalty, there is no selflessness in loyalty, and there is no selflessness in self."
Zhuge Liang was a powerful vassal, but he was loyal to Shu Han and selfless, in stark contrast to Sima Yi. After Sima Yi became a powerful courtier, his ideal was not to assist Emperor Cao Wei, but to have his own selfishness and want his family to become the ruler of the world. After Sima Yi paved the way, he handed over power to his son, who eventually usurped the throne as emperor. And Zhuge Liang fulfilled the promise of "bowing down and dying later", and their children and grandchildren also died on the battlefield for shu Han. In short, Zhuge Liang was "public" and "loyal", while Sima was "private" and "adulterous".
References: 1. Romance of the Three Kingdoms; 2. Book of Jin