Sima Fang

Sima Fang (司馬防, 126 – 219), courtesy name Jianong (建公), was an official who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He is best known as the father of Sima Yi, the founder of the Jin dynasty (266–420).

Sima Fang served the Han dynasty in various roles, including positions within the Imperial Secretariat. While he held relatively minor offices, his family lineage and his own reputation for integrity ensured his sons received opportunities for advancement. He was respected for his erudition and his ability to judge character, qualities that are often cited as contributing to Sima Yi's later success.

Although Sima Fang did not achieve significant political power himself, his foresight and the education he provided to his sons, particularly Sima Yi, proved to be crucial in the rise of the Sima family and their eventual seizure of power, leading to the establishment of the Jin dynasty. He is therefore considered an important, albeit indirect, figure in the transition from the Three Kingdoms period to the Jin dynasty era of Chinese history. His ancestral roots traced back to the officials of earlier dynasties, further solidifying his family's reputation. His tomb is located near present-day Wen County in Henan province.