Sima Guang
Sima Guang (1019–1086), courtesy name Junshi, was a Northern Song statesman, historian and writer. Famous for compiling the Zizhi Tongjian, he was noted for moral integrity, conservative governance, and lifelong scholarship. His BaZi reveals a metal day master supported by印 (resource) and creative talent, consistent with his intellectual achievements and cautious political stance.
BaZi Chart
Birth Time Verification
Core Analysis
Sima Guang's Day Master is 辛 (Xin, Yin Metal), anchored in the 辛丑 day pillar. The chart shows strong presence of 偏印 and 食神/伤官 elements: year stem 己 and hidden stems in the branches supply 偏印 (Indirect Resource), while stems like 壬 and the month structure introduce 伤官/食神 (Hurting Officer/Eating God) energy. This combination creates a personality oriented to learning, analysis and literary output—fertile ground for the historian and compiler.
The overall 格局 leans toward an 印护食生 pattern: 偏印 offers steady intellectual support and moral restraint, while 伤官/食神 generates expression, critique and literary talent. Such a pattern explains Sima Guang's meticulous scholarship, moral uprightness and ability to produce the comprehensive chronicle of history.
大运 timing shaped his career arc. Early and middle luck cycles gave opportunities for official entry and stable service; the 己巳 / 戊辰 (印类大运) period around the completion of the Zizhi Tongjian and his late recall to power provided strong 印 support, enabling scholarly leadership and short-lived political restoration. Periods dominated by 比肩/劫财 and 伤官 reflect his independent, sometimes oppositional stance toward reform.
In short, the BaZi picture emphasizes scholarship supported by印 and expressive talent from伤官. That balance produces a conservative, principled scholar-official: steady in duty, rigorous in research, and willing to oppose policies he considered disruptive to social order.
Traits
Scholarship & Literary Talent
Score 5: Strong 偏印 combined with 食神/伤官 creates a robust foundation for research and writing;命理依据:印生助日主,使学术扎实,食神生才,促进文采与执笔能力。
Conservative Governance
Score 4: Dominant 印格局 inclines toward preservation of order and ethical norms;命理依据:印为制约与守成之力,说明其政治上偏重守成与纲常。
Independent Judgment & Dissent
Score 4: 活跃的伤官与比肩大运带来自我表现与抗争倾向;命理依据:伤官生才但易犯官,促使他敢于反对王安石变法并退居潜心撰史。
Perseverance & Project Focus
Score 5: 持续的印力与有利的大运(如戊辰正印运)支撑长期工程完成;命理依据:印与稳定大运共同促成《资治通鉴》十九年之久的完成。
Timeline
Seven-Year-Old Enlightenment: Hearing Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals and Grasping the Great Way
At the age of seven, Sima Guang, listening to explanations of Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals, could grasp its gist; from then on he never let go of a book, exhibiting extraordinary insight and a passion for learning.
Examination Triumph: First Steps into Official Service
In the Bao Yuan era's first year (1038), Sima Guang achieved jinshi, ranking among the top, and was promptly appointed as the Huaizhou prefect (judge), officially entering government service and laying a solid foundation for his later stature as a renowned official.
Mourning Period: Minds Overflow with Thought
His mother passed away, and Sima Guang resigned and returned home to mourn for three years. During this period, he read widely, devoted himself to writing, and his thoughts and knowledge were greatly refined and elevated.
Mourning Period: Minds Overflow with Thought
His mother passed away, and Sima Guang resigned and returned home to mourn for three years. During this period, he read widely, devoted himself to writing, and his thoughts and knowledge were greatly refined and elevated.
End of mourning period, first assume local seal authority
After his mourning period, Sima Guang was appointed as the official overseeing the Wucheng Army's records, officially launching his career and participating in local governance and administration.
Noble patron helps entry into the Grand Secretariat; Literary Star shines, opening his career
Under Pang Ji's recommendation, Sima Guang was appointed to the Grand Secretariat as a compiler, officially entering central government service and beginning a pivotal chapter of his career.
Following mentor to Yunzhou, Tongpan and in charge of the prefecture school
Under the guidance of his mentor Pang Ji, Sima Guang was appointed Tongpan (acting prefect) of Yunzhou and concurrently oversaw the prefecture's school affairs. This post deepened his exposure to local governance, border defense, and education, accumulating valuable grassroots experience.
Frustrated frontier counsel; took the blame and left Bingzhou
Sima Guang urged building a fortress in Linzhou to defend against the Western Xia, but during execution, a reckless advance by General Guo En led to a defeat. His superior Pang Ji was thus blamed, and Sima Guang felt deep remorse, voluntarily stepping down from Bingzhou.
Renowned for Justice in the Capital; Imperial Seal Shines
Transferred to the capital, he served as Kaifeng Prefecture Assistant Judge, responsible for judicial affairs; awarded a fifth-rank official robe; political status markedly elevated, entering a key stage of the bureaucratic career.
Counsel at the Gate—First Signs of Prominence
Promoted to Household Attendant and concurrently serving as a Remonstrance Court official; in the late reign of Emperor Renzong, he frequently submitted memorials and policy proposals, totaling over a hundred; addressing issues of succession, frugality, and defense, establishing his political prestige through candid counsel.
Remonstrance against Shaanxi's militia conscription, contending with officials on principle
Opposed the court's policy of forcibly conscripting volunteers in Shaanxi to reinforce border defense; repeatedly submitted memorials against it, arguing that the measure wastes people's labor and money and is useless for border defense, and debated fiercely with Chancellor Han Qi, but it was ultimately not adopted.
Tongzhi completed, emperor's favor, opening the path of an immortal historian
Si Ma Guang presented eight-volume Tongzhi to Emperor Yingzong of Song with high praise. The emperor issued orders to continue the work, officially launching the grand compilation Zizhi Tongjian.
Penning the Spring and Autumn in history; presenting the Official and Royal Genealogies
Presenting to the court ten volumes of The Officials and Ministers Table and three volumes of The Genealogy of the Royal House; these are important contributions to contemporary Song history, showcasing his deep historiography and keen understanding of governance.
After Nineteen Years of Labor, a Grand Chronicle Is Presented to the Emperor
Sima Guang spent nineteen years compiling the Zizhi Tongjian. The complete work spans 294 volumes and covers 1,362 years of history, and it was officially presented to Emperor Shenzong of Song on July 11.
Appointed Prime Minister, at the Heart of Power
Sima Guang officially becomes prime minister, appointed as Left Grand Secretary of the Secretariat and concurrently a senior official, and begins leading the abolition of Wang Anshi's new policies, removing officials of the New Party, and restoring the old system.
FAQ
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