Jin Kangdi (晉康帝)
Family name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... :	Sima (司馬; sī mǎ)
Given name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... :	Yue (岳, yuè)
Posthumous name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... :	Kang (康, kāng), literary meaning: "joyful"

Emperor Kang of Jin (晋康帝/晉康帝, pinyin

Pinyin

Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...

 Jìn Kāngdì, Wade-Giles

Wade-Giles

Wade–Giles , sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a romanization system for the Mandarin Chinese language. It developed from a system produced by Thomas Wade during the mid-19th century , and was given completed form with Herbert Giles' Chinese–English dictionary of 1892.Wade–Giles was the most...

 Chin K`ang-ti) (322 – 17 November 344), personal name Sima Yue (司馬岳), courtesy name Shitong (世同), was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (265-420)

Jìn Dynasty (265-420)

The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...

. He was a son of Emperor Ming

Emperor Ming of Jin

Emperor Ming of Jin , personal name Sima Shao , courtesy name Daoji , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty...

 and younger brother (by the same mother) of Emperor Cheng

Emperor Cheng of Jin

Emperor Cheng of Jin , personal name Sima Yan , courtesy name Shigen , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty . He was the eldest son of Emperor Ming and became the crown prince on April 1, 325...

. His reign was brief—only two years.

Prior to reign

Sima Yue was born in 322 as the second son of Emperor Ming

Emperor Ming of Jin

Emperor Ming of Jin , personal name Sima Shao , courtesy name Daoji , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty...

, by his wife Empress Yu Wenjun

Empress Yu Wenjun

Empress Yu Wenjun , formally Empress Mingmu was an empress of Jin Dynasty...

. After his father died in 325 and was succeeded by his brother Emperor Cheng

Emperor Cheng of Jin

Emperor Cheng of Jin , personal name Sima Yan , courtesy name Shigen , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty . He was the eldest son of Emperor Ming and became the crown prince on April 1, 325...

, Sima Yue was created the Prince of Wu in 326. In 327, because his uncle Sima Yu

Emperor Jianwen of Jin

Emperor Jianwen of Jin , personal name Sima Yu , courtesy name Daowan , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China. He was the younger brother of Emperor Ming and installed by military leader Huan Wen...

 the Prince of Langye wanted to yield that more honorific title, Sima Yu was created the Prince of Kuaiji and Sima Yue was created the Prince of Langye. It is not known where Sima Yue was during the Su Jun

Su Jun

Su Jun was a Jin Dynasty general, whose rebellion against Emperor Cheng's regent Yu Liang was initially successful, allowing him to take over the imperial government, but he was eventually defeated by Tao Kan and Wen Jiao's forces and killed in battle...

 Disturbance of 326–328—whether he was captured and held hostage like his emperor brother, at his principality of Wu (which Su Jun did not occupy), or elsewhere. During his brother's reign, he received a progression of offices, but did not appear to actually participate in major decision-making.

In summer 342, Emperor Cheng grew gravely ill. He had two young sons -- Sima Pi

Emperor Ai of Jin

Emperor Ai of Jin , personal name Sima Pi , courtesy name Qianling , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty . During his brief reign, the actual powers were largely in the hands of his granduncle Sima Yu the Prince of Kuaiji, and the paramount general Huan Wen...

 and Sima Yi

Emperor Fei of Jin

Emperor Fei of Jin , personal name Sima Yi , courtesy name Yanling , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China. He was the younger brother of Emperor Ai and later deposed by military leader Huan Wen...

, then still in cradles, by his concubine Consort Zhou

Consort Zhou (Cheng)

Consort Zhou was an imperial consort during Jin Dynasty . She was a concubine of Emperor Cheng. She was favored by him, and she bore him his only two sons -- Sima Pi and Sima Yi...

. Yu Bing (庾冰), one of the top two officials and Emperor Cheng's (and Sima Yue's) uncle, fearful that the Yus would lose power if a young emperor were named, persuaded Emperor Cheng that in the face of the powerful enemy Later Zhao

Later Zhao

The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...

 that an older emperor should be named. Emperor Cheng agreed and designated Sima Yue the Prince of Langye, despite the other top official He Chong (何充)'s opposition. He died soon after, and Sima Yue took the throne as Emperor Kang. (He did not make secret his opposition, and after Emperor Kang took the throne, when he thanked Yu and He for making him emperor, He stated, "The reason why Your Imperial Majesty can fly like a dragon is Yu Bing. If I were listened to, we would not have this current prosperous reign." Emperor Kang appeared humiliated, but did not retaliate against He (although He himself would request to become a local governor to avoid working with Yu Bing, and his request was granted) and continued to respect him.)

Reign

In early 343, Emperor Kang created his wife Chu Suanzi

Empress Chu Suanzi

Empress Chu Suanzi , formally Empress Kangxian , at times as Empress Dowager Chongde , was an empress of Jin Dynasty...

 empress.

Later in 343, Emperor Kang's other uncle, Yu Yi (庾翼), proposed a major military campaign against Later Zhao, in coordination with Former Yan

Former Yan

The Former Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Jin Dynasty -created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Juan would...

's ruler Murong Huang

Murong Huang

Murong Huang , courtesy name Yuanzhen , formally Prince Wenming of Yan was a ruler of the Chinese/Xianbei state Former Yan and the commonly recognized founder of the state...

 and Former Liang

Former Liang

The Former Liang was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin dynasty in China. It was founded by the Zhang family of the Han Chinese...

's ruler Zhang Jun

Zhang Jun (Former Liang)

Zhang Jun , courtesy name Gongting , formally Duke Zhongcheng of Xiping or Duke Wen of Xiping was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang...

, both nominal Jin vassals. Most officials feared this large undertaking, but with support from Yu Bing, Huan Wen

Huan Wen

Huan Wen , courtesy name Yuanzi , formally Duke Xuanwu of Nan Commandery , was a general of the Jin Dynasty...

 (Emperor Kang's brother-in-law, having married his sister Sima Xingnan (司馬興男) the Princess Nankang), and Sima Wuji (司馬無忌) the Prince of Qiao, Emperor Kang approved the plan and mobilized troops. Yu Bing was made a governor to coordinate with Yu Yi, and He Chong was recalled to replace him, and served in conjunction with Emperor Kang's father-in-law Chu Pou (褚裒) (who, however, soon yielded his post). However, Yu Yi eventually, for reasons unknown, largely did not carry out his campaign, although he made some border attacks.

In fall 344, Emperor Kang grew ill. Yu Bing and Yu Yi wanted to support his uncle Sima Yu the Prince of Kuaiji as emperor, but He Chong, consistent with his prior advice to Emperor Cheng, suggested that Emperor Kang should pass the throne to his son Sima Dan

Emperor Mu of Jin

Emperor Mu of Jin , personal name Sima Dan , courtesy name Pengzi , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty...

. Emperor Kang agreed and created Sima Dan crown prince

Crown Prince

A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....

. He died two days later, and was succeeded by the one-year-old Crown Prince Dan (as Emperor Mu).

Personal information

• Father
  • Emperor Ming of Jin
    Emperor Ming of Jin
    Emperor Ming of Jin , personal name Sima Shao , courtesy name Daoji , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty...
    
    
• Mother
  • Empress Yu Wenjun
    Empress Yu Wenjun
    Empress Yu Wenjun , formally Empress Mingmu was an empress of Jin Dynasty...
    
    
• Wife
  • Empress Chu Suanzi
    Empress Chu Suanzi
    Empress Chu Suanzi , formally Empress Kangxian , at times as Empress Dowager Chongde , was an empress of Jin Dynasty...
    
     (created 343, d. 384)
• Children
  • Sima Dan (司馬聃), the Crown Prince (created 344), later Emperor Mu of Jin
    Emperor Mu of Jin
    Emperor Mu of Jin , personal name Sima Dan , courtesy name Pengzi , was an emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty...