Before Sima Yi died, why did he violate etiquette and forbid future generations to visit his mausoleum?

In June of Jiaping's third year, that is, 25 1 year, Sima Yi, a powerful minister of Cao Wei, fell ill and died in Luoyang in August of the same year at the age of 73. Sima Yi didn't die in a hurry. He had plenty of time to arrange his own affairs. Therefore, before he died, he "made a final plan" and "made three articles about his life". Sima Yi's arrangements for the funeral went against common sense, and even later generations were not allowed to worship his mausoleum. So why did Sima Yi do this?

There are four main contents in Sima Yi's will: First, the location of the mausoleum is in shouyangshan, "no grave, no tree". The so-called "no grave and no trees" means that the mausoleum does not have to be piled in the shape of a mound, and no trees are planted. According to the regulations at that time, "the tomb of the emperor is advanced and the tree is loose; Half of the princes, the tree is cypress; The doctor is eight feet, the tree is Luan, the scholar is four feet, and the tree is pregnant. Only civilians will "not seal trees." "Although Sima Yi didn't claim to be the emperor, he was already a powerful minister of Cao Wei, which obviously didn't conform to the regulations.

Second, when the body is buried, "gathering clothes, no funerary objects". The so-called clothing refers to the clothes worn at ordinary times, and the funerary objects are funerary objects. According to Sima Yi's position, even if he was buried in a yellow robe, no one dared to raise an objection. However, Sima Yi ordered to be buried in ordinary clothes and asked not to put any funerary objects. In ancient China, paying attention to "burial" was a way of filial piety, so thick burial prevailed, but Sima Yi asked for thin burial.

Third, "the last people shall not be buried together." It means that the wife who died behind Sima Yi is not allowed to be buried with him. Fourth, future generations are forbidden to visit their tombs. This rule is the most unreasonable. "Rites, going to heaven, going to heaven, respecting ancestors, and promoting teachers are three gifts." Ancestor worship is an important part of "rites" and a traditional culture of China for thousands of years. However, Sima Yi violated the etiquette and refused to let future generations worship his tomb. Why?

I think the reason why Sima Yi's will is contrary to common sense has two main purposes, and it is also the thing that Sima Yi was most worried about before his death. First, the purpose of "not sealing and not trees" and thin burial is the same, so as to hide the location of their tombs and prevent them from being stolen. From the Warring States Period to the Han Dynasty, the wind of reburial prevailed, and as a result, ten tombs were empty in troubled times. Sima Yi wanted to achieve the purpose of theft prevention through this means.

Second, draw lessons from history. At that time, Sima Yi was deprived of power by Cao Shuang. How did he launch a coup and control the political situation of Cao Wei? Yes, it is the change of high Ping Ling! At that time, Cao Shuang followed Cao Fang, the Lord of Wei, out of the city to pay his respects to Ping Ling, and Sima Yi took the opportunity to launch a coup and uproot Cao Shuang. Although Sima Yi was seriously ill, he was not confused, so before he died, he ordered, "The son officer is not allowed to be buried."

After Sima Yi's death, Sima Shi and Si Mazhao obeyed their wills and never went to their father's tomb. However, Sima Yan, the grandson of Sima Yi, went to visit the tombs of Sima Shi and Si Mazhao against his grandfather's wishes, but "he was afraid to visit the plateau mausoleum (Sima Yi's mausoleum)". Although the Western Jin Dynasty ruled the world, it soon fell into chaos. Si Marui, the great-grandson of Sima Yi, established the Eastern Jin Dynasty in Jiankang, while the north was under the rule of ethnic minority regimes.