Early life

Sima Daozi was born in 364, two years after his older brother Sima Yao was born to their father, Sima Yu, Prince of Kuaiji, and mother Consort Li. In 371, after the paramount general Huan Wen deposed Emperor Fei to showcase his power, he made Sima Yu emperor (as Emperor Jianwen). In 372, when Emperor Jianwen grew ill, he created Sima Yao crown prince and Sima Daozi the Prince of Langye. He died soon thereafter, and Sima Yao assumed the throne as Emperor Xiaowu.

During Emperor Xiaowus reign

As the emperor's only surviving brother, Sima Daozi was in an honored position. In 380, when he was just 16, he was offered the position of prime minister, but he declined. In 383, he finally accepted the title while the empire was preparing for a showdown with the powerful rival Former Qin, and, after Jin forces repelled Former Qin forces at the Battle of Fei River, thus guaranteeing the dynasty's continued survival, he soon came into a power conflict with Xie An, who had served as Emperor Xiaowu's regent ever since Emperor Xiaowu's ascension; this conflict was aggravated by Xie An's son-in-law Wang Guobao (王國寶), whose cousin was Sima Daozi's wife and whom Xie disfavored, who therefore retaliated by slandering Xie before Emperor Xiaowu and Sima Daozi. Emperor Xiaowu therefore began to listen to Xie less, and in 385, Xie volunteered to lead an army and leave the capital to avoid further conflict with Sima Daozi. When Xie died later that year, Sima Daozi became the head of the government under Emperor Xiaowu, who entrusted his brother with most important affairs of state.

Both Emperor Xiaowu and Sima Daozi were described to be spending much of their times with drinking and feasting, rather than with important affairs of state. A number of politicians who wanted power gathered around Sima Daozi and flattered him, causing him to be less and less deferential to the emperor. He was also known for being obsessed with gathering wealth and for extravagance in living—including constructing an artificial hill in the back of his mansion, an excessively expensive and difficult task. Emperor Xiaowu eventually became angry about the situation, and he commissioned the well-known officials Wang Gong (王恭) and Yin Zhongkan (殷仲堪) to be provincial governors to counteract Sima Daozi's authority. The emperor and the prince at times suspected of each other, requiring intervention of their mother Empress Dowager Li. However, eventually they reconciled. It was around this time that Sima Daozi would, fatefully, inadvertently offend Huan Wen's son Huan Xuan the Duke of Nan Commandery—as at one feast where Sima Daozi invited Huan Xuan as a guest, after Sima Daozi became drunk, he made the statement, "Was it not true that when Huan Wen became old, he planned treason?" Huan Xuan was so struck by the statement that he fell prostrate on the ground, fearing that Sima Daozi would kill him, and from this point he bore a grudge against the prince.

In 392, Sima Daozi was created the Prince of Kuaiji, to permit the greater title of Prince of Langye be given to Emperor Xiaowu's second son Sima Dewen (the younger brother to the developmentally disabled Crown Prince Sima Dezong).

In 396, Emperor Xiaowu, after offending his favorite concubine Honoured Lady Zhang, was suffocated by her in his sleep. However, with the crown prince being developmentally disabled and with Sima Daozi being foolish and unthinking, no one investigated his death. Crown Prince Dezong took the throne as Emperor An, and Sima Daozi, as uncle, served as regent.

As Emperor Ans regent

Sima Daozi, as regent, greatly trusted Wang Guobao and his cousin Wang Xu (王緒) because of their flattery, and his regency quickly developed a reputation for being corrupt and incompetent. Wang Gong, whom Emperor Xiaowu entrusted with the armies of the northeastern part of the empire, considered starting a rebellion to overthrow Wang Guobao and Wang Xu. In 397, Wang Guobao and Wang Xu suggested to Sima Daozi that the armies that Wang Gong and Yin Zhongkan were in charge of be reduced; Wang Gong and Yin, who was in command of the western provinces, in response, mobilized their forces and declared that Wang Guobao and Wang Xu should be executed. Sima Daozi, in fear, forced Wang Guobao to commit suicide and executed Wang Xu. Wang Gong and Yin then retreated. From this point on, Sima Daozi trusted no one but his teenage heir apparent, Sima Yuanxian, and entrusted the capital guards to Sima Yuanxian. He also gave military commands to his distant relatives Sima Shangzhi (司馬尚之) the Prince of Qiao and Sima Shangzhi's brother Sima Xiuzhi, as well as Wang Yu (王愉), in 398.

The giving of a military command to Wang Yu oddly drew a reaction from Wang Gong and Yin—as Wang Yu's command included four commanderies originally under the command of Yu Kai (庾楷), who became angry and managed to persuade Wang Gong and Yin that Sima Daozi's intention was to act against them as well. They therefore rose again, but Sima Daozi was able to persuade Wang Gong's general Liu Laozhi (劉牢之), who was in command of the elite Beifu Forces (北府兵), to suddenly turn against Wang Gong, capturing and executing him. Yin, hearing of Wang Gong's death, was in fear but considered proceeding anyway—and Sima Daozi, under suggestion by Huan Xuan's cousin Huan Xiu (桓脩), managed to cause dissension between Yin and his generals Huan Xuan and Yang Quanqi (楊佺期) by offering Huan and Yang key posts; although Huan and Yang nominally remained Yin's allies, Yin was forced to withdraw his troops, and from that point on no longer posed a major threat, as his domain had now been divided into three, with Huan and Yang each given a third.

In late 398, the magician Sun Tai (孫泰), a friend of Sima Yuanxian's, who had gathered great following due to his magic, was exposed as planning a plot to take over the central government, and Sima Daozi ordered Sima Yuanxian to trap Sun Tai and execute him. Sun Tai's nephew Sun En fled to Zhoushan Island and planned revenge.

In summer 399, Sima Yuanxian, wanting even greater power, took an opportunity when his father was very drunk to have Emperor An issue an edict transferring Sima Daozi's authorities to Sima Yuanxian. When Sima Daozi awoke from his stupor, he was enraged, but after that point his power became extremely limited, even though he nominally remained regent.

Later in 399, Sun En launched his rebellion and captured most of the eastern empire for a while, until Liu Laozhi led his Beifu Forces and defeated Sun, forcing him to flee back to Zhoushan. Still, the only region remaining under central government control was now laid waste.

In 401, Sima Yuanxian, apprehensive of Huan Xuan (who had by then defeated and executed Yin and Yang, taking over the entire western empire), declared Huan a renegade and launched a campaign against him. However, he relied on Liu's troops, and Liu, not trusting his good intentions, again turned sides and joined Huan, and in 402 the capital Jiankang fell to Huan's forces. Sima Yuanxian was captured and executed, while Sima Daozi was exiled to Ancheng (安成, in modern Ji'an, Jiangxi). Around the new year 403, an official sent by Huan Xuan, pursuant to Huan Xuan's instructions, poisoned Sima Daozi to death.

生平

抑謝興馬

司馬道子年輕時就以恬靜寡慾而受謝安稱許。咸安二年（372年）七月己未日（9月12日）受封琅邪王，兼攝會稽國，領會稽內史。

太元初年拜散騎常侍、中軍將軍。後進驃騎將軍。

太元五年（380年）加開府，領司徒。

太元八年（383年）錄尚書六條事。當時司馬道子專權，王妃堂兄王國寶同時是謝安女婿，但因謝安厭惡其品行不端而沒有委以重任，但王國寶自以門第，不屈就當次等官員，於是依附司馬道子，並離間謗毀謝安，逼得謝安出鎮迴避。

太元十年（385年），謝安去世，朝廷下詔以其為揚州刺史、錄尚書事、假節、都督中外諸軍事，原來謝安衞將軍府的文武部屬皆撥入了驃騎將軍府。

太元十一年（386年），朝議朝廷軍隊已經長時間征役，應當置戍南歸，轉攻為守；當時謝玄北伐軍在中原因丁零人翟遼的勢力而陷入膠著，謝玄上疏謝罪，朝廷於是就作慰問並讓他還鎮淮陰。

太元十二年（387年）再加司馬道子徐州刺史、太子太傅。

主相相爭

當時，晉孝武帝因沉迷酒色而疏於政事，而與司馬道子一起常常喝酒。當時司馬道子既為揚州刺史亦錄尚書事，權傾天下，他又親近僧尼、寵信小人，尤以時任侍中的王國寶卑下討好司馬道子而特別受其寵信。在這情況下，司馬道子寵信的人都趁機玩弄朝權，賄賂買官、政治和刑律都混亂。又因司馬道子崇尚佛教而耗費過多，令士民不堪命。

由於朝政混亂，中書郎范甯向晉孝武帝陳述朝政得失，令孝武帝對司馬道子心生不滿，不過表面上仍然待他優厚。另外，王國寶阿諛奉承司馬道子之事令范甯看不過眼，勸孝武帝貶黜他，但王國寶卻反誣陷范甯，令孝武帝無奈貶他到豫章任太守。如此司馬道子一黨的權勢就更盛。其中因為賄賂而得親近司馬道子的趙牙和茹千秋，一個耗費巨資為司馬道子宅第建築山水設施，另一個更賣官販爵，聚斂了過億錢財。

司馬道子又恃著皇太妃李陵容寵愛，有時因酒意而有失禮之事，令孝武帝難以忍受，只因皇太妃之故而沒有廢黜他。孝武帝認為司馬道子不是治國之能臣，當時又因王國寶與孝武帝親近的王珣等人不和，孝武帝於是以外戚王恭為青兗二州刺史、殷仲堪為荊州刺史、郗恢為雍州刺史，以他們作為外援抗衡司馬道子的勢力，同時留王珣及王雅在朝。司馬道子於是升王國寶為中書令、中領軍，又引王國寶堂弟王緒為心腹，主相之間朋黨相爭。

太元十七年（392年），孝武帝以其子司馬德文為琅邪王，司馬道子於是徙封會稽王。太元二十一年（396年），司馬道子解徐州刺史予劉該，同年孝武帝被張貴人所殺，晉安帝即位，朝廷下詔內外事務皆要諮詢司馬道子，行輔政之責。因為孝武帝突然死亡，故此未及寫下遺詔，安置朝中王珣和王雅都沒有實權，故司馬道子掌握權力，並且寵信王國寶及王緒，讓他們參與朝權。

王恭舉兵

青兗二州刺史王恭一直厭惡王國寶弄權，常直言斥責，令司馬道子既怨憚亦忿恨他。隆安元年（397年），王恭不能再忍受王國寶弄權，於是聯結殷仲堪起兵討伐王國寶。司馬道子畏懼王恭，但求了事，於是將罪責推向王國寶，並命譙王司馬尚之收捕王國寶到廷尉，及後賜死王國寶並處死王緖，又遣使向王恭道歉。王恭於是撤還京口。

司馬道子此後忌憚王恭和殷仲堪以軍事相逼，於是以司馬尚之與司馬休之有才略而引其為腹心，又聽從司馬尚之所說樹立外藩，於是出司馬王愉為江州刺史。不過，此舉招來豫州刺史庾楷不滿，因為司馬道子割原本由他都督的豫州四郡交給了王愉都督。庾楷上表抗議不果後就鼓動王恭討伐司馬尚之，王恭終在隆安元年（398年）與庾楷及殷仲堪、桓玄舉兵討伐王愉及司馬尚之兄弟。司馬道子曾試圖勸止庾楷，但遭庾楷拒絕。司馬道子面對王恭諸軍舉兵，不知所措，會稽王世子司馬元顯則力主討伐王恭，朝廷加司馬道子黃鉞，以司馬元顯為征討都督，統王珣、謝琰等人抵抗。司馬道子將軍事都委託給司馬元顯，自己則終日飲酒。及後司馬尚之大敗給桓玄，進至石頭城，司馬道子守中堂以備桓玄進攻，但期間卻發生小插曲，有一匹馬在軍中亂走，士兵擾亂不安，竟令不少士兵掉進長江江水中溺死。

司馬元顯及後成功策反王恭手下北府軍將領劉牢之，王恭兵敗被處死，但殷仲堪、楊佺期和桓玄等軍仍在建康附近的蔡洲。左衞將軍桓脩此時向司馬道子進言，建議司馬道子以利益誘使桓玄和楊佺期二人，令二人反抗殷仲堪。司馬道子於是分別讓桓玄任江州刺史及雍州刺史，並以桓脩為荊州刺史，又貶殷仲堪為廣州刺史。不過，此舉未能瓦解殷仲堪軍團，反令三人移鎮尋陽，聯合抗拒朝命，對抗朝廷。最終司馬道子唯有以朝廷之名下詔慰問殷仲堪等人請求和解，又讓殷仲堪復任荊州刺史，危機才得以解決。

酒醉相王

隆安三年（399年），司馬元顯因司馬道子有疾兼每天酒醉，知朝望已失，於是暗示朝廷解授司徒及揚州刺史，更由司馬元顯自任揚州刺史。司馬道子酒醒後才知道，雖然大怒，但不能做甚麼。後司馬元顯加錄尚書事，當時人以司馬道子為東錄；司馬元顯為西錄。不過司馬道子仍然酗酒，大小政事都由司馬元顯掌握，故此當時司馬元顯的西府有很多人拜訪，而東府則門可羅雀。

隆安五年（401年），叛民孫恩進攻三吳，並循海進攻京口，當時劉牢之在會稽未返，司馬元顯率兵抵抗但屢戰不利。面對如此險境，司馬道子別無他法，只有每天在蔣侯廟禱告。只因劉裕擊潰孫恩，以及司馬尚之和劉牢之及時回軍才逼使孫恩北逃，京師得以解危。

敗於桓玄

元興元年（402年），司馬元顯討伐桓玄，司馬道子獲授侍中、太傅，並將驃騎將軍府中幕僚都移到太傅府。不過桓玄順江南下抵抗，擊敗了司馬尚之，劉牢之又背叛了司馬元顯，令司馬元顯兵眾潰敗。司馬元顯隨後問計於司馬道子，但司馬道子唯有對其哭泣。桓玄隨後掌握朝政，殺司馬元顯及其黨羽，又流放司馬道子到安成郡。至同年十二月庚申日（403年2月3日），被守衞司馬道子的御史杜竹林因桓玄的指示以毒酒殺死司馬道子，享年三十九歲。晉安帝聞訊在西堂為其哭喪三日。

元興三年（404年），桓玄因劉裕起兵而敗死，時大將軍司馬遵總攝萬機，追尊司馬道子丞相，並派司馬珣之到安成郡迎其靈柩。義熙元年（405年），諡司馬道子為文孝王，讓司馬道子與會稽王妃合葬於王妃陵。

性格特徵

• 司馬道子喜歡飲酒，在孝武帝在位時已經常與孝武帝飲酒為業，不理朝政。當時桓玄曾見司馬道子，就正正遇上酒醉的他，司馬道子當著滿坐賓客怒目問：「桓溫晚年想當篡奪皇位的逆賊，為甚麼呀？」桓玄嚇得伏在地上，流著汗不敢站起來。而當時長史謝重就答：「故日宣武公（桓溫）廢黜昏君（指晉廢帝）而立聖帝（司馬道子父晉簡文帝），功勳超過伊尹和霍光，人們的說話，應該好好評量一下。」司馬道子於是點頭答：「我知我知。」於是舉杯向桓玄敬酒，桓玄才敢起來。不過桓玄就因而對司馬道子忿恨切齒。晉孝武帝死後，司馬道子仍然沉溺於酒醉中，雖然王恭舉兵第二度進攻建康，司馬道子仍只能喝酒，將軍事交給了兒子司馬元顯。及至司馬元顯借機奪取了自己揚州刺史的權力，司馬道子仍不知。

逸事

• 王恭兵敗被捕，後被處斬，頭顱被懸於大桁。司馬道子去看王恭的頭顱，凝視著說：「你為甚麼想來殺我呀？」

• 據說孝武帝在位時有人作《雲中詩》諷刺朝廷：「相王沉醉，輕出校命。捕賊千秋，幹豫朝政。王愷守常，國寶馳競。荊州大度，散誕難名；盛德之流，法護、王甯；仲堪、仙民，特有言詠；東山安道，執操高抗，何不徵之，以為朝匠？」首四句正正批評司馬道子和其佞幸茹千秋。

評價

• 《晉書》：「道子地則親賢，任惟元輔，耽荒曲蘗，信惑讒諛。遂使尼媼竊朝權，奸邪制國命，始則彞倫攸斁，終則宗社淪亡。元顯以童丱之年，受棟樑之寄，專制朝廷，陵蔑君親，奮庸瑣之常材，抗奸凶之臣寇，喪師殄國。不亦宜乎！斯則元顯為安帝之孫強，道子實晉朝之宰嚭者也。」「道子昏凶，遂傾國祚。」

後代

子

• 司馬元顯，會稽王世子，官至驃騎大將軍。曾一度執掌東晉朝權，被桓玄擊敗後被捕，遭處死。

• 司馬脩之，臨川王司馬寶子，因司馬道子及司馬元顯皆未有獲承認的子嗣存活，故過繼承襲會稽王爵位。

孫

• 司馬彥璋，司馬元顯子，封東海王，與父親一同被殺。

史載司馬元顯連同六名兒子一併處死，其中應包括司馬彥璋。

• 司馬秀熙，據說是司馬元顯子，劉裕起兵推翻桓楚後突然出現，聲稱是逃入蠻中的司馬元顯子，獲會稽太妃肯定。後因被劉裕查驗証實為奴僕勺藥所冒而被殺。

注釋