Incident at the Gaoping Tombs

Also called: Gaopingling Incident

Wei’s Sima Yi staged a coup and destroyed the faction of the regent Cao Shuang. From then on real power in Wei passed to the Sima clan.

After Emperor Ming of Wei died, the clansman Cao Shuang and Sima Yi jointly served as regents for the boy emperor Cao Fang, but Cao Shuang monopolised power and sidelined Sima Yi. In the first month of 249, while Cao Fang and Cao Shuang were away at the Gaoping tombs outside Luoyang, Sima Yi seized the city and had Cao Shuang’s faction executed. His sons Sima Shi and Sima Zhao then ruled in turn and made and unmade emperors, paving the way for Sima Zhao’s son Sima Yan to found Jin.