Sima Yi in the context of "Emperor Wu of Jin"

Wei (Chinese: 魏), also known as Cao Wei (曹魏) or Former Wei, was one of the major dynastic states in China during the Three Kingdoms period. The state was established in 220 by Cao Pi based upon the foundations laid by his father Cao Cao during the end of the Han dynasty. Its capital was initially located at Xuchang, and was later moved to Luoyang.

The name Wei first became associated with Cao Cao when he was named the Duke of Wei by the Eastern Han government in 213, and became the name of the state when Cao Pi proclaimed himself emperor in 220. Historians often add the prefix "Cao" to distinguish it from other Chinese states known as Wei. The authority of the ruling Cao family dramatically weakened following the deposition and execution of Cao Shuang, a regent for the dynasty's third emperor Cao Fang. Beginning in 249, another regent in Sima Yi gradually consolidated state authority for himself and his relatives, with the last Wei emperors largely being puppets of the Sima family. In 266, Sima Yi's grandson Sima Yan forced Emperor Yuan to abdicate, proclaiming himself to be emperor of the newly established Jin dynasty; he would be posthumously known as Emperor Wu (of Jin).

Cao Shuang (died 9 February 249), courtesy name Zhaobo, was a Chinese military general and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the eldest son of Cao Zhen, a prominent general of Cao Wei. He initially held great power in Cao Wei as General-in-Chief but later lost his power to Sima Yi in the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs and was executed on charges of treason.

Sima Zhao (pronunciation) (Chinese: 司馬昭; pinyin: Sīmǎ Zhāo; 211 – 6 September 265), courtesy name Zishang (子上), was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.

Sima Zhao capably maintained control of Wei, which had been seized by his father Sima Yi and previously maintained by his older brother Sima Shi, successfully crushing all internal opposition in the form of dissent and rebellion. In 263, despite opposition, he decided to take advantage of the present weakness in Shu Han to the west and launched an invasion against it, which eventually managed to convince its emperor, Liu Shan, towards formally surrendering, tipping the decades-long established balance of power decisively in Wei's favor. Towards the end of the campaign, he had himself created the Duke of Jin and accepted the Nine bestowments—a step that put him closer to usurpation of the throne—although he never actually ascended the throne, having further styled himself the King of Jin in 264, and then died in 265. His military credit and successful grip on the political scene helped to set up the plot of overthrowing Wei by his son, Sima Yan, who usurped the Wei throne and proclaimed the Jin dynasty with himself as its emperor in 266. After the establishment of Jin, Sima Yan posthumously honoured his father as Emperor Wen of Jin (晉文帝), with the temple name of Taizu (太祖).

Emperor Yuan of Jin (Chinese: 晉元帝; pinyin: Jìn Yuán Dì; Wade–Giles: Chin Yüan-ti; 276 – 3 January 323), personal name Sima Rui (司馬睿), courtesy name Jingwen (景文), was an emperor of the Jin dynasty and the first emperor of the Eastern Jin. He was the son of Sima Jin (司馬覲), the grandson of Prince of Langya Sima Zhou and the great-grandson of Sima Yi.

Yuan was stationed south of the Yangtze in Jiankang during the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians, where he avoided the chaos that befell northern China. Primarily through the help of cousins Wang Dun and Wang Dao, he emerged as an authority figure within the empire, backed by the southern gentry clans and northern emigre families who fled to his domain for refuge. After Emperor Min of Jin was executed by the Han-Zhao dynasty in 318, Yuan proclaimed himself emperor and moved the capital to Jiankang. At his death he left the state under the heel of Wang Dun, but the Eastern Jin dynasty – as it became known – lasted until its fall in July 420 and contended with the Sixteen Kingdoms in the north and (occasionally) in the southwest.

Chen Qun (died 7 February 237), courtesy name Changwen, was a Chinese politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He initiated the Nine-rank system for civil service nomination in Wei. Following the death of the first Wei emperor Cao Pi, Chen Qun, along with Sima Yi and Cao Zhen, nominated Cao Pi's son, Cao Rui, to be the new emperor.