Du Yu
Chinese classicist, general and politician (222–285)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Du Yu (222[2] – January or February 285[3]), courtesy name Yuankai,[4] was a Chinese classicist, military general, and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the late Three Kingdoms period and early Jin dynasty.
Du Yu | |
|---|---|
| 杜預 | |
A Qing dynasty portrait of Du Yu | |
| Colonel-Director of Retainers (司隸校尉) | |
| In office 285 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Senior General Who Guards the South (鎮南大將軍) | |
| In office 278 – 285 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Preceded by | Yang Hu |
| General of Light Chariots (輕車將軍) | |
| In office 270 – 278 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Colonel of the Eastern Qiang (東羌校尉) | |
| In office 270 – 278 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Inspector of Qin Province (秦州刺史) | |
| In office 270 – 278 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Military Judge under the General Who Stabilises the West (安西將軍軍司) | |
| In office 270 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Intendant of Henan (河南尹) | |
| In office 265 or after – before 271[1] | |
| Monarch | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Chief Clerk under the General Who Guards the West (鎮西將軍長史) | |
| In office 263 | |
| Monarch | Cao Huan |
| Army Adviser (參軍) | |
| In office 259 – 263 | |
| Monarch | Cao Mao / Cao Huan |
| Gentleman of Writing (尚書郎) | |
| In office ? – 259 | |
| Monarch | Cao Mao |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 222 |
| Died | 285 (aged 63) |
| Spouse | Princess Gaolu |
| Relations |
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| Children |
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| Parent |
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| Occupation | Classicist, military general, politician |
| Courtesy name | Yuankai (元凱) |
| Posthumous name | Marquis Cheng (成侯) |
| Peerage | Marquis of Dangyang (當陽侯) |
Life
Du Yu was from Duling County (杜陵縣), Jingzhao Commandery (京兆郡), which is located northwest of present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi. He married Princess Gaolu, a sister of Sima Zhao,[5] the regent of the Cao Wei state from 255 to 263 and the father of Sima Yan (Emperor Wu), later the first emperor of the Jin dynasty (266–420).
A prolific author, Du Yu was a self-proclaimed addict of the Zuo Zhuan[6] and wrote an influential commentary to it. He was one of the most important commanders under the Wei general Zhong Hui during the conquest of Wei's rival state, Shu. He also followed in leading an army in the Jin dynasty's conquest of the state of Eastern Wu. Du Yu managed to lay waste to the Wu army with great force within a few months, and received the surrender of Sun Hao, the last Wu emperor. His military achievements were all the more remarkable due to his physical weaknesses; it was recorded that he was unable to ride a horse or shoot an arrow with significant force.[7]
Du Yu was also an ancestor of the Tang dynasty poet Du Fu, and his grandfather Du Shenyan.[8] Unlike his predecessors, Du Yu used the Zuo Zhuan to comment on the Chunqiu Classic. He therefore combined the two books in one, which has been the common practice since.