Du Yu (223[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
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin
Senior General Who Guards the South
(鎮南大將軍)
In office
278 (278)–285 (285)
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin
Preceded byYang Hu
General of Light Chariots (輕車將軍)
In office
270 (270)–278 (278)
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin
Colonel of the Eastern Qiang (東羌校尉)
In office
270 (270)–278 (278)
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin
Inspector of Qin Province (秦州刺史)
In office
270 (270)–278 (278)
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin
Military Judge under the General Who Stabilises the West (安西將軍軍司)
In office
270
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin
Intendant of Henan (河南尹)
In office
265 or after (265 or after) – before 271 (before 271)[1]
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin
Chief Clerk under the General Who Guards the West (鎮西將軍長史)
In office
263
MonarchCao Huan
Army Adviser (參軍)
In office
259 (259)–263 (263)
MonarchCao Mao / Cao Huan
Gentleman of Writing (尚書郎)
In office
? (?)–259 (259)
MonarchCao Mao
Personal details
Born222
Xi'an, Shaanxi
Died285 (aged 63)
Dengzhou, Henan
SpousePrincess Gaolu
Relations
Children
  • Du Xi
  • Du Ji
  • Du Dan
  • Du Yin
Parent
OccupationClassicist, military general, politician
Courtesy nameYuankai (元凱)
Posthumous nameMarquis Cheng (成侯)
PeerageMarquis of Dangyang
(當陽侯)

Life

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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 in not the greatest of length of time, 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.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Vol.79 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Yu Chun (庾純) was Intendant of Henan in 271-272.
  2. ^ According to Du Yu's biography in Book of Jin, he was 63 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. (行次邓县而卒,时年六十三。) Jin Shu, vol.34. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 223.
  3. ^ According to Sima Yan's biography in Book of Jin, Du Yu died in the leap month of the 5th year of the Taikang era of his reign. This corresponds to 23 Jan to 21 Feb 285 in the Julian calendar. [(太康五年)闰月,镇南大将军、当阳侯杜预卒。] Jin Shu, vol.03)
  4. ^ (杜预,字元凯,京兆杜陵人也。) Jin Shu, vol.34
  5. ^ (预尚帝妹高陆公主) Jin Shu, vol.34
  6. ^ Du Yu's biography in Book of Jin recorded that at the time, Wang Ji was a good judge and lover of horses, while He Qiao was a hoarder of wealth. Du Yu then commented that Wang Ji was a horse addict while He Qiao was a money addict. Sima Yan (Emperor Wu), upon hearing this, asked Du Yu if he had any addiction. Du Yu then replied that he was an addict of the Zuo Zhuan. (时王济解相马,又甚爱之,而和峤颇聚敛,预常称“济有马癖,峤有钱癖”。武帝闻之,谓预曰:“卿有何癖?”对曰:“臣有《左传》癖。”) Jin Shu, vol.34
  7. ^ (预身不跨马,射不穿札...) Jin Shu, vol.34. "She bu chuan zha" was also used to describe Chen Qingzhi in Book of Liang and History of the Southern Dynasties.
  8. ^ (杜审言,字必简,襄州襄阳人,晋征南将军预远裔。....审言生子闲,闲生甫。) Xin Tang Shu, vol.201
  • Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
  • Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
  • Pang, Pu (龐樸), ed. (1997). "Du Yu 杜預". ChinaKnowledge.de. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  • Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).