ChinaKnowledge.de -
An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History and Literature
Cheng Yu 程昱, courtesy name Zhongde 仲德, was a high official of the warlord Cao Cao 曹操 during the late Eastern Han period 東漢 (25-220 CE).
He hailed from Dong'a 東阿 in the commandery of Dongjun 東郡 (today's Yanggu 陽谷, Shandong) and was from the beginning a follower of Cao Cao. When the latter campaigned in the province of Xuzhou 徐州, Cheng Yu and Xun Yu 荀彧 were ordered to defend the city of Juancheng 鄄城 (today in Shandong) against Lü Bu 呂布 and Zhang Miao 張邈. Cheng Yu was given the title of administrator (xiang 相) of the princedom of Dongping 東平 and resided in the city of Fan 范.
Cao Cao's military success against Lü Bu was mediocre, and he decided to join with the warlord Yuan Shao 袁紹, yet Cheng Yu strictly warned Cao Cao to do this. Later on, when Cao had forced Emperor Xiandi 漢獻帝 (r. 189-220) to take his residence in Xu 許, Cheng Yu was appointed imperial secretary (shangshu 尚書), yet he was soon given the post of governor (taishou 太守) of the commandery of Jiyin 濟陰 and the title of "General of the central east" (dongzhong jiangjun 東中將軍), with the order to pacify the province of Yanzhou 兖州. After completion, Cheng was given the title of general wielding authority (zhenwei jiangjun 振威將軍). For his final blow to Yuan Shao, he was granted the title of martially battling general (fenwu jiangjun 奮武將軍) and given the title of Neighbourhood Marquis of Anguo 安國亭侯.
After the battle of the Red Cliff (Chibi 赤壁) in 208 Cheng Yu decided to retire, but when Cao Cao was made king of Wei 魏, he accepted the post of Chamberlain for the Palace Garrison (weiwei 衛尉). Yet disputes with XXX (zhongwei 中尉) Xing Zhen 邢貞 again caused him to quit service. Not until Cao Pi 曹丕 (Emperor Wen of Wei 魏文帝, r. 220-226), Cao Cao's son, assumed the title of emperor in 220, he reentered the service of the family Cao, again, in the post of Chamberlain for the Palace Garrison, but with the title of Township Marquis of Anxiang 安鄉侯. He was posthumously granted the title of horse-and-chariot general (cheji jiangjun 車騎將軍). His posthumous title was Marquis Su 安鄉肅侯.