| “ | My lord, I have an idea. It may just work. Since Guan Yu is a man of loyalty and honor we must not attack him by force. Rather, we must lure him into a hopeless situation, and then entice him with that same loyalty and honor. | „ |
| ~ Cheng Yu to Cao Cao. |
Cheng Yu is Cao Cao's main adviser and a supporting antagonist in the 14th-century Chinese classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by the late Luo Guanzhong and it's multiple adaptations.
Biography[]
Cheng Yu was one of Cao Cao's most prominent and skilled advisers, being the one who accompanied him the most during his entire life all they way from the era of Dong Zhuo in 192 AD to his death in 220 AD. Cheng Yu is mostly known for the famous "three crimes-three advantages" strategy that he devised in order for Guan Yu to surrender to them. In contrast with Xun Yu, who was more of an administrator and politician, and Guo Jia who was mostly a war strategist, Cheng Yu combined the two, being important in internal affairs as well as external ones. A briliant politician and strategist, he was crucial in making Cao Cao the strongest warlord of the realm and the dominant power in Northern China.
In 192 AD, Cheng Yu was involved with Liu Dai, the gorvenor of Yan Province and often advised him. When Liu Dai was killed by Yellow Turban remnants, he joined Cao Cao. Cheng Yu took part in many battles and campaigns against the likes of Lu Bu, Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao. During the campaign against the rogue Yuan Shu, who had just declared himself emperor and created the Zhong Dynasty, Liu Bei came to aid Cao Cao. When asked by his lord about what to do with Liu Bei, Cheng Yu told him that he should use Liu Bei for the time being, but when he doesn't need him anymore he should kill him to avoid future trouble.
In 200, AD Cao Cao led an attack in order to conquer Xu Province once again, as Liu Bei betrayed him and took the Province for him. Cao Cao's forces won the battle and were planning to also conquer Xia Pi, which was defended by Liu Bei's sworn brother Guan Yu. Cao Cao admired Guan Yu and wanted him to join him. Cheng Yu then proposed a plan in order to lure Guan Yu out of the city without having to attack by force. He then devised another strategy in order to persuade Guan Yu to surrender.
His plan was to have Zhang Liao, an old friend of Guan Yu to tell him that if he doesn't surrender and fights he would commit three crimes but if he surrenders he would gain three advantages. The plan worked and Guan Yu temporarily joined Cao Cao. A few months later the Battle of Guandu against Yuan Shao was won, with Cheng Yu being one of Cao Cao's advisers.
After the other prominent adviser and strategist, Guo Jia died, Cheng Yu became Cao Cao's most trusted adviser in times of war. Cheng Yu was the one who forced Liu Bei's advisor Xu Shu to surrender to Cao Cao by spreading news that his mother was being held as hostage. In 208 AD he joined his lord, in the southern campaign against Sun Quan, which turned out to be disastrous as Cao Cao suffered a crushing defeat at Chi Bi. Cheng Yu was among the few who warned Cao Cao of the danger of being attacked with fire and stayed with him during the retreat to the north.
A few years later, Cheng Yu helped Cao Cao to defeat Ma Chao while also aiding his eldest son Cao Pi to crush a rebellion that broke out. In 220 AD, Cao Cao died and later that year Cheng Yu died as well at the age of 79. He did however lived long enough to see Cao Pi becoming Emperor and establishing the state of Cao Wei.
Other Media[]
Cheng Yu appears in the Dynasty Warriors and other video game series based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Cheng Yu also appeared as a supporting antagonist in the 2010 TV series Three Kingdoms and the 1992 Yokoyama Mitsuteru Sangokushi anime-series.
Relationships[]
Enemies[]
- Liu Bei
- Sun Quan
- Guan Yu
- Zhang Fei
- Zhao Yun
- Zhou Yu
- Zhuge Liang
- Yuan Shao
- Yuan Shu
- Lu Bu
- Chen Gong
- Ma Chao
Gallery[]
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 Villains
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Wei Empire Wu Empire Shu Empire Jin Empire Other Villains Lu Bu's Army Nanman Tribe Yellow Turbans Yuan Shao's Army Zhong Dynasty Others | ||