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| Post = Marquis Su | Other = Cheng Li (程立) | Notes = }} Cheng Yu (141-220),〔 originally named Cheng Li (he changed his name to Yu (lit. "lifting the sun"), after dreaming of the sun on top of Mount Tai), courtesy name Zhongde, was one of the major strategists serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He died in the same year when the state of Cao Wei was established by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, which marked the start of the Three Kingdoms period. Cheng Yu was described to be a very tall man (approximately 1.91m) with a beautiful long beard.〔"長八尺三寸，美須髯。" Description in SGZ, (vol. 14. )〕 He was from Dong'e County, Dong commandery (near present-day Liaocheng, Shandong). Cheng Yu was best known at his time for his abnormal approach to outwit a shortage on grain: instead of sending hostage to Yuan Shao for food, he advised Cao Cao to feed the army with human!〔世语曰："初，太祖乏食，昱略其本县，供三日粮，颇杂以人脯，由是失朝望，故位不至公。" See ''Folklore of the time'' (《魏晋世语》), compiled by Guo ban.〕 He was also noted for his expertise in military tactics, which helped Cao Cao defeat his rival Yuan Shao in northern China. It was widely agreed that his numerous contributions laid the foundation of Wei, the reason he was not promoted to the rank of a duke was only because of his fore-mentioned strategy to cope with the food shortage in Yan Province. Cheng Yu was given the posthumous name of "Marquis Su", meaning "solemn marquis".〔"剛德克就曰肅。執心決斷曰肅" Hardhearted or determined person might receive the posthumous title of "Su". Cheng Yu qualified for both criteria. See ''(Lost book of Zhou ). Rules on assigning a posthumous name''.〕 Cheng Yu's son, Cheng Wu, continued to serve in Wei. ==Incidents in hometown== Born in Dong'e (modern Shandong, Yanggu, China) county of Yan Province, Cheng Yu's early life was unrecorded, but he was known as a brave man in the area during his early 40s. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out in the 180s, a county magistrate named Wang Du burned down the food stored in the warehouse, and instigated his subordinates to seize the city. The county prefect escaped the city and went into hiding, while the town residents took their families eastward and camped beside a mountain. After receiving intelligence from his spies that Wang had moved out and camped 1.3 to 1.6 miles away from the city, Cheng Yu reported to and told a local parvenu, Xue Fang, that Wang must not have the ability to control the situation, so they should retrieve the prefect and reoccupy the city. Xue Fang agreed to Cheng Yu's plan, yet the commoners refused to comply, wherein Cheng angrily said: "Stupid commoners lack the ability to plan." He then plotted with Xue Fang, and secretly sent several cavalry holding streamers to the hilltop, where they rode down toward the civilians. Xue Fang and his men then screamed upon sight of the riders, making the commoners mistook them as Yellow Turban rebels.〔"密遣數騎舉幡於東山上，令房等望見，大呼言「賊已至」，便下山趣城，吏民奔走隨之" See SGZ (vol. 14. )〕 Led by Xue Fang, the mass kept running until back into the city, where they realized the rebels were not so terrifying and started to defend the city with the prefect, who was found by Cheng Yu. Seeing the inhabitants had come back, Wang Du launched an attack, but was foiled by Cheng Yu's defense. After some time, Wang Du could no longer hold on and intended to move elsewhere, and Cheng Yu led a sudden attack when the former was packing, dealing him a major blow which enabled the survival of Dong'e. In 192, the Inspector of Yan Province, Liu Dai, invited Cheng Yu to join his government, but was refused by the latter. At the beginning, Liu Dai had very good relationship with both Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan, wherein Yuan sent his family to reside with Liu while Gongsun sent a detachment of elite cavalry to help Liu fight the Yellow Turbans in the area; however, Yuan and Gongsun became bitter enemies later, and were way more powerful than Liu, who was forced to pick a side. Liu Dai then seek advice from Cheng Yu, who told the former that asking the help from Gongsun Zan was like requesting someone to save a drowning child from afar.〔"「若棄紹近援而求瓚遠助，此假人於越以救溺子之說也。」" Cheng's line quoted from SGZ (vol. 14. )〕 He further analyzed that Gongsun Zan, who had recently gained a minor military victory over Yuan Shao, would eventually lose to the latter. Therefore, it was not sagacious to enjoy a short-term benefit without a careful long-term plan. Liu Dai agreed with Cheng Yu's speech and severed ties with Gongsun Zan, who ordered his cavalry in Yan Province back. Just as Cheng Yu had predicted, Gongsun Zan soon suffered a heavy defeat by Yuan Shao before his cavalry could even join the battle. Liu Dai then asked Cheng Yu to become his officer, and offered him the title of Commandant of Cavalry, but Cheng again refused employment. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Cheng Yu」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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