Du Yu

Who was Du Yu?

Du Yu, style name Yuankai, was a military general of Cao Wei during the late Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He served the Jin Dynasty after the end of the Three Kingdoms period. Also a prolific author, Du Yu was a self-proclaimed addict of Zuo Zhuan and wrote an influential commentary to it. Du Yu was one of the most important commanders under Zhong Hui during the conquest of the rival state of Shu Han, and he also followed in leading an army in the conquest of Eastern Wu as guardian of the south. Du Yu managed to lay waste to the Eastern Wu army with great force in not the greatest of length of time, and received the surrender of Eastern Wu's last ruler Sun Hao.

Du Yu was a brother-in-law of the Wei regent Sima Zhao, whose son Sima Yan later became the founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty. Du Yu married Sima Zhao's younger sister Princess Gaolu after returning from the conquest of Shu. Du Yu was also the ancestor of the Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu.