Xun Yu

Xun Yu
Portrait of Xun Yu in a 1734 edition of Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Strategist of Cao Cao
Born	163
Died	212 (aged 49)
Names
Traditional Chinese	荀彧
Simplified Chinese	荀彧
Pinyin	Xún Yù
Wade–Giles	Hsün Yü
Courtesy name	Wenruo (Chinese: 文若; pinyin: Wénruò; Wade–Giles: Wen-jo)
Posthumous name	Marquis Jing (Chinese: 敬侯; pinyin: Jìng Hóu; Wade–Giles: Ching Hou)

Xun Yu (163–212),courtesy name Wenruo, was a strategist and statesman who served as an advisor to the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty.

Xun Yu was from Yingchuan Commandery (穎川郡; around present-day Xuchang, Henan), and was born in a family of government officials. He was described in historical records as a tall and handsome gentleman. His grandfather, Xun Shu, served as a local governor and had eight sons who were nicknamed the "Eight Dragons of the Xun Family"; an uncle of Xun Yu, Xun Shuang, served as one of the Three Ducal Ministers, while Xun Yu's father Xun Fan was the chancellor of the feudal principality of Jibei.

Xun Yu proved to be a talented youth, and was evaluated by the scholar He Yong as "someone capable of assisting kings" (王佐之才). In 189, he was nominated as a xiaolian (civil service candidate) and began his career in the civil service. When the warlord Dong Zhuo seized control of the capital Luoyang, Xun Yu feared for his safety and resigned, returning to Ji Province (冀州; present day Hebei).

In the subsequent years, warlords quickly rose in each region; Xun Yu first served Yuan Shao, whose power base was in Ji Province, but later left him and went to serve Cao Cao in 191. Cao Cao recognised Xun Yu's talent and he exclaimed, "Here comes my Zifang!" when Xun Yu arrived, and he appointed Xun as an army commandant.

Xun Yu's contributions to Cao Cao's forces and administration are immense. On one hand he recommended many other men of calibre to Cao Cao, including Xun You (his second cousin-nephew), Chen Qun, Zhong Yao, Guo Jia and Sima Yi, creating a body of advisors around Cao; at the same time he participated in several battles and major events of the era, often giving timely advice to his lord. Cao Cao, in turn, respected Xun Yu greatly and placed great store in his advice.