Gu Yong was a minister of Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...

 during the Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...

 era of Chinese history

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

. He learned the classics and calligraphy from Cai Yong

Cai Yong

Cai Yong was a Chinese scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He was well-versed in calligraphy, music, mathematics and astronomy. One of his daughters is the famous Cai Wenji.-Early life:...

 when the latter came to Wu briefly as a refugee. His family is one of the four illustrious houses of Wu (Zhu, Lu, Gu, Zhang). He became a governor of several prefectures throughout Yang Province. He was successful in pacify and integrate rebels and minorities under his jurisdiction.

When Sun Quan

Sun Quan

Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....

 became the King of Wu, he bestowed the nobility title (Yang Xui Xiang Hou) on Gu Yong. After Sun Quan declared himself the emperor, Gu Yong was appointed to the high rank of chancellor.

Gu Yong was said to be a reticent person and a teetotaler, famous for his standards of personal conduct; whenever he spoke, however, he spoke with confidence and reason. He was also known for keeping silent when he disagreed with something; this was a major reason why the emperor often tested his ideas on Gu Yong to see what Gu thought of the concepts - if Gu Yong refused to comment Sun Quan would realise something had not been thought through. Gu Yong was a very modest person who did not repay his enemies with malice but always did everything according to the law.

Appointments and titles held

• Chief of Hefei (合肥長)
• Chief of Lou (婁長)
• Chief of Qu'e (曲阿長)
• Chief of Shangyu (上虞長)
• Assistant (丞) to Administrator of Kuaiji Sun Quan
  Sun Quan
  Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
  
  
• Left Major (左司馬)
• Chief Imperial Secretary (尚書令)
• Marquis of Yangsui (陽遂鄉侯)
• Minister of Ceremonies (太常)
• Marquis of Liling (醴陵侯)
• Chancellor (丞相)
• Marquis Su (肅侯) - granted to Gu Yong posthumously