洪武三十一年（1398年），于谦出生于浙江杭州府钱塘县太平里（今杭州市上城区祠堂巷）。祖居考城（今河南省民权县程庄镇于庄村）。太祖于伯汉先居山西后迁至苏州，高祖于夔仕元为官。于谦的曾祖父于九思任杭州路大总管，遂迁居杭州钱塘县太平里，故史载于谦为浙江钱塘人。祖父于文明洪武年间任工部主事，父亲于彦昭隐居家乡钱塘不仕。

于谦少年时期即刻苦读书，志向高远。他敬佩仰慕文天祥的气节，悬文天祥像于座位之侧，几十年如一日。七岁时，有个和尚惊奇于他的相貌，说：“这是将来拯救时局的宰相。”八岁时，他穿着红色衣服，骑马玩耍。邻家老者觉得很有趣，戏弄他说：“红孩儿，骑黑马游街。”于谦应声而答：“赤帝子，斩白蛇当道。”下联不仅工整，而且还显露出他非同寻常的气势

永乐十九年（1421年），于谦登进士第。宣德元年（1426年），以御史职随明宣宗平定汉王朱高煦之乱，因严词斥责朱高煦而受宣宗赏识，升为巡按江西，颂声满道。宣德五年（1430年），以兵部右侍郎巡抚河南、山西等地。明英宗时因入京觐见时不向权臣王振送礼，遭诬陷下狱，因两省百姓、官吏乃至藩王力请而复任。土木之变后，英宗兵败被俘，他力排南迁之议，坚请固守，升任兵部尚书。明代宗即位，整饬兵备，部署要害，亲自督战，率师二十二万，列阵北京九门外，抵御瓦剌大军。瓦剌太师也先挟英宗逼和，他以“社稷为重，君为轻”，不许。也先无隙可乘，被迫释放英宗。和议后，于谦仍积极备战，挑选京军精锐分十团营操练，又遣兵出关屯守，边境得以安宁。当时朝务繁杂，于谦独运征调，合乎机宜。其号令明审，令行政达。他忧国忘身，口不言功，平素俭约，居所仅能遮蔽风雨。但因个性刚直，招致众人忌恨。

天顺元年（1457年），英宗复辟，大将石亨等诬陷于谦谋立襄王之子，致使其含冤遇害。明宪宗时，于谦被复官赐祭，弘治二年（1489年），追谥“肃愍”。明神宗时，改谥“忠肃”。有《于忠肃集》传世。《明史》称赞其“忠心义烈，与日月争光”。他与岳飞、张煌言并称“西湖三杰”。

 政治

于谦敢于为民请命，严惩作奸犯科权贵，而受到排挤打击。人家当官前呼后拥，尽显官威；于谦当官便服一套，瘦马一匹。同僚并不以其为谦虚清廉，却说他坏了官场规矩。

军事

于谦主张兵贵在精，将贵谋勇，用兵贵在临机应变，提倡“将士相习”，“管军者知军士之强弱，为兵者知将帅之号令”。所创团营之制，对明朝兵制影响很大。

文学

于谦诗作归隐情怀的表达与慷慨悲凉的风貌预示了诗坛风气的转向。在台阁体流行的高峰期，文人们是忌讳表达激烈的情怀与悲伤的情感的，从而保持了其创作风格的雍容，以便发挥其鸣盛的政治作用。

思想

重名节，轻名利

重成仁，轻杀身

重社稷，轻君王 

主要作品《除夜太原寒甚》《荒村》《平阳道中》《观书》《暮春遇雨》《入京》《石灰吟》《咏煤炭》《岳忠武王祠》《北风吹》《望雨》《入塞》《到泽州》。

 Yu Qian (13 May 1398-16 February 1457), Zi Tingyi, Nuo Jie'an, Han nationality, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province (now Shangcheng District, Hangzhou City). Ming Dynasty celebrities and national heroes.

Yu Qian studied hard and had high aspirations in his youth. He admired and admired Wen Tianxiang's spirit, hanging Wen Tianxiang like a seat on the side of the day for decades. At the age of seven, a monk was surprised by his appearance and said, "This is the prime minister who will save the situation in the future." When he was eight years old, he wore red clothes and rode a horse to play. The old man next door thought it was interesting. He teased him and said, "Red Boy, ride a black horse in the street." Yu Qian answered, "Red Emperor, cut white snakes." The couplet is not only neat, but also shows his extraordinary momentum.

Hongwu 31 years (1398), Yu Qian was born in Taipingli, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province. The ancestral residence is Kaocheng (now Yuzhuang Village, Chengzhuang Town, Minquan County, Henan Province). Taizu lived in Shanxi before moving to Suzhou in Bohan. Gaozu was an official in Kui Shiyuan. Yu Qian's great-grandfather was appointed chief manager of Hangzhou Road in Jiushi, and then moved to Taipingli, Qiantang County, Hangzhou. Therefore, his history is recorded in Qiantang, Zhejiang Province. Grandfather was the director of the Ministry of Work during the Hongwu period of civilization. His father lived in seclusion in Qiantang, his hometown.

Yu Qian studied hard and had high aspirations in his youth. He admired and admired Wen Tianxiang's spirit, hanging Wen Tianxiang like a seat on the side of the day for decades. At the age of seven, a monk was surprised by his appearance and said, "This is the prime minister who will save the situation in the future." When he was eight years old, he wore red clothes and rode a horse to play. The old man next door thought it was interesting. He teased him and said, "Red Boy, ride a black horse in the street." Yu Qian answered, "Red Emperor, cut white snakes." The couplet is not only neat, but also shows his extraordinary momentum.

Yongle 19 years (1421), Yu Qiandeng Jinshi. In the first year of Xuande (1426), Zhu Gaoxu, king of the Han Dynasty, was calmed down by Xuanzong as an imperial official. He was appreciated by Xuanzong for criticizing Zhu Gaoxu severely. He was promoted to patrol Jiangxi and was full of praises. Xuande five years (1430), with the right waiter of the Ministry of Army to governor Henan, Shanxi and other places. Ming Yingzong was framed and imprisoned for not giving gifts to Wang Zhenzhen when he visited Beijing. He was reinstated by the people, officials and even Wang Li of the two provinces. After the Civil War, the British soldier was defeated and captured. He was able to resist the proposal of moving southward. He insisted on sticking to it and was promoted to the Ministry of Military Affairs to Shangshu. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty assumed the throne, prepared his troops, deployed the key points, personally supervised the battle, led 220,000 divisions, lined up outside Beijing's nine gates to resist the Varan army. Tai Shi Wa first coerced the British Emperor into reconciliation. He was not allowed to take "the society is the most important and the monarch is the least important". He was forced to release the British Emperor. After the peace talks, Yu Qian was still actively preparing for the war, selecting elite Beijing Army battalions to drill in 10 regiments, and sending troops out to guard, so that the border could be peaceful. At that time, the imperial affairs were complicated, and Yu Qian's solo expedition was opportune. The order was made clear to the court and to the administration. He worries about his country and forgets himself. He does not say anything about his merits. He is simple and frugal. His dwelling place can only cover up the storm. But because of his upright personality, he has aroused the hatred of all people.

In the first year of Tianshun (1457), the restoration of the British Emperor, General Shi Heng and others framed Qian as the son of Xiangwang, resulting in his grievance and murder. During the reign of the Ming Dynasty, Yu Qian was sacrificed by the reinstatement of the government. In 1489, he pursued the policy of "eliminating disobedience". When Emperor Ming Shenzong was born, he changed to "loyalty and solemnity". There is Yu Zhong Su Ji handed down from generation to generation. History of the Ming Dynasty praised him for his "loyalty and righteousness, and glory with the sun and the moon". He and Yue Fei and Zhang Huangyan are known as the "three masters of the West Lake".