Yuding is a real person who appeared in the Romance of Gods. He is a disciple of the first Buddha in Yuxu Palace, and the first person to explain Twelve Jinxian. He is a fellow brother of Jiang Ziya.
Ding Yu's real Dojo is in Jinxia Cave in Yuquan Mountain, and the treasure in the cave is the sword. Yang Jian, however, is the only apprentice of Ding Yu.
In The Lotus Lantern Prequel, the legendary Jade Ding was combined with the Bodhi founder in The Journey to the West. The plot turned into a real jade tripod entrusted by Guanyin Bodhisattva, and became the bodhi ancestor to accept the Monkey King and teach him magical powers such as walking on clouds and seventy-two changes. Yuding's real-life magic here is limited, but he is very good at teaching disciples, Yang Jian, the god of war in heaven, and the Monkey King, who made a scene in heaven.