Cheng Zhijie was born in Dong Chenping, and his ancestral home is Dong 'e, Jeju. Great-grandfather Cheng Xing, Sima of Yanzhou, Northern Qi Dynasty. Grandfather Cheng Zhe, Sima, Jinzhou, Beiqi. His father became a building, and Jeju was in full swing. Later, he was posthumously awarded to the military affairs of Yingzhou and the secretariat of Yingzhou. Cheng Zhijie was a warrior in the early Tang Dynasty. He was good at riding horses and stabbing with a hammer. In the sixth year of Emperor Daye's reign (6 10), thieves mushroomed and organized hundreds of armed forces to guard the village. Later, he went to Wagang Shimi and was reused as one of the ancient generals.

Shi Biao chose 8,000 brave men in the army, belonging to the four ancient generals, divided into the left and right wings, known as the internal army. Shimi once proudly said, "These 8,000 people can be millions." Cheng Zhijie led an army and was entertained by Shi Biao.

In 6 18 (the first year of Wude), Wang and Shi Mi fought a decisive battle. Wang led the army to attack Dan, and Shi Biao sent reinforcements and Pei Hangyan. During the battle, Pei Hangyan fell off his horse. Cheng Zhijie cut several people, picked up Pei Hangyan and retreated. The pursuer pierced his body with a needle. Cheng Zhijie broke the pin, killed the pursuer and ran away. Shi Biao was defeated and the king was captured. He was appointed as a general and was very friendly to him. In 6 19 (the second year of Wude), Cheng Zhijie joined dozens of people, including Qin, Wu Heita and Jin Niu Da, to join the Tang Dynasty and was appointed as the Qin Zuosanjun. Since then, Cheng Zhijie has followed Li Shimin, the king of Qin, and defeated Song Jingang, Dou Jiande and Wang successively, winning numerous battles and making meritorious deeds, and was named lord protector.

In the seventh year of Tang Wude, in the struggle of peace, he was appointed as the secretariat of Kangzhou. He said to the king of Qin, "Your right and left arms have been cut off one by one now. Can your body be preserved for a long time? Even if you die, you can't leave. " Cheng Zhijie also participated in the change of Xuanwu Gate in Wude on June 4th, 9th. After the change of Xuanwumen, Bai Youwei was a prince and moved to be a general of Wei, and 700 households were sealed.

During the Zhenguan period, he served as the secretariat of Luzhou and left general. Sun Chang Wuji and other generations attacked the secretariat, renamed Lu Guogong, and granted Zhou Pu the secretariat. In the seventeenth year of Zhenguan (643), he paid homage to General Zuo Tunwei, stationed troops at the north gate of the school, and sealed the town army general. Emperor Taizong ordered people to paint portraits of 24 heroes in Lingyange, and Cheng Zhijie ranked 19.

In the sixth year of Yonghui, Tang Gaozong was transferred as a left-back general. During the reign of Emperor Xianqing of Tang Gaozong (655-657), Cheng Zhijie led his troops into Ashnahulu, a western Turkic, with the chief captain on Qingshan Road. This was the second battle between the Tang Dynasty and the western Turkic. After returning to China, he was dismissed because of the Hengde massacre and missed the fighter plane. Soon, he was awarded the secretariat of qi zhou, in charge of military affairs in qi zhou. Later, he wrote to resign and asked for a pension, which Gao Zongyun gave.

On February 26th, 665 (the second year of Linde, Tang Gaozong), Cheng Zhijie died in Whitehead at the age of seventy-seven. A posthumous gift was given to the ancient generals, Yizhou satrap and posthumous title, with 1000 silks and 1000 stones, and they were buried with Zhaoling.